Six budget-friendly lunch hacks to try these school holidays

WITH school holidays underway, lunchtime begs for a bit more than the peanut butter sarmie or go-to lunchbox staple. But, making fabulous food at home can put a strain on the household budget.

Here are a few ideas to make healthy meals at home without breaking the bank. These might just impress the little food critics in your kitchen, as well.

Pizza hack

Grab a bag of pre-made dough at your local supermarket. These are a steal at about R6–R8 a bag in the deli or bakery section. Roll the dough out at home and place on a baking tray. Add a little tomato paste for a base and sprinkle with grated cheese for a cost-effective Margherita pizza.  You can opt to add toppings like ham, pineapple, mushrooms or avocado where your budget allows. Bake for about 15 minutes and voila! Grub’s up.

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That’s a wrap

Wraps are the bougie upgrade from school sandwiches – perfect for an at-home holiday treat. While store-bought wraps are far more expensive than a loaf of bread, the ingredients used to make them are easily affordable. There are plenty of recipes to make wraps at home in 30 minutes or less, but if that kind of preparation time is too much for your lunchtime rush, you could opt to make the dough ahead of time and keep individual portions in the freezer to defrost and roll out on the day.

Here’s a simplified recipe to make about seven wraps: Combine 375g flour with 2.5g of salt, 2.5g baking powder, 40ml vegetable oil and 125ml warm water to form a dough. Divide the dough into balls and flatten with the palm of your hand before leaving them to rise for 15 minutes. Use a rolling pin and flatten each wrap before cooking in a frying pan for 30 seconds to a minute on each side.

You can fill your wraps with anything your children like – from beans and cheese to tuna mayo and salad or grilled chicken and veggies.

Souped-up savings

If there was ever a way to make a little go a long way – it’s with soup. Soup is also a great way to make a meal out of leftover chicken or vegetables and avoid unnecessary waste.  There are plenty of recipes online, but I usually just wing it. I’ve learned that a good soup starts with sauteed onions – spice or season them up as you like – add in your vegetables and fry a little longer, add stock or tinned tomatoes and enough water to cover what’s in the pot and simmer for 20–40 minutes. In terms of vegetables – you could opt for anything from butternut to leek and potato, tomato, or a simple tin of mixed beans. Keep it vegetarian or add chicken or soup meat. Soup is easily frozen and defrosted on demand, and it’s a great way to sneak some veggies into your child’s diet. Serve with bread and butter or toast for a comforting winter lunch.

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Lunchtime spuddy

You can whip up a baked potato in no time, and it’s usually a crowd pleaser – especially on a cold day. Boil, bake or microwave your spuds and slice in half lengthways. Scoop out some of the potato and mix with grated cheese and ham, tinned tomato and onion mix, sweetcorn or tuna-mayonnaise. Top with a little more cheese and grill or microwave until melted. Serve with veggie sticks on the side to make a well-rounded meal.

Use your noodle with a quick ramen bowl

Instant noodles, on their own, are not the healthiest of snacks, but a few quick additions can transform this meal into the nutritional delight of your dreams. A ramen bowl might be a little ‘out there’ for a child’s pallet, but the concept is easy to adapt to their taste. The idea is to add vegetables and meat or boiled eggs to the noodles with some Asian-inspired flavours. You can use leftover meat or vegetables or whatever you have in the fridge. Popular additions include boiled eggs, grilled chicken, sauteed onion, spinach or carrots – and you can choose what suits your budget. Simmer your chopped veggies in a large saucepan with garlic, ginger and soy sauce to taste.  Add chicken or vegetable stock along with your instant noodles. Allow the noodles to cook for a few minutes or until soft.  If you are opting to serve with boiled eggs, add these to the bowl when dishing up.

These will make you pop-ular

Looking for a budget-friendly post-lunch treat? Not only is popcorn a cost-effective, healthier alternative to chips, but it also makes for a cheap treat. Melt marshmallows and butter in a saucepan or use your microwave. Stir in your popcorn and form the mixture into individual balls of happiness that make for a fun and unique treat at a fraction of the price.

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