We've all been there.... it’s 7am, you need to get your kids up, dressed, breakfast served (and eaten) and out the door to get to school on time. These activities all run concurrently to also getting yourself ready for work, gym or whatever your day has install for you.
Typically a constant challenge in the morning routine is the daily L U N C H B O X. Whether it's your own expectations, those put on by the school or peer pressure, there is a definite challenge to meet the requirements of the daily lunchbox.
✔️ tastes good // doesn't come home again
✔️ covers plenty of the food groups // nutritionally balanced
✔️ looks fun // other kids thinking it cool always helps in the level of consumption
✔️ nude food // packaging is soooo uncool for the environment and simply unacceptable in many schools
✔️ not too much sugar // again not accepted by plenty of schools
✔️ allergen-friendly // no nuts and whatever else is required by the school
Cover off all the above criteria AND change the lunchbox up enough that the kids don't get bored with what's for lunch.
This on repeat every day is challenging - even for the most organised and creative Mums.
To help you out we have come up with a little snack prep plan that can have you preparing an entire months worth of snacks in ONLY 30 minutes. We want to help you lose the lunchbox struggle!
As Funch is founded and run by two Melbourne mums, we know just how important simple, quick, fail-proof recipes need to be.
With the below plan, you could substitute any of our various flavours to match your school/kids dietary preferences and requirements. Not all schools are nut free, or some schools are the only peanut free others have no restrictions.
What we are going to make:
- Funch Breakfast Cookies [great for eating any time of the day] (No Nuts)
- Funch Chocolate Crackle No Bake Slice (Almonds) (Gluten Free)
- Funch Chocolate Bliss Balls (No Nuts)
- Funch Salted Caramel Protein Balls (Cashews)
What you will need
- 1 x Funch Breakfast Cookie Mix (made with butter and honey)
- 1 x Funch Chocolate Crackle No Bake Mix (made with rice syrup and coconut oil)
- 1 x Funch Salted Caramel Protein Ball Mix (made with dates and coconut oil)
- 1 x Funch Chocolate Bliss Ball Mix (made with dates and water)
- 1/3 cup (70g) Butter
- 1/3 cup (100g) Honey
- 1/2 cup (90g) Coconut Oil
- 1/4 cup (90g) Rice Malt Syrup
- 2 cups (320g) Dates, pitted
- 1/4 cup (45g) warm water
You will also need
- 4 mixing bowls
- Mini muffin tray (24), greased
- 10 x 20cm loaf tin, greased and lined
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees
- Open each of your packets and put them into separate mixing bowls
- Combine 70g butter and 100g honey into a microwave-safe dish
- Microwave for 40sec - 1 min or until butter is melted
- Pour melted ingredients into Funch Cookie Mix Bowl and stir thoroughly
- Distribute mix between mini-muffin cups. Press firmly into cups until it is solidly packed
- Bake for 15 minutes on low oven shelf or until Cookies are golden brown. Set your timer and while they are cooking get the rest of the Funch products made)
- Once they come out of the oven, leave them in the muffin tray until they have cooled
-
Prepare dates - Pit dates and then combine with 4 tbs of water in a microwave for 45 sec - 1 min. Once soft mash with a fork. Distribute half the mashed dates (160g) into the Chocolate Bliss Ball Mix and the other half into the Salted Caramel Mix
- Pour Rice Syrup (90g) into Chocolate Crackle No Bake Slice Mix
- Melt Coconut Oil in the microwave. Distribute half (45g) into Salted Caramel Mix and half into Chocolate Crackle No Bake Slice Mix
- Add water (45g) to the Chocolate Bliss Ball Mix. This mix may need to sit in the fridge for 5-10 minutes if it feels too soft to roll into balls
- Thoroughly stir each of the mixtures, ensuring there is no dry power left
- Pour Chocolate Crackle Mix into the lined baking tray. Use back of a spoon to push the mix firmly into the tin, flattening the top. Put mix in the freezer for 10 minutes
- We recommend wearing disposable gloves for rolling your balls. If they get too sticky, rinse your gloved hands with water and continue rolling. Roll both the Salted Caramel and Chocolate Bliss Ball mixtures into 20g balls (1 tbs of mixture). A good option for the Chocolate Bliss Ball mixture is to roll your balls in desiccated coconut.
- Take your Chocolate Crackle No Bake Slice from the fridge or freezer. Once it is hard to cut it into 15 pieces (cut 3 across and 5 down) or whatever size you prefer.
- Divide your rolled balls and slice into 2 containers
#1 For the fridge - those that will be used in the next 2 weeks, and
#2 For the freezer - those that need to go into the freezer to be used in the following weeks. - Store your cookies in an airtight container in a cool, dark location
This processes will make you
- 24 Breakfast Cookies
- 15 Chocolate Crackle Slices
- 15-17 Salted Caramel Protein Balls
- 15-17 Chocolate Bliss Balls
That is 69-73 pieces for an average of 30 days. You will have 2-3 snacks per day for an entire month and the whole process will take around 30 minutes.
What is even better, it tastes so yummy that it will not be coming home in their lunchbox.
