Four reasons why ? Save Money: Who said meal prep was just a trend? With a Bento, you can make the most out of your groceries and leftovers. Say goodbye to daily takeout expenses and hello to a thicker wallet! ?? ? Portion Control: Struggling with overeating? Bento to the rescue! These little compartments are like built-in portion control guides. Balance your nutrients effortlessly and conquer your fitness goals. ??? ? Diverse Options: No more sad desk lunches! Bento lets you get creative. Mix and match your favorite foods, from sushi rolls to salads, without worrying about them mixing togethe ..read more

   Need to quickly whip up a batch of muesli bars for the lunchbox? These no-bake energy bars filled with dates, nuts, and oats are a breeze to make, so get the kids in the kitchen to help you too! ➡️ YOU'LL NEED: - 10 dates - 1/2 cup peanut butter - 1/2 cup honey - 1.5 tsp ground ginger - 1 tsp cinnamon - 2 cups rolled oats - 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used slivered almonds as that's all there was in the cupboard) - 1/4 cup seeds (I used sesame seeds but sunflower would be good too) ➡️ WHAT TO DO: 1. Put dates in a small bowl & cover with boiling water for a few mins to soften. Dr ..read more

There's nothing better on a cold wintery day than opening a Thermos of hot steaming lunch! Here's some old favourites to pack in your Thermos...and some new ideas too. And don't forget - your Thermos is great for cold foods in summer too!  Check out our collection of Thermos food jars and flasks here.  Click here to download this idea sheet, and stick it up in your pantry for daily inspiration!  ..read more

I love baking up a storm but, when there's sweet treats in the pantry, they call my name all day long!! So I mostly make savoury bakes to fill up the freezer with easy lunchbox fillers. Having a freezer stash of goodies to throw in the lunchbox makes those crazy busy school mornings a whole lot easier!    DOUGH (or use your favourite bread, pizza, or scone dough for this): - 2 Cups flour - 2 tsp baking powder - 85g butter, chilled and chopped - 3/4 Cup milk METHOD: 1. Preheat oven to 200C. Grease a 12 hole muffin pan. 2. Place flour, baking powder & butter in food processo ..read more

You'll find yourself making this quick mix pizza loaf over and over again. It's full of all the things most kids love, and my two think it's the best thing since...sliced bread! Feel free to mix and match the 'pizza' ingredients to suit your family's tastes.   INGREDIENTS: 1 1/4 Cups flour 1 1/4 tsp baking powder 1 Cup cheese, grated 3 spring onions, sliced 12 slices salami, cut into 1cm pieces 1/2 Cup olives, halved (I used a mix of black & green) 1/2 Cup semi-dried tomato, chopped 1/4 Cup basil, finely sliced 4 eggs, lightly beaten 1/4 Cup olive oil 1/2 Cup milk  WHAT TO ..read more

I've made more than a few bliss balls in my time, but this latest incarnation has been by far the most popular yet with my kids. I'm sure you'll love them too! This recipe uses prunes rather than the usual dates. I find that prunes work well in most baking that calls for dates, and they have less than half the sugar of dates but are still beautifully sweet.  INGREDIENTS Makes approx. 17 bliss balls 1 cup pitted prunes, roughly chopped 4 Weetbix, crumbled 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 2 tablespoons runny honey 1/3 cup desiccated coconut, plus extra for coating &nbs ..read more

Here's some ideas to try and tempt your kids into eating salad. Get in a bit of practice these holidays, & you may even be able to sneak salads into their lunchboxes once school starts!    ? Minimise the lettuce. It's often the green stuff that puts kids off. ? Add some fruit. Throw in a handful of strawberries, blueberries, chopped peach/nectarine, dates or sultanas to make a salad more attractive for little ones. ? Sprinkle on some fun crunch. Pumpkin seeds, roasted chickpeas, croutons, bagel bites, nuts (if allowed), crispy noodles...anything to get them to take the ..read more

Forget shop-bought muesli bars with dubious 'health' claims! These no-bake popcorn bars are loaded with goodness and - best of all - they've been a massive hit with the whole family here at the Lunchbox Palace!  I find the very quickest and easiest way to pop popcorn is in a lidded Pyrex dish in the microwave. Just blast it on high power until all the corn is popped. No need to add any oil or butter.  The seed mix is totally up to you. This is a very forgiving recipe, so just use whichever seeds you like best. The quantities are only a rough guide and you can add more or less seeds ..read more

These are brilliant for the lunchbox or school holiday snacks! Recipe from my favourite foodie Nadia Lim   Makes 12 muffins.  INGREDIENTS: 2 cups plain flour 4 tsp baking powder 1 tsp celery salt (optional) 1/2 cup grated cheese 1 tin whole corn kernels, drained (or use fresh corn while it's in season!) 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1/4 cup oil 100g cream cheese (feta is a great alternative) 3-4 Tbsp pesto METHOD: 1. Pre-heat oven to 190C. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tray. 2. Sift flour, baking powder, & celery salt into large bowl, then stir in the cheese, corn, & toss to ..read more

  It's the big question...which bento box to go for? Click on the link below for a table comparing all our most popular lunchboxes to help make your decision just that bit easier. And if you're still unsure and would like our advice, drop us a line to hello@thelunchboxqueen.co.nz. We're always happy to help!     Download the PDF here ..read more