Mini Nori Roll Lunch And Dipping Platter For School And Daycare

If you haven't aready seen my Sushi Lunch ideas for toddlers you can view my Sushi - Nori Roll lunch ideas here: Nori Rolls For Daycare for photos of pre-prepared Japanese bento style Sushi lunch photos and ideas.

Nori Rolls can also be presented as a childcare or school lunch as a platter-like lunch dish.

In the photo above I've created mini Nori Rolls, a few with tuna and on the other side of the carrot sticks, 3 with cucumber slices.  They are just rolled in seaweed onto plain boiled sticky white rice.

I like to use either lunchboxes which are divided, to save on wrapping what's inside (Which can be tricky for little fingers) or alternatively I just put little dishes inside the lunch box to seperate some of the items. You can see above, I've used both.

While I usually pack wrapping free lunches, ultimately I'm comfortable with at least 80 / 20 healthy raw food choices versus processed or packaged food choices.

With the above lunch for my toddler I've included a packet of pre-packaged cheeze spread and cracker pod.   I leave it in it's packaging for freshness.  It's a simple snack idea on it's own but when you add soft cheeze and crackers to a lunch like this, with ample fresh raw vegetable sticks it actually turns the lunch into a dip-like platter! 

So while my daughter will quickly gobble down the mini sushi and fruit, she can also enjoy dipping the carrot sticks and cucumber sticks into the soft cheeze as well as eating the water-crackers.   My daughter doesn't like bread as yet but she'll happily snack on crackers.

Alternatively to using a prepackaged soft cheeze and biscuit set you could add two extra small tubs with lids to the lunch box one for a dollop of soft cheeze or cheeze spread (Even Ricotta) and another for water buscuits, rice crackers or even pretzel sticks.

Remember if packing Tuna for a school lunch where the lunch box isn't kept in a refrigerater, add an ice pack to the lunchbox to keep it fresh!

Please see my Nori Rolls for Toddlers page for more healthy and bright sushi lunch ideas!

Easter Fun - Making Roosters and Monsters From Boiled Eggs

 

My toddler loves boiled eggs.  We eat them at home and I pack them for her daycare lunch too.  At home I love creating cute looking boiled eggs to excite her.  Here's a few examples of how to make your kids cute looking boiled eggs. 

 

The first one, as pictured is a boiled egg, presented in an egg cup and made to look like a rooster with a little uncooked carrot and BBQ sauce.

 

It's so quick and easy to make.  All you need to do is boil your eggs as you normally would, peel them and then sit them in an egg cup.  Slice carrots side ways, so that you have reasonably thin slices (About 3mm thick) so that you have circles, and then cut them in half.  Use one half to make the crest of the bird and the beak.  To make the crest you just take a kitchen knife and cut about 6 'V' pieces out of the top about a half cm in.  Then use the other half to slice into a larger 'V' shape for the beak.

 

Then using your knife take a small slit out of the top of the egg, enough to be able to slide in your carrot pieces.  You'll then see your rooster has taken shape and just needs the eyes. 

 

I've found the easiest way, and most edible idea for the eyes is to dab some BBQ (or Brown) Sauce on a toothpick and then dab it on where the eyes should be!

 

In just a few minutes you can create the cutest looking creatures from a boiled egg!



 

My daughter finds these little roosters so cute she will try and pat it and talk to it, before gobbling it up of course!

Once you've started using carrots with your boiled eggs you can create other animals and creatures as your emagination takes you.

Pictured below I've easily created a monster boiled egg, just served up on a plate, by using carrot in the same way for the arms, and the feet and even creating a flower with the carrot, tomato and beans.  Here I used breakfast cerial for the eyes.  You can even add antennas and arms with something like Pretzel sticks of dry noodles, just take a look at what you already have in your cupboard to use creatively and present your eggs in a special way!

It only takes a few minutes to create a cute looking boiled egg once it's boiled, and the joy on the faces of your children will make that extra time taken very worthwhile.

These cute rooster boiled eggs are an excellent idea for breakfast on Easter morning too!

See my home page for more: Lunch and daycare food ideas for toddlers!

Daycare Lunch Sandwich Alternatives For Toddlers

My 3 year old doesn't like sandwiches much yet.  So I've become a little creative when packing her Daycare lunch box.  She's into sushi, and mini Nori Rolls are a regular.  If you haven't seen my posting on Nori Rolls Bento style lunches it's here: Nori Rolls For Daycare I pack her sushi lunches like this one with Tuna and crispy noodles:

I know not everyone is a fan of sushi rolls, and as you might tell by the colourful look of the lunches I pack we are big on variety.  So here are some pictures and descriptions of some of the resent sandwich alternative, non-sushi lunches I've packed her. The meals are also nut free as required by the Childcare centre.

Below is a divided lunch box with chopped roast chicken and plain boiled pasta in one side.  The other has a fried egg and vegetables - Boiled beans, broccoli and carrot and cherry tomato. 

Everything is cut into pieces perfect for little fingers.  My daughter doesn't mind this type of lunch straight from the fridge, she'll happily eat it cold.  I prefer if it's warmed for about 15 seconds in a microwave, ideally.

Separately I've packed seasonal fruit and berries.  I love to contrast the colours so my daughter has fun choosing which colour and flavour she'd like to try next.  I also find watermelon balls, berries and grapes the perfect size for a toddler to manage.  I like it how packing a lunch like this requires no unwrapping, no paper, foil or plastic wrap - no rubbish to put away, and that this style of lunch provides a lot of good healthy food choices in toddler portions.

  

Another chicken lunch alternative is to serve it with rice and some crackers as per below:

 

While my daughter doesn't like a sandwich she'll eat other dough products such as Croissants.  So occasionally I'll pack a mini-croissant or even a plain pancake and fresh fruit in her lunch, or for her morning tea as shown in the photos below:

 

 

Devon roll with mini croissant and raw fruit and vegetables.

 

 

Morning Tea: Fruit - Strawberries and grapes, and cherry tomatos.  Pretzels and a small plain pancake (Could be replaced by a mini fruit muffin).

*Usually my lunches are 100% free of wrapping but if I am preparing the meal the day before I'll cling wrap baked goods overnight to keep them fresh. 

 

I've found being creative, by packing small portions of a variety of reasonably healthy food options my daughter has fun choosing from the selection of choices.  It also encourages her to try new foods and to enjoy a variety of fruit and vegetables. 

Serving up lunch at home can produce an even better result than what you can sometimes present in a lunchbox.  Just look at this cute lunch I made quickly and easily with a boiled egg, crumbed chicken sticks and the fruit and vegetables I had on hand:

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Sushi - Nori Rolls For Daycare - Bento Style - A great alternative to a sandwich lunch!

Here are some examples of Nori Rolls I've packed my daughter for her Daycare lunch recently. 

I try to pack her a healthy mix of fruit and vegetables in a tempting presentation.  I try to present her lunch in a similar way to a Japanese Bento box. 

The Nori Rolls are a miniture version.  I usually put white rice, a half a teaspoon of sugar and a little sushi sauce mixed in, and roll them in dried seaweed sheets purchased from the supermarket.  Inside the rolls are usually Tuna or cucumber cut into sticks.  Sometimes I will also add Avacado.

I serve the sushi with a selection of fresh seasonal fruit and raw vegetables ensuring that what is packed is easily managed by little fingers.

* Like many childcare centres the one my daughter attends has a no nuts policy so the meals I prepare are also nut free.

Bento style lunches are also good because they are wrapping-free lunches.  I don't need to fuss with plastic wrap, paper or plastic or paper bags.  If it all doesn't fit in my handy divided container, I'll use one more container for fruit such as Watermelon Balls as pictured below.

Another good thing is no cooking is required and no warming to eat, it's ready to eat once the lunchbox is opened straight from the fridge.

Sometimes I will include a cheese stick (Wrapped separately as pictured) or plain crackers, but it's not really necessary.  The sushi, fruit and vegetables in her lunch box fill her up by itself and she will often choose the fruit and vegetables in preference to the cheese stick anyway.

 

I've found presenting my daughter a variety of fresh and colourful food choices adds to her enjoyment of eating lunch as she can pick and choose what she'd like to eat first.  It's all healthy choices too! 

My daughter is not a fan of Sandwiches as yet and this style of lunch is a great alternative to a packed sandwich lunch.

 

In This photo I've made Tuna Nori Rolls with the 2nd section containing cheese slices cut into heart shapes and berries, and raw Broccoli served on a bed of dry and crispy Japanese noodles.

As the sushi is rolled into mini rolls I can fit seasonal cherry tomato's and grapes in to the same box.  It saves using a variety of containers or wrapping.  Her lunchbox is easy to open and ready to eat! 

 

For more Daycare lunch examples please see my page: Daycare Lunch Sandwich Alternatives

For a Sushi dipping platter school idea see my page: Mini Nori Roll Platter For School

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