For days when the fridge is bare, rely on these healthy pantry and freezer staples to help you pull a healthy school lunch out of a hat!
Please tell me this doesn’t just happen to me.
It’s Sunday night, we’ve been in and out all weekend getting three kids to hockey games and practices all to say getting in groceries didn’t happen. The fridge is buck-naked bare, we have five lunches to make and I’m knackered.
Then I remember I have homemade frozen meatballs in the freezer that I can use to make this speedy meatball minestrone.
Soon enough I’m in bed giving my pillow a hug before instantly passing out.
Been there? What healthy school lunches can you pull out of a hat?
Cheers!
Carol
Speedy Meatball Minestrone
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Dietitian’s Tip: Soup is a great way to work more vegetables into our kid’s diet. Plain frozen vegetables are convenient and just as nutritious as fresh.
Kids’ Cook!* Graters seem harmless enough until you scrape your knuckles across them – ouch! Teach your child how to safely use a grater and get them to grate the cheese.
Kids’ Cook!* Graters seem harmless enough until you scrape your knuckles across them – ouch! Teach your child how to safely use a grater and get them to grate the cheese.
Source: Yummy Lunch Club
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1 tsp (5 mL) canola oil
- ¼ small onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp (5 mL) Italian seasoning
- 3 cups (750 mL) low-sodium tomato juice
- 2 cups (500 mL) no-added salt beef broth
- 1 cup (250 mL) frozen vegetables (such as carrots, peas, corn)
- 1 can (19oz/540 mL) kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 12 (1 inch) thawed meatballs (Big batch veggie-beef meatballs 5 ways)
- ⅓ cup (75 mL) uncooked small shaped pasta
- Black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup (50 mL) Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Kids’ Cook!* Graters seem harmless enough until you scrape your knuckles across them – ouch! Teach your child how to safely use a grater and get them to grate the cheese.- In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; sauté onion, garlic and Italian seasoning about 2 minutes.
- Add tomato juice, broth, frozen vegetables, beans and meatballs to saucepan; heat to simmer.
- Stir in pasta; simmer until pasta is cooked about 10 minutes, stirring often to keep pasta from sticking to bottom of saucepan. Stir in pepper and cheese.
Notes
• Pack this school lunch with half a grilled cheese sandwich, a piece of fruit and water.
• Even after cooking, grains can absorb more water. If so, thin out your soup with some extra broth.
* These ideas are meant as a guide only. You know best what your child can safely manage. Make sure they understand your rules for working in the kitchen safely and always supervise kids in the kitchen.
• Even after cooking, grains can absorb more water. If so, thin out your soup with some extra broth.
* These ideas are meant as a guide only. You know best what your child can safely manage. Make sure they understand your rules for working in the kitchen safely and always supervise kids in the kitchen.