Wednesday 7 May 2014

European themed lunchboxes

Ok, so it's not quite Around the World in 80 Days - more like around a bit of Europe in a week's lunch boxes, but I had fun making them and more importantly Ruby enjoyed eating them.

I know I'm really lucky in that she's not really a fussy eater, but there's no harm in pushing her palate further and we've found this to be a great way to introduce new foods.

These lunches were inspired by a new cookie cutter I bought recently - the GB outline.  I admit, I have a problem with cookie cutters, I can't stop buying them.

Then things just progressed, and most of the others needed no special equipment.

I know some of this may seem extravagant for a child's lunchbox, but honestly, the basis for most of them was leftovers from our dinner the night before.


Great British Lunch:


  • Cucumber sandwich
  • English smoked cheese
  • Mini Yorkshire puddings and roast beef (leftover from Sunday dinner)
  • Scone with jam
  • Strawberries


The little toppers were leftover from a cake case set I bought from Poundland at Jubilee.


French Lunch:


  • Mini croissants
  • Brie
  • Cornichons (as Ruby likes to call them because she's well posh - to you and I they're gherkins)
  • Grapes
  • Lemon tart (leftover from pudding the night before)
  • Fromage Frais


The toppers are easy to make - Google the flag image, print and cut out and glue onto a cocktail stick


Spanish Lunch


  • Spanish omlette (leftover from my dinner the night before and made with assorted bits from the fridge)
  • Slices of chorizo
  • Olives
  • Churros (I made mini churros!! Never made them before, but so easy, recipe here)
  • Nutella chocolate spread to dip
  • Strawberries



Italian Lunch:


  • Slice of pizza (leftover from dinner - I added some extra veg in the form of frozen sweetcorn!)
  • Salami
  • Amaretti biscuit (she was honoured to get one of these from my stash!)
  • Grapes



Swedish Lunch:


  • Rye bread
  • Cheese
  • Hard boiled egg
  • Smoked salmon (leftover from dinner)
  • Cucumber
  • Homemade ginger biscuits
  • Orange slices

Happily she came home with an empty lunch box and a full tummy every day.  The only thing from the whole week that she didn't eat was the Spanish Omelette and that was totally my fault - I didn't hide the onions well enough!  But she took a bite and tried it and that's all I can ask.

Have you tried themed lunches?  Any of these you fancy?  I wished I'd made a Spanish one for myself too!

Check out Capture by Lucy's Bento Babies linky and Eats Amazing for loads of lunchbox inspiration.

22 comments:

  1. They look wonderful, so creative! I was just wondering though, how do you stop everything from moving about in the lunchbox, do you package it up a bit more when you send it in to school?

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  2. Thanks Jennifer!

    Yes, the little pots all have lids which I put on, sometimes I'll wrap food in clingfilm (like the egg so it doesn't make everything smelly!). I use a Clip-Lock box which has an internal lid too. Oh, and I carry it flat. All is good unless she drops it when she retrieves it from the shelf at lunchtime!

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    1. Thank you! I thought that there must be some extra packaging going on! Thanks for the inspiration :)

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  3. I have lunch box envy again! I am never letting my daughter see your blog, otherwise I am going to be in a whole heap of trouble!! :-)

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  4. Oh my!! Those are such fun. I love how much time you spend on these. And a great way to learn about different countries!

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  5. Liz, can you make me a packed lunch when we meet up for Britmums. I'll bring a hipflask? ;)

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  6. These look great, so original - can I come to lunch and have sandwiches/lunchboxes at yours?!!?

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  7. I am such a boring Mummy! Lunch is never this exciting. Picking a theme definitely makes you think outside the lunchbox so I might give myself a kick and try some of these ideas. Can't wait to try your mini churros x

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  8. Oh my! How wonderful are these! Fantastic creations and it has given me so many ideas x

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  9. Yum, I'd eat any and all of them!

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  10. What great idea! You pack a mean lunchbox! I think I'd like to make my way round the world in 80 lunch boxes if they all look as good as these :)

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  11. Wow, these are fantastic! I so need one of those GB Cookie cutters! :D Can you make my lunches too?? :)

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  12. What a cool idea! I bet the other kids love waiting to see what lunch box daughter has each day

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  13. These are so inspired... I tend to shove the same things in Little A's lunchbox every day, but your lunch boxes are on another level... love the British one!

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  14. Love this and I bet Ruby does too. I think Spain is my favourite x

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  15. so so fab - I bet she is the envy of all her friends who want to see today's theme.

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  16. I need all the inspiration I can get right now. I am mean and refused my kids packed lunches, but my husband caved and so we're playing catch up. Love these!

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  17. Ruby must be the envy of every dinner lady, let alone the other kids. Your Spanish omelette looks so good Liz. Mich x

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  18. These are so cool Lizzie! We've just invested in a Yumbox, which has made school lunches SO much easier. I'd been wanting to do Bento style for ages, but couldn't be bothered with the faff. I just need to learn to pretty it up a bit now - these ideas are a great inspiration!

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  19. Fab Lizzie do you have a pinterest board with them all on ?

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  20. I love these lunches so much, such a brilliant idea to theme them around countries - they look really tasty and are very educational too!
    Thank you for linking up at Fun Food Friday!

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  21. Such a genius idea! Loved all your rainbow ideas breakfast buffet near me las vegas
    but this one.

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