Sometimes lunchboxes seem like too much work. Am I right? I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have days where I want to throw in the towel on healthy lunchboxes and pack some Tiny Teddies and Burger Rings, but generally I manage to avoid this feeling and it all comes down to a little a little thing I like to call being prepared.

Sure. There are weeks where I absolutely suck at being prepared and have to run to Coles for some fruit and popcorn because, you know, I’m human…

Here are a few of my favourite things to make in advance to make healthy lunchboxes a breeze.

Blueberry breakfast cookies

I love lunchbox items that can be made well in advance, but I’m so down with freezable lunchbox items that double as make-ahead breakfasts. These blueberry breakfast cookies fit the bill and sound like something even the fussiest of kids could get behind.

Made with only a handful of typical ingredients like oats, bananas and coconut, they’re easy to make and would be a fun holiday baking activity to get the kids involved in.

Zucchini slice

Everyone’s favourite MasterChef outdid herself with this recipe. Yeah, it’s good old zucchini slice. Nothing new or fancy, but boy is this one yummy. And bacon basically makes it instantly kid-approved, doesn’t it?

If you have a fussy little one, try turning it into invisible zucchini slice by blending the eggs, oil, onion and zucchini together before mixing with the other ingredients.

Once the zucchini slice has completely cooled, wrap individial portions in two layers of cling wrap (or seal in an airtight container) for an instant, veggie and protein packed lunchbox main that will have your kids drooling.

Green eggs and ham

An oldie but a goodie, my Green Eggs & Ham recipe is a freezer favourite. They get their vibrant green colour from a handful of dark green baby spinach, so your little one’s lunch will be colourful, delicious and nutritious!

Hulk muffins

These green spinach muffins are hands-down my kids’ favourite green food! (Starting to notice a theme here?) In fact, they’re the reason The Fussy One no longer runs at the sight of green food. They freeze beautifully and are a yummy sweet treat you can pack, knowing you’ve also added in a tonne of extra green veg while you’re at it.

Cheesy vegetable muffins

Cheese, veggies and bacon seem to be a winning combo with kids and adults alike, and these cheesy vegetable muffins manage to pack all that flavour into a cute little muffin package.

Recipe author and founder of Little Peeps Eats, Rachel, says that you can use whatever veggies you have handy which I love! Using what you already have means you save money and avoid waste.

Probiotic apricot bliss balls

Take a break from the usual choc-date bliss balls and get some good bacteria into the kids at the same time. These probiotic bliss balls pack a bunch in both taste and health! They’re like a multivitamin you can keep in your freezer!

There you have it – 3 sweet and 3 savoury recipes you can make before the holidays end to keep your freezer stocked for the term ahead. What other recipes would you add to the list?

Need more ideas? Come and join our lunchbox group on Facebook!