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Authors: Lana and Delia Raizon

Featured recipes: Oven-baked tuna balls and carrot cupakes

I've been thinking lately about the notion of nature vs nurture. I don't think you really do this unless you are either an academic or a parent. Does Jack do things because he is mimicking something I do (and can't that be alarming?) or is it some little quirk buried somewhere in his genetic makeup?

For example my husband will quite happily have the same sandwich day after day after day, usually vegemite and honey ( I know, it puzzles me too) and we've had a stretch of several months of ham and cheese. I'm not a morning person, so sometimes these unimaginative offerings are all that I can manage (although the vegemite and honey was his idea). Jack, following in his dad's footsteps, will quite happily eat a peanut butter sandwich every single day for lunch. He doesn't, but he would quite happily if he had to.

When I was little my dad made my lunches and they were quite the talk of the schoolyard. Leftovers featured a lot, as in the potato and alfalfa sandwiches, or the use of the sandwich maker for the leftover curry and rice sandwiches. Once on a family holiday we couldn't work out why my brother was so cashed up. Finally he admitted that he was selling the sandwiches my dad made for him and as they were top quality he'd raked in the dough (pun intended).

As I got older, the sandwiches were accompanied by a folded piece of paper towel with a drawing, always topical and usually quite funny. My dad is a morning person.

So obviously after those months of ham and cheese my husband needs a change. And as for Jack and all that peanut butter, he could do with a change too, particularly if he befriends a child with a nut allergy, and when he starts school the PB will be off the menu.

Which is where Jam Packed comes in. It's an unprepossessing little paperback with no airs or graces that is quite literally jam-packed full of lunch ideas and not just for the kids either. It starts with some handy advice on lunchboxes and containers and for those parents who have not yet organised the school, the bag and the uniform for the impending school year, this might come in handy (i.e. make sure it fits in your child's bag and will fit enough food).

There are handy suggestions about food preparation and storage that will save you time. I like that Lana and Delia suggest getting your kids involved helping you bake muffins or other treats for the lunchbox.

There's a double-page spread of mix and match sandwich filling suggestions divided into categories like vegetarian, salads, spreads, meat/chicken/fish to pick from, or more detailed recipes that even suggest the best kind of bread like the BLAT baguette, the pumpkin and hummus wrap or the leftover lamb roast, tzatziki and tabouli pita (one of those for me please).

Sometimes sandwiches just don't cut it or it's cold and you want something warming but don't want to carry your panini press everywhere, so there are recipes for soups that you can make in large batches (lentil, vegetable and lamb shank soup) or hearty meals like shepherds pie or pasta bake.

The recipes are not fancy, in fact, there's quite a lot of creamed corn or tomato sauce action going on, but they are easy to make, tasty and pretty economical, particularly when you make batches of things and freeze them. There's also some imaginative salads to keep the adults and even the kids happy.

And when they've finished their veggies or salads there's nothing like a special treat or 'sometimes food' as Lana and Delia (and the cookie monster) call them. There's some oldies but goodies, some healthy and some not even close to quell even the strongest of sugar cravings. Muffins, cakes slices, pikelets and biscuits.

I have made the ginger biscuits twice and while they aren't exactly healthy with a cup of sugar and golden syrup, they are delicious with lovely spicy warmth from the ginger and mixed spice. Just don't eat them all in one go (which I didn't... no, really).

The book ends with some cute themed lunchbox ideas (I'm guessing the St Valentine's Day is for your spouse and not your child, who would be dismayed to find a napkin with a lipstick kiss and a love note but quite happy with the choc dipped strawberry) and the authors' philosophy which could've done with being at the beginning. The passion that the sisters have for food and sharing it with their loved ones is nice and could do with a bit more time in the spotlight (at the front of the book).

While not all the recipes are ones that I would eat, there are plenty of recipes that I would. The good thing about the book is that you don't have to follow the recipes religiously, really it's just a starting point to help you out of the bleary eyed rut as you prepare those school lunches in the morning.

You never know, they may be so delicious your child might start selling them. Just make sure they give you a cut of the profits.

About The Book

Title: Jam Packed (Lunches For School And Work)
Author: Lana and Delia Raizon
ISBN: 9781742116518
Publisher: Five Mile Press
RRP: $16.95
Pages: 144

If you liked this, you might also like:

For more lunchbox inspiration, the CSIRO Wellbeing Plan For Kids has lots of great, healthy ideas for lunches, snacks and after school inspiration for those seemingly bottomless tummies.
ISBN: 9780143008743
RRP: $34.95

The Australian Women's Weekly Happy Baby Cookbook also has a great section on 'the lunchbox' for littlies going to day care right up to preschoolers and school age lunches. Great snacks and sandwiches with a special section on allergies.
ISBN: 9781863969598
RRP: $29.95

Recipe: Oven-baked Tuna Balls

Foods are often just as tasty as fried but much healthier if they are baked in the oven.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 small zucchini, grated 2 small carrots, finely grated
2 potatoes, cooked and mashed
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
425g can tuna, well drained
salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Heat oil in a frypan. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is glassy.
3. Combine all other ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Add onion and garlic and mix.
4. Roll into golf ball–sized balls and place onto an oven tray lined with baking paper. Spray with olive oil.
5. Cook for 25 minutes or until golden.

Serving suggestion: Serve with sweet chilli or tomato sauce. Good hot or cold.
Makes: approximately 30

Recipe: Carrot Cupcakes

Where possible, use wholemeal flour in place of white flour, as it provides more fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Ingredients

1 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
canola oil spray

Icing:
1 tablespoon cream cheese
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon boiling water
shredded coconut, toasted, to decorate

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Make a well.
3. In another bowl, combine egg, butter, carrots and vanilla. Pour onto dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Spoon into sprayed muffin tin. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool.
5. To make icing, combine all ingredients and mix well.
6. Ice cupcakes and decorate with coconut.

Variations

• To make 1 large carrot cake, pour mixture into a loaf tin sprayed with canola oil and bake for 1 hour.

Serves: 8