12 Ways to Cure Your Lunch Making Blues

Let's face it, packing lunches isn't the most relaxing task, especially when you're facing picky eaters, possible allergies and a variety of school board policies to adhere to. In order to keep motivated, we're attacking the New Year with new lunch box recipes, each one designed to cure you of your lunch making blues. From old favourites like chia chicken strips, which can be tucked into wraps or slipped into sandwiches, to new inspiration like our baked turkey taco triangles, we're forking over our favourite ideas to take the stress out of packing the midday meal this season.

Give the boot to bland and boring sandwich fillings, and spice things up with a crunchy chicken salad stuffed with crisp apple chunks, sunflower seeds, and chopped celery. Spread over slices of raisin bread and top with lettuce for a flavourful alternative to a classic lunch box fave.

In-season sweet potatoes are blended with milk and cheese to make a simple sauce for pasta shells that's a healthier alternative to this decidedly kid-friendly dish. Store leftovers in the fridge, and serve in a thermos throughout the week.

With soup and stew season upon us, doubling up on dinner one night means lunch is ready in a matter of minutes the next morning. To ensure your thermos food stays hot, pour boiling water into the vessel, leave it to rest for a few minutes, and then dump it out before filling with hot soup.

Healthy and wholesome, these waffles are beloved by kids of all ages. One batch of waffle batter makes two-dozen mini waffles, which can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Make-ahead meals for the win!

These freezer-friendly chicken strips can be made in advance baked just before popping them in the lunch box for a quick and healthy protein boost. They taste great warm or at room temperature, and can be stuffed into a wrap or slipped between two pieces of bread for a sandwich you'll feel good about serving.

Simmer a large batch of steel-cut oats for breakfast, and use what's intentionally left behind in the pot to bake up the next day's lunch box snack. Customize the flavours by adding dried fruit, nuts, seeds, chocolate and spices to the batter before baking.

These quick pot-stickers might make you child less picky, especially when they're stuffed with a favourite filling like turkey taco meat. Feel free to get creative and replace the taco mixture with cream cheese and jam, ham and cheese, or marinara and mozzarella.

The Monte Cristo sandwich cleverly combines the sweet flavours of French toast with ham and cheese, and the result is a simple variation of the classic croque-monsieur. Use leftover ham from Sunday dinner instead of traditional deli meat for a big flavour upgrade.

This pizza-esque turnover is traditionally filled with various cheeses and Italian meats (like in our recipe), but you can modernize it by adding assorted veggies or chicken instead. Bake on Sunday, slice and wrap individual pieces, and tuck in the fridge for a week's worth of lunches.

Polenta is a dish that couldn't be easier to make. When cut into whimsical shapes, baked until golden brown and served with a side of marinara, the kids will go crazy for these galactic goodies.

These no-bread roll-ups are a cinch to assemble, and offer kids a protein boost to help power them through the second half of the school day. Feel free to replace the turkey with ham and the cheddar with Swiss for a flavour switch-up everyone is sure to approve of.

Tell them they're chicken patties if you must, but mild-tasting cod and fluffy mashed potatoes (you can use last night's leftovers) are a perfect way to introduce fishy finger food to your youngsters. Serve with a tangy yogurt and dill dipping sauce, or stuff between a bun for a sandwich they won't be able to resist.