Gluten free school lunch ideas

Packing a gluten free lunch the little ones will love can be a challenge. To make it a little easier, remember the following key principles:

1. Variety is key. Try not to pack the same thing every day, no one feels like eating the same lunch over and over - mix it up to keep in fresh, tasty and interesting.

2. Cover all bases. Unless you find a gluten free sandwich bread that appeals to little ones (tricky to come by) make sure you’re covering all food groups by dividing your lunch box into main meal, fruit, snacks, dairy and treats.

3. Pack extra. Food swapping is rife in the playground, and while those with coeliac disease or gluten intolerances will have learnt to avoid eating other children’s food, they may still want to share theirs.

Top gluten free lunchbox fillers

Here are our top ideas for yummy lunches…

For the main meal:

• Lettuce wraps with gluten free ham or chicken, cucumber and hummus
• Zucchini frittata square with bacon and sweet corn
• Home-made sushi hand rolls with cooked tuna and avocado
• Chicken breast, cheese, tomato, olives and cucumber on paddle pop spears
• Boiled egg, avocado and gluten free ham roll ups
• Vietnamese gluten free rice paper rolls with prawn or chicken

For snacks and treats:

• Peanut butter-filled celery topped with raisins
• Cherry tomatoes and carrot sticks with hummus
• Steamed edamame, sprinkled with salt
• Yoghurt - plain or with fresh grated apple and berries stirred through
• Gluten free rice crackers and tasty cheese
• Home-made popcorn
• Sliced capsicum and cucumber dippers with avocado
• Chopped fruit salad
• Gluten free muffin or cookie

Think outside the box for gluten free lunches that are colourful, fun and delicious.