School lunchbox

Suppli al telefono is a delicious snack from Italy originally named for the melted mozzarella "strings" that resemble telephone wires when one of these croquettes is split open and slowly pulled apart.

This coconut cherry slice manages to be just a little bit posh while at the same time packing a delicious chocolatey punch. Enjoy with your afternoon coffee or tea.

This Thai chicken noodle soup is full of all those lovely and distinctive Asian flavours and will not fail to please. Best of all, you can be enjoying a steaming bowl in under 15 minutes. What's not to love?

Carrot cake is always a winner, and the addition of a little mixed spice to this recipe takes it to a new level. This gluten free version is super moist and perfect for the kids' lunch boxes or after school snack.

If you're in a jam, any jam will do for these delightful almond biscuits. Buttery, crumbly and zesty with lemon, they're a delicious little mouthful.

These crusty cheese and mustard dampers are best served piping hot, straight from the oven. They are the perfect on their own or alongside a steaming bowl of hot soup and will fill your kitchen with the most delicious aroma.

Forget about perfect presentation with these tasty little spinach and ricotta free-form pies because rustic is the order of the day. Dispense with cutlery and enjoy them hot from the oven, or cold as part of your next picnic.

An empanada is a stuffed pastry or bread that is baked or fried. They are often filled with meat, but this spiced pumpkin version is a delicious vegetarian take on this classic Latin American snack food.

Perfect for an after school snack, or school and work lunches these mini ham and corn quiches are easy and tasty and appealing.

Delicious hot or cold, for breakfast, lunch or dinner, a frittata is the way to go for a quick and easy meal.

Add a dash of sweet chilli sauce to the chicken mix when making these delicious sandwiches if you want to dial up the drama.

Don't limit cornflakes to breakfast time. These crunchy honey slices, packed with cornflakes and oats, make for a great snack at any time of the day.

The second best part of making my own snacks is that I know exactly what goes into them - the best part is how they taste. The muesli bars in this recipe can be changed to suit any needs. I put linseed and sesame seeds in them, mostly so I can convince myself that I should eat them. Nuts are lovely, although the boys’ school, as well as many others I am sure, has a peanut ban because of serious allergies. Good additions include slivered almonds, pine nuts, choc chips or chopped apricot pieces.

This is also a great family meal served with rice or bread. The tandoori paste is found in the Asian section of the supermarket. Serve the salad in an airtight container that fits inside the lunchbox with a freezer block. Put the dressing into a smaller container to be put on the salad (or dunked into) at lunchtime – if it's put on in the morning, it will become soggy. If your kids are little gourmets, throw a wedge of lemon in as well.

Prepare the wraps the night before the picnic; wrap each roll tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Cut the rolls at the picnic. Note

We used butter beans but you can use any canned white beans you like. This recipe can be made a day ahead. Store pitta crisps in an airtight container. Note

Sprinkled with coconut, this chewy date slice is divine with a hot cup of tea.

high GI Note

You can use canned pink or red salmon instead of the tuna. Note

A huge hit at parties, fresh rice paper rolls also make an excellent lunch, or after-school snack.

Whip up something healthy and filling for lunch with this spiced chicken sandwich with apricot and kumara.

Put the kettle on and treat yourself to one of these fluffy, spiced apple muffins.

Depending on size of the food processor, the apricots can be processed in two batches. Place saucepan over a small gas jet or element to prevent burning mixture on edge of pan. Note

Black sugar is available from health food stores; brown sugar can be used as a substitute. Note

These moreish cookies go perfectly with a cold glass of milk.

These little iced thongs are the cutest thing ever to serve up this Australia Day.

Perfect for school lunches or morning or afternoon tea, these fig jam and raisin rolls will not fail to satisfy. Spread them with a little butter and enjoy with your next cuppa.

This vegetarian pasta dish makes a fantastic quick dinner and is also great for the lunchbox.

This colourful pasta salad is easy, delicious and great for the lunchbox.

Vary the flavour by changing the dried fruit to chopped dried apricots, raisins, seeded dates or seeded prunes, or a combination of any of these. Note

This recipe makes 24 patty cakes. glacé icing Sift the icing sugar into a small heatproof bowl. Stir in the melted butter and enough of the water to make a firm paste (start with a little and add more if you need to). Meanwhile, half-fill a small saucepan with water. Turn the stove on and […]

Ideal for the lunchbox, both kids and adults will love this cheesy broccoli frittata.

Whip up a batch of these fluffy savoury muffins with crunchy cheese topping. They're great served warm with butter or packed in a lunchbox.

Change the fruit to suit your child’s taste. We’ve allowed ¼ cup of the snack per serving. Note

Cranberries are very high in antioxidants and nutrients, giving them superfood status. They go perfectly as a sauce with chicken and melted cheese.

Use a light hand when adding flour. Overmixing will produce a tough cake with not much volume. Note

Packed with fruit and seeds, these gluten-free cranberry and honey muesli bars bars are perfect for a morning or afternoon pick-me-up. They're also nut-free, so feel free to add them to the kids' lunch boxes.

These little fibre-packed cookies are the perfect treat to add to a school lunch box or for an afternoon treat.

These muesli bars are the perfect after-school snack for kids on the go. They are packed full of the protein of peanut butter and energy-boosting honey.

date and orange; fruit and spice (top tier) basic; choc chip and walnut (bottom tier) Note

You can also bake this mixture in one loaf pan;­ it will take about 45 minutes to cook. Loaves are best made on the day of serving. Note

These flapjacks make a great snack for lunchboxes or to serve as morning tea. We used dried pineapple, papaya and mango in this recipe. You could also try chopped dates or figs.

Perfect for the lunchbox, these easy berry muffins make a delicious morning or afternoon snack.

These spiced, fluffy apple muffins are made even more delicious with a crunchy streusel topping.

Enjoy this classic Middle Eastern dip with vegetable sticks, crackers, bread or meats. It's easy to make and packed full of the goodness of chickpeas.

For rice vinegared water, add 1 tablespoon rice vinegar to medium bowl of water. Note

A crumbly topping hides a surprise in these fluffy apple muffins.

This delicious, filling sandwich is perfect for the lunchbox.

makes 48 per mini maki 0.2g fat; 94kJ (22 cal) CHICKEN TERIYAKI VARIATION You can make another easy mini maki by replacing the tuna and cucumber with 2 chicken tenderloins (150g) that have been marinated for 1 hour in 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce, then cooked through and sliced thinly. Follow the method above to step […]

Serve this salad warm or cold for a light, healthy and satisfying lunch. It is also perfect for work or school lunch boxes.

Perfect for school lunches, picnics or after-school snacks and equally delicious hot or cold, these mini leek and parmesan fritters will always satisfy hungry mouths.

You can substitute the extra ricotta with cream cheese, if you like. Note

Kids will love these fluffy apple and cinnamon muffins.

The beauty of this meat loaf is that you can use regular sausage mince, or buy your favourite sausages and simply squeeze the mince from the skins. We love it with creamy mash and greens.

Topped with fresh spinach and dollops of horseradish cream, this easy salmon frittata is perfect for a busy, hungry cook.

If using frozen raspberries, don’t thaw them, as the colour will run. Granny smith or golden delicious apples are both good varieties to use in this recipe. Note

Wiping the knife with a damp cloth will make cutting the sushi roll easier. You need a sushi or bamboo mat, available from Asian food stores and most supermarkets for this recipe. Nori is a type of dried seaweed used in Japanese cooking as a flavouring, garnish or for sushi. It is sold in thin […]

You need about two medium carrots to get enough grated carrot for this recipe. Spoon the mixture evenly into the paper cases in pan. Sift the icing sugar into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the butter and enough orange juice to make a firm paste. Put bowl of icing mixture over a saucepan of simmering […]

Topped and tailed with caramelised apple, these delightful tea cakes can be served up for morning or afternoon tea, and would be a different and welcome addition to the school lunchbox.

When the kids get home from school starving, it's a good time to slip something healthy on their plate. We've got four recipes here, muffins, smoothie, fruit dip and quesadillas, that are perfect.

This tasty Spanish egg dish is perfect for the lunchbox or as a light dinner with salad.

A guacamole and ham wrap is an easy way to make your childs lunch tasty and nutritious. Wraps are often a hit with those who dislike ordinary sandwiches.

A chicken, celery and avocado sandwich is packed with protein and good fats, an excellent option for school lunches.

You can use blueberries or cranberries instead of goji, if you like. Store bars in an air-tight container for up to 1 week. Note