1–10: Quick, Colourful, and Portable

1. DIY Mini Pita Pizzas – Whole-grain pita topped with sauce, cheese, and veggies. (source)
2. Chicken & Veggie Skewers – Grilled chicken with colourful veg on sticks. (source)
3. Build-Your-Own Greek Yogurt Parfait – Layers of yogurt, fruit, and granola. (source)
4. Mac & Cheese Cups + Veggie Sticks – Comfort food made lunchbox-friendly. (source)
5. Waffle Strips with Yogurt Dip – Fun finger food for fussy eaters. (source)
6. Charcuterie-Style Lunch – Cheese, crackers, fruit, veg, and lean meat. (source)
7. Pizza Roll-Ups – Tortilla pinwheels with sauce and cheese. (source)
8. Egg Bites & Apple Slices – Protein-rich snack box. (source)
9. Salmon Salad Walnut Wrap – Packed with omega-3 goodness. (source)
10. Banana Roll-Up + Veggie Sticks – Nut-butter wrapped banana with crunchy sides. (source)

11–20: Tasty Twists on Classics

11. Mini Bagel Sandwiches – Perfect for smaller appetites. (source)
12. Chia Pudding + Muffin + Fruit – Balanced and filling. (source)
13. Mini Quesadilla Triangles + Salsa – Dippable lunch fun. (source)
14. Build-Your-Own Taco Salad – Let kids assemble their own. (source)
15. Lemony Cucumber & Herb Pasta Salad – Light and refreshing. (source)
16. Fancy Tomato Sandwiches – Chive butter + fresh tomato. (source)
17. PB&J Overnight Oats – Great make-ahead option. (source)
18. Hummus & Cucumber Toast – Crunchy and creamy. (source)
19. Caprese Skewers – Tomato, mozzarella, basil. (source)
20. Whole-Wheat Veggie Wraps – Customisable and fresh. (source)

21–25: Protein-Packed Power Lunches

21. Apple & Cheddar Pita Pockets – Sweet + savoury combo. (source)
22. Tortilla Pepperoni Pizza – Quick lunchbox pizza fix. (source)
23. Tuna Salad with Crackers – Simple and satisfying. (source)
24. Hard-Boiled Eggs + Veggies – Protein boost in minutes. (source)
25. Hummus + Veggie Dippers – Plant-based, protein-rich snack. (source)

Why This Works

• Balanced nutrition: Each idea combines protein, fruits/vegetables, and whole grains or healthy fats.
• Prep‑friendly: Many options can be made ahead, freeing up mornings.
• Appealing presentation: Skewers, strips, and fun shapes make lunchboxes exciting.

Related Tips from Real Life

Nutrition experts recommend quick lunch planning, portion control, and avoiding overly processed foods. It’s also smart to make food visually appealing to encourage kids to eat—think cookie-cut shapes and bento-style layouts. 

Make Lunch Planning Even Easier!

To take the stress out of busy school mornings, I’ve created a free Weekly School Lunch Planner with a built-in shopping list. It’s perfect for mapping out your child’s meals, making sure they’re balanced, and jotting down ingredients you need to pick up. Print it, pop it on the fridge, and enjoy smoother, healthier lunch prep all week long.

Final Thoughts

Say goodbye to “What’s for lunch today?” stress! With this list of easy, nutritious, and creative ideas, you’ll keep lunch interesting and lunchboxes empty—one healthy bite at a time.

I have recently had to go through a pretty restrictive diet which meant thoroughly checking what I eat, so I looked into what the ingredients were and believe it other than grated potatoes and salt the only other ingredients were the butter or oil to cook it in. This was a revelation for me and I love that I have found an alternative way to cook a familiar food that we all love as a family.

Rösti is the classic hiking food in Switzerland, a traditional dish of fried grated potatoes often topped with a fried egg, bacon and/or cheese. You’ll find this hearty meal served at many mountain huts and restaurants both in summer and winter.

The Best Potatoes for Rösti

Personally, I feel the best potatoes for Rösti are general all-purpose ones like Maris Piper, Russets or Yukon Golds. Neither waxy or flowery. In fact, in Switzerland, they call them rosti potatoes!

To parboil or not?

Now on to the next issue, do you parboil them? I am a busy mum of two and I have no time to parboil and cool my spuds before frying them, so nope I cook mine from raw, which is the modern way!

My Secret to Delicious Rösti

My Secret to golden Rösti’s is the fact that I cook them in Ghee (which is like clarified butter), so you get the delicious buttery taste but also a crispy golden brown outside without burning them. Ghee is super easy to make from a block of butter, in fact, all you need to do is simmer it for 20 minutes and sieve it. I use it a lot as it has a much higher smoking point and you get the butter flavour without the burnt black bits (which are the dairy part of butter).

How to Make Potato Rösti 

You start by peeling and grating your potatoes into a bowl. I allow 300 to 400 grams per person and prefer to cook in a smaller frying pan (I use an 8 inch pan). You can use a box grater for your potatoes, however, I am really lazy and use my food processor as it whizzes through the work in possibly a tenth of the time it would take me to hand grate it. I have a 20 odd-year-old Magimix. I love it, it was expensive, but the cost per use has obviously been minimal and it is a real workhorse.

Once grated I then squeeze out most of the excess liquid. I don’t use the tea towel method as I want to retain some of the moisture as it helps cook the potatoes in the inside of the rösti. Then I will cover the potatoes until I need them. Sometimes they will oxidise and change colour (slightly red or purple) but as soon as you cook them that disappears.

Before cooking the rösti then I add my salt and ghee before adding to a warmed frying pan. I like to add around 3cm of grated potato and compress it slightly during the cooking process with a spatula. You don’t want to press it too hard as you want to retain the texture. Fo me the cooking takes around 25 minutes in total, so around 12 mins each side on medium heat. I cook on medium-high heat for the last couple of minutes on each side to give a lovely golden finish to the rösti.

When it comes to flipping the rösti I use a wooden chopping or cutting board larger than my pan and place it on top and then flip it over before sliding it back into the frying pan. I really think a good non stick frying or skillet pan is essential for sliding out your rösti in one piece. If you are making more than one rösti you can keep it warm in the oven but it will lose some of the crispness.

What to serve with rösti

My family love theirs served with bacon and egg (the more eggs the better) for brunch! But basically, you can serve it anywhere you would usually serve potatoes. They work really well with steak or salmon. Some people add onion or chives into their rösti but we prefer plain. They make the perfect side to our Chicken Parmesan.

Whether you’re making a solo rösti or feeding a family, this guide gives you perfect tips on potato type, prep methods (raw vs. parboiled), fat choices (ghee, butter, or goose fat), and easy flipping techniques. Let’s make your rösti golden, fluffy, and effortlessly delicious.

Print

Potato Rösti

Swiss Potato Dish

Course Breakfast, Main

Cuisine Swiss

Keyword potatoes

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Cost 5

Equipment

• Grater
• Frying pan

Ingredients

• 300/400 grams Potato per person
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tblesp Ghee

Instructions

• Start by peeling and grating your potatoes into a bowl. I allow 300 to 400 grams per person and prefer to cook in a smaller frying pan (I use an 8 inch pan). You can use a box grater for your potatoes, however, I am really lazy and use my food processor as it whizzes through the work in possibly a tenth of the time it would take me to hand grate it.
• Once grated I then squeeze out most of the excess liquid. I don’t use the tea towel method as I want to retain some of the moisture as it helps cook the potatoes in the inside of the rösti. Then I will cover the potatoes until I need them. Sometimes they will oxidise and change colour (slightly red or purple) but as soon as you cook them that disappears.
• Before cooking the rösti then I add my salt and ghee before adding to a warmed frying pan. I like to add around 3cm of grated potato and compress slightly during the cooking process with a spatula. You don’t want to press it too hard as you want to retain the texture. Fo me the cooking takes around 25 minutes in total, so around 12 mins each side on a medium heat. I cook on a medium-high heat for the last couple of minutes on each side to give a lovely golden finish to the rösti.
• When it comes to flipping the rösti I use a wooden chopping or cutting board larger than my pan and place it on top and then flip it cover before sliding it back into the frying pan. I really think a good non stick frying or skillet pan is essential for sliding out your rösti out in one piece. If you are making more than one rösti you can keep it warm in the oven but it will lose some of the crispness.
• Swiss rösti is versatile and traditionally served with:

  Fried egg, bacon, cheese, onions or mushrooms .

  It’s commonly a side dish to hearty mains like sausages or spinach and eggs 

Notes

• Clarified butter or ghee has a higher smoke point and delivers crispier, golden rösti compared to regular butter.
• Mixing goose fat and butter is also a traditional Swiss method to balance flavour and crispiness
• Flavour Enhancements: Include bacon, caramelised onions, and melted cheese fora  richer taste.
• For fluffier center, parboil and chill potatoes.
• For maximum crisp, use plenty of fat and don’t pack the potatoes tightly.
• Safer flip: use a board with a handle or ask a family member to assist.

Family Lunch Ideas

I am not going to lie, I have a love-hate relationship with feeding my family. Food is my love language so I do get great pleasure out of providing meals that they enjoy, however, it can be a monotonous slog at the best of times. Add in a lockdown and remote learning and it is just something else that I have to add to my growing list of responsibilities.

Over the years I have found that my boys are a lot like dogs, they need praise, exercise and a lot of food to keep them agreeable to live with. When they are at school they get a warm school dinner, so I am just dealing with breakfasts and an evening meal, but leaving lunches to them during lockdown is a nightmare. They take things that I have planned to use for dinners, eat the first thing that comes to hand or the easier things. This makes for empty cupboards and lots of snacking!

So I put a shout-out to Instagram for simple lunch ideas that are filling, wholesome (mainly) and fast and I ended up with more than enough ideas for every day of the week!

Let’ ‘s Talk Leftovers

Firstly – let’s talk leftovers, which are great for incorporating into next day’s lunches. My boys are not keen on eating the same dish the following day, but you can use the ingredients to rustle up something delicious and tasty. Raman can be made with leftover cooked meat from Roasts, Quesadillas from leftover fajitas, you can turn most things into tacos and pies and pasties from pretty much anything!

• Quesadillas – perfect for using any leftovers from Fajitas
• Fried rice – We love Nasi Goreng – Indonesian Fried Rice
• Rice Salad – This Mexican rice and bean salad would be a great way to use leftover rice.
• Pasties – this is why I always have puff pastry in the fridge
• Raman – this pork Raman would be the perfect way to use leftover pork from a Sunday dinner
• Fritiats or Omelettes are a great way to use leftover veggies, like this Wild Alaska Salmon, Potato and Leek Frittata and a great plus is these can be served hot or cold.
• Yorkshire Pudding Wraps – are a great way to use up leftover meat.
• Cod and Pea Fritters are an ace way to use up any leftover mashed potato (you could easily swap out the cod for any tinned fish to make it cupboard-friendly) we serve these in buns for a simple lunch.
• Bubble and Squeak Soup – this is my go-to to use up any Chicken Dinner leftovers
• Leftover Curry Puffs – These tempting parcels are a cinch to make, and a great change-up to your usual leftovers. The parcels can be stored in the fridge for 2 days and reheated when it’s convenient, for lunch.
• Soup – one of my favourite healthy lunch ideas from leftovers is soup, in fact, I roast additional sweet potatoes, red onion and other vegetables to make soup. One of my favourite lunches is cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.

Simple Lunch Ideas for Families

• New potato, spring onion & cheddar quiche
• Slow cooker Jacket Potatoes
• Basil and tomato baked eggs – cooking with kids 
• Sausage, Cheese and Bean Melt Recipe
• Mini Pizza Bites
• Hot dogs in Buns
• Peanut butter on toast
• Croque Monsieur
• Meatball baguettes
• Italian rice salad
• Falafel burgers
• Bubble and Squeak
• Mac n Cheese
• Two-minute turmeric noodles – Healthier and tastier than pot noodles
• Gnocchi
• Sausage Sandwiches
• Homemade Pitta Bread
• 15-minute chicken & halloumi burgers
• Hashbrowns
• Scampi Po’Boy
• Roasted Veg and Flatbreads
• Veggie Taco Bowls – these are simple to make and delicious, but you could always just fill them with a salad or veggie batons
• Tuna Melt
• Beans or spaghetti on toast
• Burrito Bowls or you could use a bed of lettuce for your ground beef rather than a burrito
• Filled bagels or even these lovely pizza bagels
• Tuna melt pizza baguettes
• Avocado on Toast
• Wraps – basically anything you could put in a sandwich you can pop in a wrap for a change.
• Veggie pizza Pockets
• Cheese, Marmite & spinach pinwheels
• Soup
• Savoury Scones
• Pasta
• Savoury Cornbread Muffins with spring onions and Cheese
• Dippy Eggs
• Creamy pesto & kale pasta
• Toasties
• Taco Salad
• Asian Rice Salad
• Fishfinger Sandwiches
• Spanish Tuna Salad with Roasted Red Peppers 
• Cheese Toasties
• Ham, potato & cheese stuffed loaf
• Sausage rolls – I am going to make these tortilla sausage rolls by My Fussy Eater
• Easy French Dip Sandwich 
• Potatoe Waffles
• Bacon and Egg Bites
• Quick Easy Veggie Lentil Soup 
• Burgers in a Bun
• Homemade Mac n Cheese
• Carrot and Sweetcorn Fritters
• Bacon & mushroom pasta
• Halimi Burgers
• Cheezy Roasted Vegetable Quinoa
• Poached Eggs on English Muffins
• No-cook veggie fajitas
• Sushi
•  5 Minutes BLT Salad 
• Sweetcorn Fritters
• Pulled pork sloppy joe dogs
• Quick pitta pizzas
• French Dip Sandwich

Looking for more vegetarian lunches then take a look here.

There is nothing worse than getting stuck in a rut when it comes to making your children’s lunchbox.  Putting the same thing in week in, week out.  This is often made harder with picky eaters or school nutrition rules.  Hartleys has introduced sugar-free jelly pots which my children love (as do I)! They make a great alternative to the sugar-packed yoghurt tubes that I used to add.

I am a big believer that children gain so much from sitting at a table and eating lunch together and Hartley’s have worked with Dr Sam Wass, a child psychologist {who is also behind the show “Secret Life of a 4, 5 & 6 year olds”}. He shares the conversations that our children are having over their lunch. The top topics of conversation include; Favourite toys, friends, Holidays, TV, Family & more.  #littleoneswholunch.  

At the boys primary school they introduced table buddies for the younger children.  So a year 5 or 6 child was put in charge of each of the tables for reception and years 1 to 3.  They helped the younger children cut up their food, put water and teach table etiquette. It was such a great idea and all the children gained so much from it.

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What should be included in a Kids Packed Lunch?

The Food Association have a great guide but as a rule:

1) A portion of bread (or similar), rice, potatoes or pasta
2) Plenty of fruit and vegetables
3) A portion of dairy or a calcium-rich alternative
4) Some protein in the form of beans, pulses, fish, egg, meat
5) A healthy drink

Top Tip: Before adding any food to your thermos flask fill it with hot water whilst you prepare the food and that way the flask ios warm and will keep the food warmer longer.

Hot School Lunch Ideas for Kids

I think that autumn and winter is the hardest seasons for lunchboxes for children.  During the summer Mini has salads, cold pasta salad and wraps or even pies, pasties and sausage rolls.  However, once the weather gets cooler he wants something warm and filling.  Our small food flask has been a lifesaver over the years and it keeps whatever we add to eat hot until his lunchtimes.  So I decided to share with you Mini’s top hot non sandwich school lunch ideas and some of the recipes.

Hot School Lunch Ideas for Kids

1. Soup and a Bun
2. Beans and Sausages
3. Hot dogs and onions with a hotdog roll to add it to
4. Pasta (he often takes leftovers from our main meals such as spaghetti bolegnese or pasta bake) Pasta with meatballs is a big favourite and I always add some grated cheese.
5. Fried Rice Bowl – we use leftover rice with added meat such as pork fillet), and vegetables and then fry it with an egg.
6. Anything with noodles. If we have any cola chicken left, this is delicious.
7. Casserole – I always make extra and he takes leftovers including sausage casserole, beef or even chicken.
8. Chicken Soup/Stew
9. Pumpkin Soup – warming and delicious
10. Baked potato – these keep warm in the thermos flask so well and you can do a baked sweet potato to change things up. Just add a pat of butter wrapped in some baking paper and a topping (like cheese or tuna).
11. Fajitas – pack the wraps in clingfilm for them to fill at school
12. Curry – Mini is a big curry lover and it always keeps well.
13. Mac n Cheese

Top Tip: Make sure you freeze any potions of leftover meals and label them. They make the perfect warm packed lunch and you can defrost and heat them in the microwave before school

Most of these are good dinner ideas and can be used for lunch leftovers. The kids love having something in their thermos and it keeps them warm at lunchtime, plus it is something fun and different. if you are looking for more, then check out these easy lunch ideas for winter and our list of family lunches.

Avocado, primula (instead of butter) and chilli flakes on brown bread or brown toast of you are feeling the need for a little crunch to your break.

I hadn’t had Primula for what must be over 30 years till very recently.  Primula have brought out a children’s version, Primula Kids and it actually contains the lowest salt, fat, calories and highest cheese and calcium content of any branded spreadable cheese on the market.

I was going to tell you all about my Primula memories, but Laura from Littlestuff has done that and much more eloquently than I could have done.  But it is good to see that the Primula still comes out with the crimped edge just like from a fancy piping bag!

Since getting our Primula kids it has become a firm favorite, especially for Maxi who doesn’t like butter or spread on sandwiches.  We have been using the Primula instead and it has stopped his bread getting soggy and he loves the taste (winner).

When I was unwell as a child my favorite food was tomato soup and primula on bread to dip in to it and eating it has brought memories flooding right back.  My mum loved the prawn version on crackers.

Fancy winning a fab two night break in a double room in any of the 25 Urban Village locations on a bed and breakfast basis?   All you need to do is create your Primula sandwich, share your photo on Twitter or Instagram (or both!) and tag @tots100 using the hashtag #PrimulaSandwich giving the details of your sandwich too! You need to share before 11.59am on 23rd May 2014 to be in with a chance of winning.

The Tots100 website has more information about the competition and the full terms and conditions.

Oh and any tips on how to tell if an avocado is ripe, please do leave me a comment. 

Ingredients

·         Apetina cheese

·         Rice

·         Peppers (Red) – chopped

·         Small tin of sweetcorn

·         Sugar snap peas

·         Dressing of your choice (Nasi Goreng)

·         Poached egg to top (Optional)

Method

1.       Cook and cool the rice according to the packet instructions.  When cooling rice I tend to add to ice water and then drain.

2.       Cook the sugar snap peas and garden peas and cool (again I add to iced water).

3.       Add all the ingredients to the rice and mix.

4.       I finish off with a poached egg on top and serve, but this is optional and the salad can be prepared the morning of an event and popped in the fridge until required.

Variations:

This is such a versatile leaf free salad and it is perfect for using up any vegetables you have. The key is to keep it colourful. Chopped tomatoes, avocado and broad beans, spring onion and red onion will add a bite and a tin of mixed beans will be transformed by adding it to the rice and vegetables.  If you are not keen on poached eggs then why not add hard boiled eggs to the salad or even chicken if you want it to have some meat.

I am entering my Apetina recipe in their summer salad challenge and would love for you to vote for me on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/apetina. Visitors who like the Facebook page and vote for their favourite salad will be entered into a prize draw, for a picnic hamper (basket, with salad bowl and servers, plus dressing bottle) and in the final week prize will be a BBQ.

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