Midweek meals: Five healthy lunchbox fillers perfect for back to school 

And they're easy to prepare too

Looking for some lunch box inspiration? Here are five healthy options to spice things up this September 

Lunch box quesadillas

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Forget the sandwiches, and pack some tasty quesadillas

Servings

1

Preparation Time

 8 mins

Cooking Time

 4 mins

Total Time

 12 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Mexican

Ingredients

• 2 corn or flour tortillas

• 100g Cheddar cheese, grated

• 1 half of a roasted red pepper, finely chopped – I used jarred Spanish peppers

• 20g sweetcorn kernels

• a small handful parsley, finely chopped – optional

Method

1. Heat a pan dry without any oil.

2. Place one of your tortillas onto your work surface and sprinkle it with half of the cheese. Place the other ingredients on top and then add the rest of the cheese. Top this with the remaining tortilla and press down lightly.

3. Gently slide the tortilla sandwich onto your hot pan. I use a wide fish slice to do this. Allow it to cook in the dry pan for about two minutes on each side or until the cheese has melted. You can press it down slightly with the fish slice as it is cooking to make it more compact.

4. Remove from the pan and once cool cut into eight wedges, then pop into a lunch box.

Pea and mint dip

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

An easy dip best served with veggies and crackers.

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 10 mins

Course

 Side

Ingredients

• ½ bag frozen peas

• handful of fresh mint leaves

• zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 2 garlic cloves

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• 1 tbsp tahini

• coarse salt and pepper

•  

Method

1. Cook peas in salted boiling water until tender, 1 minute. Set aside to cool.

2. Pulse peas in a food processor with mint, lemon zest and juice, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and tahini.

3. Season with salt and pepper; drizzle with oil.

4. Serve with veggie batons and crackers.