Meals that can be eaten for dinner straight out of the oven, or which are just as delicious eaten cold for those nights when one child is starving at 6pm and the other not home from training until after 8pm, meals which can double up for lunch boxes the next day (and day after that).

Chicken nuggets are a perfect solution. And let’s be honest, what kid doesn’t love them?!

My recipe is super easy to make with just a handful of ingredients. I make a big batch for our big eating family , and it a makes enough for lunch boxes the next day or two. I just throw them straight into the lunchbox as is, or wrap them up in some Mountain Bread with some mayo and lettuce.

If you’re looking for more lunchbox recipes, check out my recipe ebook, Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes.

It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved! It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved!

I’m not one for batch frying anything, I just don’t have the patience for it and I can’t bare the mess. These baked versions are just as good as the fried ones, but without the mess and they take a fraction of your time.

The seasoning can be left out of the breadcrumb mix if you prefer, or you can use any alternatives which you family prefers.  I often do a version with a Tex-Mex flavour which the kids just love. Or you can add in some parmesan cheese or lemon rind.

I like to serve the nuggets with oven-baked potato and sweet potato fries and a nice crispy garden salad and a squeeze of lemon over the lot.

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favorite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need:

Dulse flakes
Sweet Paprika
Smoked Paprika
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Dried thyme 
Dried basil
Himalayan rock salt
Spelt flour 
Extra virgin olive oil

Print

Baked Chicken Nuggets

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 16

Author Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups breadcrumbs I just popped 2-3 pieces sourdough bread into the food processor
• ½ cup ghee or butter or mix of both
• 8 chicken thighs approx. 900 gms
• 2 teaspoons dulse flakes
• I teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Sea salt or Himalayan rock salt
• 1 cup spelt flour
• 3 eggs lightly beaten
• extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 175 degrees C
• Spread breadcrumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 10 minutes, stirring breadcrumbs a couple of times to ensure they golden evenly
• Towards the end of breadcrumb cooking time pop the ghee and/or butter into a ramekin into the oven to allow to melt.
• While breadcrumbs are in the oven, cut chicken thighs into quarters
• Once lightly golden place breadcrumbs on dinner plate, allow to cool then mix through the dulse flakes, paprika, garlic and onion powder, thyme, basil, salt and slightly cooled ghee or butter
• Place flour on a dinner plate
• Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and lightly brush some olive oil onto the rack. Or you can just line a couple of baking trays with baking paper
• Set up an assembly line of chicken, flour, egg, breadcrumbs and proceed to dip the chicken into the flour (shake off excess), egg (allow excess to drip off) and finally the breadcrumbs and place on the wire rack
• Drizzle chicken with olive oil and bake until the chicken is cooked through, approx. 15 – 20 minutes, flipping half way through the cooking time

If you make this recipe let me know if your family loves it as much as we do, and please take photos and send them to me via Facebook, or if you share them on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek

You might also like these other family-friendly dinner ideas Tex Mex Burrito Bowls or Chicken Leek and Mushroom Pie

Bren x

Raspberries, yoghurt, dates and coconut – just a few of my kids favourite things!

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favorite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need:

Coconut Oil
Dates
Coconut flakes
Coconut flour
Himalayan rock salt
Vanilla powder

Print

Raspberry Swirl Slice

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Author Berleena Eberle for Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• Base
• 2 tbsn butter slightly melted
• 1 tbsn coconut oil
• 6 dates seeds removed
• 3/4 cup coconut flakes
• ½ cup coconut flour
• Pinch of himalayan rock salt to taste
• Topping
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• 1 egg
• ½ tpsn vanilla powder
• 1 cup frozen organic raspberries

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees in a fan forced oven. Grease a medium slice dish.
• To make the base, place the dates and butter in a food processor to form a paste then add the coconut flakes, flour and salt to create soft crumbs. The crumbs should stick together easily when you squeeze together.
• Pour the base into the dish and press evenly into the dish, creating a mould 1-2cm up the sides.
• To make the topping, clean the processor and whiz together the yogurt, coconut flour, egg and vanilla powder. Remove blade and gently fold in the raspberries.
• Pour topping into base then place in oven for 10-15 mins or until lightly golden on top and the middle is set.
• Allow slice to cool then refrigerate to help it set. Cut into 10 squares then store back in the fridge.

Notes

Ensure slice is kept cool for kids lunchboxes.

I love seeing the pictures of when you make my recipes, so please share them on my Facebook page or Instagram and tag #bjhealthandlifestyle

Berleena has been the wonderful recipe developer helping me create a series of delicious recipes, here’s a bit more about her…

Berleena Eberle — Food Mindset Coach
Berleena specialises in helping her clients develop a healthy relationship with food and their body. Her clients know how to deal with food triggers, let go of guilt, identify cravings and make healthy eating simple again with nutrient-rich, real food. Berleena strips back nutritional confusion to develop an intuitive eating approach.

Usually on the weekend, if time permits, the kids and I will get busy in the kitchen making food for the lunchbox.

I always like to pop in something fun into their lunchbox each day. We don’t ‘do’ dessert at home, so once a day at recess my kids look forward to their healthy treat.

They are almost always made from scratch ( I have a stash of our fave packaged options for those insane days), from the best ingredients I can afford, and as nutrient dense as I can make them.

For more lunchbox inspiration check out my Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes eBook filled with 40 of my children’s favourite nut-free and refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes. All kid-tested and kid-approved!

Here are some of their fave lunchbox treats.

Rich and delicious chocolate muffins (with vegetables) by Brenda Janschek

Sweet potato and choc chip muffins by Mummy Made it – gluten free

Beetroot, quinoa and chocolate muffins by The Holistic Ingredient

Sweet potato brownie by Slim Birdy – gluten free

Chocolate Orange Truffles by Brenda Janschek (if nuts are allowed)

Leftover porridge cakes by Lisa Corduff

Date, oat and seed bars by Brenda Janschek

Nut-free chocolate and coconut no bake bars by BecomingNess

Coconut slice by Homemade, Healthy, Happy

Chai, date and sesame biscuits by Brenda Janschek

Vanilla Apple Chia Pudding by Brenda Janschek

Cinnamon, turmeric custard by Low Tox Life

Banana Pancakes by Brenda Janschek Health & Lifestyle

Pancakes 3 ways by Quirky Cooking

Super smoothie by Brenda Janschek

Brownie Cake by Brenda Janschek

Raw Cacao Balls by Brenda Janschek (nut free)

Find the best 10 Savoury School Lunchbox Ideas here

For more lunchbox inspo, grab my new Easy Wholefood Lunchbox recipe eBook with 20 savoury and 20 sweet recipes filled with simple wholesome ingredients to meet your kids nutritional needs and fuel their learning and play, giving them the brainpower and energy they need to get through the day.

If you’re anything like me you’ll find the slackening off during the break means facing a new term like a deer in headlights when it comes to lunchboxes.

But I’ve gathered my wits and I’ve decided to put a bunch of lunchbox recipes all in one place, to make life easy for everyone! You’ll find savoury options in this post, and sweet lunchbox ideas here. 

My No 1 tip? Make these recipes for dinner, double up and voila, easy-peasy ‘day after’ lunch box additions!

For more lunchbox inspiration check out my Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes eBook filled with 40 of my children’s favourite nut-free and refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes. All kid-tested and kid-approved!

Here we go…

Savoury Cheese Muffins by me

Here are three egg, frittata type things to choose from which are great for the lunchbox. Just choose one which will appeal to the kids…

Mini Quiche by me

Savoury Paleo Slice by Naughty Naturopath Mum

Thermomix Zucchini Slice by Natural New Age Mum (gf)

Green Chickpea and Rice Patties by The Root Cause (gf, df)

Spicy Chicken Wings by Brenda Janschek Health & Lifestyle

Baked Fish Fingers by Quirky Cooking

Sweet Potato, Corn and Wild Salmon Fritters by me

Golden Baked Fritters by me

Quick tip: Research shows that kids are more likely to eat their vegetables if paired with a dip. You can find a delicious selection of dips here.

And won’t these Easy Seed Crackers by Natural New Age Mum go well with the dips.

Other posts you might like:

10 Warm and Hot Meals to Pack for School Lunches
17 Sweet and Easy School Lunchbox Recipes
The Best Lunchboxes for Kids (and the whole family)

For more lunchbox inspo, grab my Easy Wholefood Lunchbox recipe eBook with 20 savoury and 20 sweet recipes filled with simple wholesome ingredients to meet your kids nutritional needs and fuel their learning and play, giving them the brainpower and energy they need to get through the day.

I’ve been gradually moving away from all things plastic, so I did my research (i.e. stalked Facebook threads) and asked around. I also asked my kids what style, size, shape they wanted, finally deciding that stainless steel was going be a ‘cool’ way to go – cool for them given their shiny and slick appearance, and cool for me because they are earth friendly, chemical-fee, sustainable and super easy to clean.

Each day the kids take a smaller box for recess – U Konserve Rectangle Container which has a divider which makes it extra versatile because the divider can be removed and used as a larger lunchbox as well.

For lunch they take a large bento style box –  Lunchbots Trio. My kids are very active and therefore hungry all the time and I find the size of the boxes to be perfect to contain enough food to sustain them through the day.

I’ve also got a Thermos 450ml Wide Mouth Food Jar with Folding Spoon  and Goodbyn Insulated Food Jar 12oz 350ml. In these containers I pack soups, pastas, stews, all hot meals really and also cold salads and things like bircher muesli, yoghurt, fruit and granola. The Goodbyn comes in Black or Pink.

For bread rolls stuffed with healthy fillings I just can’t go past the awesome 4MyEarth sandwich wraps. We’ve had ours for years so we’ve got the Combie design but I’ve noticed some new designs which I love like this OceanLife and Flamingo.

And for water bottles I just can’t go past Klean Kanteen stainless steel.

I love everything about these bento style boxes, bags and water bottles and it makes adding vibrant, nourishing foods to the repertoire so much easier.

Here’s a snapshot of how I pack them. Recess is chunks of rockmelon and a savoury muffin and sweet muffin.

Lunch contains organic home popped popcorn with lots of good quality butter and sea salt, chopped up organic vegetables, and spinach and cheese Mountain Bread toasties (the kids also like to add ham or chicken to these, but we had none left).

The kids were on lunch duty while I got breaky ready. Getting your kids in the kitchen from a young age has so many rewards! Read more here.

A bit of prep on Sunday made lunch boxes a breeze come Monday morning with Mountain Bread Pizza with some homemade tomato pizza sauce, ham, olives, baby spinach and mozzerella cheese and some vegetable sticks plus a piece of Cardamom-Spice Cake.

That should keep them going until the barge through the door at 3.15pm asking for more food!

If you’re looking for more lunchbox recipe inspiration take a look at my ebook, Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes. It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved and take the guess work out of what delicious, healthy food to make your kids for lunch!

Other post you might like are:
10 Warm and Hot Meals to Pack for School Lunches
10 Savoury School Lunchbox Ideas
17 Sweet and Easy School Lunchbox Recipes

Bren x