Back to school with your local supermarket

This week’s article comes from Maddy Bellcroft, guest blogger at  your local supermarket. Maddy’s talking back to school!

I remember the trepidation and excitement of starting a new year of school. I had the joy of making my own school lunches from a young age, which meant I got to help my parents shop at my local supermarket, Fresh Choice to find delicious and healthy snacks.

Sometimes it can be hard to come up with new ideas to keep fussy eaters fuelled during the day. Here are a few good ones to help inspire.

• Make hummus and freeze into small portions, pop into lunch box in morning along with veggie sticks and crackers, the hummus will defrost slowly keeping the lunch box cool at the same time.
• Use lettuce or cabbage leaves to roll up thinly cut veggies, (or left over salad), chopped nuts and cooked tofu, top with a little salad dressing.
• Drain a can of chickpeas, place on a baking tray and top with a sprinkle salt, apple cider vinegar and smoked paprika. Roast in the oven at 180c for 15 minutes or until dry and crunchy. Cool and then place
  in small pottles.
• Roast Veggie Stacks; cut 1 cm thick rounds of your favourite veg (kumara, eggplant, zucchini, pepper) and roast in the oven with a little salt and pepper until soft. Stack in layers spreading each layer with pesto or hummus before sticking the stack with a skewer.
• Mix ½ cup of buckwheat flour with a little water so it forms a thick batter. Cook into pikelets and top with nut butter.
• Quesadilla sandwich, place a tortilla in a pan then cover with your favourite fillings such as baked beans, veggies, sprouts, and a little grated cheese, place another tortilla on top and press it down firmly, cook on medium heat until the tortillas are crispy (turning carefully if possible) and inside is cooked. Remove from heat and allow to cool before slicing into pieces.

There are plenty more ready-to-go lunch ideas instore at your local supermarket Fresh Choice Nelson, check out my wholefood fact panels instore for more information on exciting products.