Recently we spotlighted the containers that might make it easier to pack allergy-friendly lunches for school and other away from home spaces! (Missed it? You’ll find the article here: Back to School (Allergy-Friendly) Lunch Basics)
Knowing what you can pack lunch in is helpful. Knowing what to pack in those containers and boxes, however, can be a different thing entirely. The good news is we’ve done some of the legwork for you. We’ve got a collection of ideas and recipes that were made for a lunch box thermos.
Whatever Fits
Don’t overthink this one. The best lunch for an insulated lunchbox-ready container is whatever fits in that container. Leftovers from dinner, soups, stews, oatmeal, pasta… it all fits. It all works. Dig into your stash of recipes and have at it. Need more inspiration? Don’t worry, we also have some specific recipes for you.
Dairy-Free, Nut-Free Mac & Cheese
Who doesn’t love a good, gooey, velvety bowl of mac and cheese? It’s the ultimate comfort food. Sure, we know it can be difficult to pull off when you’re cooking for someone with a milk allergy. Did you know it can be equally difficult to find a dairy-free version that is also nut-free?
Many vegan (or otherwise dairy free) mac and cheese recipes rely on nut-based ingredients like cashews and almond milk to recreate the creamy texture and taste of a traditional dish.This recipe from Nyssa’s Kitchen, however, pulls off a creamy mac and cheese without the tree nuts or the milk! It’s even written to be wheat-free!
Taco Bits and Pieces
No, you can’t squish an entire assembled taco into a vacuum-sealed, thermal container. You can, however, use your container for bits and pieces of a taco for a DIY lunch treat. Precook your ground or shredded meat just before packing lunch. Drain off excess oil and fill your thermal container with enough meat for a taco-licious lunch.
Use other small containers or plastic bags to send in additional components – allergy-friendly cheese, lettuce, tomato, and so on. Carefully wrap your taco shells or tortilla. Add a fork or spoon to the lunch box so your student can build their own taco without resorting to their fingers (although, they may resort to their fingers anyway.)
Chicken Not-Noodle Soup
Any soup is a good soup for a thermos, and yet some soups are better than others. Traditional noodles sitting in broth can soak up excess liquid in that time between when you pack lunch and your kid eats lunch. The result is less soup and more plump, squishy noodles. That’s not bad, per se, but it may not be the vibe you’re going for.
Aim for smaller pasta shapes like stelline or pastina. The smaller pasta shape will take in less broth and leave you with a bowl of warm, soupy goodness. Recipes like this one from The Mediterranean Dish call for a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. You can skip the cheese or use your favorite dairy-free substitute if you’re avoiding milk.
Quinoa Salad
One of the best things about something like a quinoa salad is that you can mix and match elements of the recipe to best suit your family’s taste buds. You can go veggie heavy like this recipe from Cookie and Kate. You can also tap into the sweet side of savory with a crunchy kale and quinoa cranberry salad like this one from Avocado Pesto.
(Note: This recipe includes walnuts. You can omit them completely if you’re avoiding tree nuts. There’s another flavor and crunch in the recipe that you won’t miss much by leaving them out.)
Overnight Crockpot
We often think of crockpots and other slow cooking tools as the thing we use to make a scrumptious dinner while we’re off having a busy day. We toss some stuff in and head out to the office or wherever it is we’re going. We come home and we’ve got a pot full of something yummy and filling. Put that same trick to use for some great school lunches.
Break out the crock pot before you go to bed and make a batch of something wonderful while you sleep. This recipe from Skinny Taste includes some optional toppings that you can easily omit if they aren’t aligned with your dietary needs. Budget Bytes offers up a recipe for a rich beef stew that might also hit the right spot for you. It does use a bit of flour to thicken the dish up, but you can substitute the wheat-based ingredient with cornstarch or another allergy-friendly alternative.
Think beyond the usual, and go for the delightfully rich and full of flavor this Slow Cooker Butter Chicken dish offered up by The Pretty Bee. This version uses vegan butter and coconut milk for a creamy, warm dish.
