Written by: Maria Brett

Packed lunches can become a bit boring after a while. Nobody likes to eat the same sandwiches every day, after all. And when it comes to making lunches for the whole family, coming up with something interesting that everyone will like can be even trickier. If you’re lacking inspiration then have a look at some of our favourite packed lunch ideas that kids and adults will all enjoy.

Pittas and wraps

Wraps and pitta pockets are a quick and easy alternative to sandwiches. Cut them in half, open them up and fill with your favourite ingredients. Keep it simple with cheese and tomato or liven things up with some leftover chilli, lettuce and soured cream. Make wraps a little more fun for kids by slicing them to create pinwheel sandwiches.

Pasta salad

Cooking up some pasta and creating a dish can seem like hard work for the sake of one packed lunch box, but if you’re preparing meals for the whole family to take to work and school then it can turn out to be cost-effective and, above all, tasty. Drain the cooked pasta and add some mayonnaise or dressing to keep it from sticking. Then raid the fridge – almost anything goes with pasta so this is a great way to use up all those bits that are about to go off such as bacon, cooked meats, fish or veggies.

Ploughman’s

A ploughman’s lunch takes very little preparation time so is ideal for when you’re rushed for time. Cut some cheese and apple into chunks (squeeze lemon juice over the fruit to stop it going brown) then add some lettuce, carrot and cherry tomatoes as well as chutney or pickle. You can also add some crackers to make it a bit more filling.

Quiche

Soup

On a cold winter’s day a cup of soup can be a heart-warming way to enjoy lunch. Homemade soup does take a little time to prepare but you can cook batches and freeze it for later use. Invest in some Thermos flasks to keep it nice and hot until lunch and add some ciabatta slices for dipping.

Rice dishes

Rice is filling so makes a great energy source to keep both kids and adults going until dinnertime. Boil some rice then let it cool before adding spring onion, red peppers and sweetcorn. You can also add some tuna or cooked chicken to jazz it up a little. Vinaigrette dressing or a dash of sweet chilli sauce will stop the dish becoming too dry.

Hummous

Kids love dipping things and adults will enjoy something they can nibble at. Hummous is a healthy dip that goes with pretty much anything. Include some pitta triangles, crackers or veggie sticks to scoop with. Just be sure to put the dip in a separate container to minimise mess.