Meal Prep

A healthy packed lunch gives schoolchildren the energy they need for a successful school day. A balanced meal and enough to drink support concentration and help them get through the day full of energy.

With a little planning, you can prepare the lunchbox with ease. Wholegrain bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, small snacks, or homemade treats add variety and turn break time into a little moment of enjoyment. This creates a balanced meal that not only tastes good but is also gladly eaten.

Little meal-prep hacks for the lunchbox:

• Familiar meets new: A good mix does the trick: combine two of your child’s favourite snacks with one small new addition. That way, there’s plenty that feels familiar in the lunchbox while still offering the chance to discover something new now and then.
• Learn from leftovers: It’s worth taking a look in the lunchbox after school. If certain foods are often left over, you can adjust the amount, preparation, or selection. Little by little, you’ll find out what really goes down well.
• Think about tomorrow the night before: Anything that needs to be kept chilled can easily be prepared the evening before and stored in the fridge. The water bottle and non-perishable snacks can also be set out in advance. This saves time and makes mornings less hectic.

Prepared in the evening. More relaxed in the morning.

If you prepare the lunchbox the evening before, you save valuable time in the morning. In well-sealed containers, the ingredients stay fresh, crisp, and appetising for a long time. Right up until breakfast or lunch break.

This leaves more time in everyday life for the moments that really matter.

When preparing a packed lunch, it is important to consider the children's individual preferences. Because the same applies at school: What tastes good gives you strength!

Wholegrain bread or wholegrain rolls provide an ideal base and give your child long-lasting energy. For more variety, it is worth rotating different types of bread regularly. That keeps the lunchbox exciting and brings new taste experiences every day.

With fresh ingredients, a simple sandwich quickly becomes a balanced meal. A good combination includes, for example:

• Spread: butter, cream cheese, or a plant-based alternative
• Topping: cheese, lean cold cuts, or a vegetarian spread
• Fresh ingredients: crisp lettuce, cucumber or tomato slices
• Herbs: chives, cress, parsley, or basil for a delicate flavour

Fresh fruit and seasonal vegetables should not be missing from the lunchbox either. Cut into bite-sized pieces, they quickly become popular finger food. For even more variety, you can occasionally add:

• Nuts
• Dried fruit

These small snacks are a sensible addition to the meal plan and bring extra variety to the lunchbox.

And of course, the right drink is part of it too. Water and unsweetened herbal or fruit teas quench thirst and perfectly round off a balanced school snack. This means your child is well prepared for a successful school day.

It doesn't have to be the classic sandwich every day. With a little creativity, you can add more variety to the lunchbox and make sure your child looks forward to break time every day.

• Unsweetened muesli is a healthy option for kids who are not keen on sandwiches - paired with unsweetened yogurt, quark, or milk, it makes a wholesome snack.
• Colorful skewers are also quick to prepare and a real eye-catcher in the lunchbox. Whether it's cheese with grapes, cherry tomatoes with mini mozzarella, or cucumber and bell pepper, anything goes as long as it tastes good and gets happily eaten.
• Filled wraps or flatbreads add even more variety. With crunchy vegetables, cream cheese or hummus, and a filling of your choice, you can create balanced meals that are ideal for prepping and taking along.
• Homemade snacks like moist banana bread, savory breakfast muffins, or small oat muffins bring even more variety to the lunchbox. They are easy to prepare in advance, still taste delicious the next day, and turn break time into a special moment of enjoyment.

This turns the lunchbox into a fresh, varied, and tasty mix every single day - lovingly prepared and perfect for little breaks with big appetites.

Even at home, meal prep makes everyday life more relaxed and ensures that a home-cooked meal is always ready. Whether after a long day at work, during lunch break in the home office, or when things need to be done quickly.

Many dishes are ideal for pre-cooking and often taste even more aromatic the next day or even the day after. Whether it's hearty goulash, classic bolognese, creamy soups, or a spicy chicken curry: once cooked, you can enjoy several portions and save valuable time in your daily routine. Pre-prepared ingredients can also be flexibly combined and quickly supplemented into a varied meal.

Many meal-prep dishes can also be frozen without any problems. This way, you always have a home-cooked meal ready, without any extra effort. This saves time, creates flexibility, and gives you more space for the beautiful moments of cooking and enjoying.

Practical Meal Prep Tips:

• Don't prep for seven days: Use the 3+2 rhythm and first prepare meals for three days. With a small prep refresh during the week, you plan the next two days. This keeps the food fresher and the individual prep session more relaxed.
• Double up oven time: If the oven is already on, take the opportunity to bake a second tray of vegetables, potatoes, or other ingredients for the next few days. This saves you time and an additional heating phase.
• Cook for "Future You": For dishes that store or freeze well, consciously cook an extra portion. This won't be served tomorrow, but waits for a day when time or desire to cook is lacking.

Instead of spontaneously looking for a quick alternative, a freshly prepared meal is already waiting for you. Exactly to your taste and with the ingredients you have chosen.

Whether as a ready-made meal or assembled from individual, pre-cooked ingredients, meal prep makes everyday life much more relaxed. Aromatic pasta salad, a colourful bowl, a protein-rich lentil salad or a hearty chili con carne can be prepared the evening before or even for several days. This way, you can enjoy a balanced meal even on busy days, without spending time shopping or cooking.

With a well-prepared lunchbox, you not only save time in your working day. You also create a conscious moment of enjoyment – with a home-cooked meal that gives you new energy and makes your lunch break something special.

Meal Prep Hacks for Your Lunch Break:

• Sauces as a Meal Prep Joker: Prepare various basics for your bowls and add variety to your lunchbox with changing sauces and dressings. This way, new flavour combinations always emerge from the same prepared ingredients.
• Stock up on small supplies at work: Spices, nuts, seeds, or other non-perishable toppings can easily be stored at your workplace. This way, you can spontaneously refine your prepared meals and ensure variety.
• One dish, multiple possibilities: Prepare dishes such as chili as a versatile base and combine them in new ways again and again. For example, chili tastes great with rice today, as a filling in a wrap tomorrow, and as a topping for a bowl the day after tomorrow.
• Keep dishes nice and juicy: Pasta, rice, and grains absorb liquid when stored and can therefore taste drier the next day. Therefore, prepare dishes with a little more sauce or store sauce and side dish completely separately and only mix them just before eating. This way, the desired consistency is maintained, and the meal still tastes nice and juicy the next day.