Vegetarian lunch box ideas for fussy eaters
Where there are picky eaters, there needs to be a gameplan. For Alissa Timoshkina, author of Kapusta, that means slipping vegetables into an existing favourite, be that pasta, pancakes or muffins. “You can’t go wrong with a veg-rich pasta sauce or pasta salad with roast vegetables [courgette, peppers and tomatoes, say] and mini mozzarella balls,” she says. Meanwhile, courgette, pea and sweetcorn pancakes, and cheddar and courgette muffins are other firm favourites round at Timoshkina’s: “You could add a few chopped green olives as well.”
Failing that, she goes for colour: “Think something that would be appealing and exciting to the eye, and therefore likely to entice children to dig in.” Give them options and keep things customisable: “Offer a platter-style selection of fruit and veg, and pair it with cheese, a dip and crackers.” More practically, for Timoshkina that means a small cheese sandwich, crudités (carrots, celery, peppers, cucumber), hummus or guacamole, olives, nori sheets (“instead of crisps”), grapes, clementines and/or dried fruit. “If you have a bento-style box, that’s even better.”
When dealing with lunchboxes, it’s wise to gravitate towards things that can comfortably sit around for a bit, too. For Irina Georgescu, author of Danube: Recipes and Stories from Eastern Europe, that means potato salad. “That’s easy to make and you can do it the night before: boil cubes of potato in salted water, drain, then put in a large bowl with finely sliced red onion, radishes, cucumber, a drizzle of olive oil and fresh herbs.” She tends to go for dill – “I’m from eastern Europe, after all” – but you could use finely chopped rosemary, parsley or sage instead. Pour over a classic vinaigrette – “Three parts oil to one part white-wine vinegar, plus salt” – then toss and leave in the fridge overnight. The next day, pack into lunch boxes with slices of hard-boiled eggs and olives. “If you don’t like black olives, use green or stuffed ones instead,” she adds. “You have options to make this your own.”
Dips are, of course, always a good way to pack in extra veg. Peas please in Georgescu’s mazare frecata, AKA a garden pea spread with mint. “I often do this instead of hummus, and you don’t need fresh peas, either. Just take a bag from the freezer and put them in boiling water for a few minutes.” Drain and cool a little, then tip into a food processor with oil (olive or sunflower), salt and a squeeze of lemon juice, and blitz – this is a dip to keep coarse, mind. “Mix in chopped mint, then pack into a lunchbox with raw, crunchy vegetables and some bread or crackers; it also makes a healthy, satisfying snack when children get home while they read, or more likely use the computer.”
Speaking of snacks, be sure to whip up a batch of Georgescu’s paprika pumpkin seeds, too. “Put a bit of sunflower or olive oil in a pan and toast some pumpkin seeds until they start to pop and the skins blister. Add salt and a pinch of paprika, then transfer to a plate lined with kitchen towel.” Sprinkle this mix over the pea dip, or simply eat it just as it is: “I think of them as popcorn,” she says. Fingers crossed the kids will agree.
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