Aldi Brand Ambassador, cookbook author and professional chef, Trisha Lewis shares her top tips to prepare for going back to school
Breakfast Tips
When you are on the go you will want breakfast to be quick, nutritious and cost effective. Here are some options that I think are suitable for both adults and kids!
Porridge
Oats are really filling and a sure way to fuel up for a busy morning. Kavanagh’s Microwavable Instant Oats (€1.79) with some fruit from Aldi’s Super 6 offers and some Foodie Market 100% Peanut Butter Smooth (€2.49).
Granola
Try mixing their favourite yoghurt with some granola. I love the Brooklea Authentic Greek 0% Fat Fruit Yogurt 150g (99c) topped with some fruit from Aldi’s Super 6 offers and Harvest Morn Low Sugar Granola (€2.49)
Eggs
Boil Healy’s Farm Organic Irish Eggs (€1.99), cook Brannan’s Turkey Sausages (€2.29) and pack with some Nature’s Pick Cherry Tomatoes (79c) to add some colour and micronutrients to your plate!
Trisha’s Top Lunch Box Tips
- Fill the lunch box with variety and colour, with a mix of cheese, meats, vegetables, fruits.
- Use different shapes such as rectangle sandwiches, cubed cheese, sliced fruit, and strips of peppers to keep it fun.
- Boxes of raisins are a lovely sweet treat while still being packed with energy, rich fibre, vitamins and minerals.
- Always keep items like rice cakes, bread sticks, pots of hummus with carrot batons, wraps filled with ham and cream cheese, yogurts and boxes of raisins in the cupboard/fridge as they involve very little preparation and are great lunch box fillers.
Shopping Tips to Keep Back to School Costs Down
- Keep an eye on Aldi’s Specialbuys and what is included in Aldi’s Super 6 offers so you can include them in your weekly lunch plan.
- Make a shopping list and stick to it.
Lunch options under €2
Aldi has an amazing range of products that are ideal for kids’ lunches. You can get a week of school lunches at Aldi for just €6.83.
Monday
Ham & cheese bagel, yogurt and orange juice (€1.28)
Tuesday
Chicken & cheese pitta bread, an orange, smoothie and apple juice (€1.52)
Wednesday
Turkey sandwich, a banana, water and a strawberry smoothie (€1.62)
Thursday
Cheese & crackers, a pear, strawberry yogurt pouch and orange flavoured water (€1.20)
Friday
Pancakes & chocolate spread, chocolate corn cakes, yogurt & fruit bar and apple & blackcurrant flavoured water (€1.21)
After school hearty meal:
After a long day at school those little ones need something to help them refuel.
Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
Serves: 4 people
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
• Butcher’s Selection Chicken Fillets
• 3 tbsp of Solesta Olive oil
• 1 clove of Nature’s Pick Garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp of Stonemill Salt
• 400g Cucina Penne Pasta
• 170g Specially Selected Chorizo, diced
• 1 Nature’s Pick Red Pepper, deseeded and diced
• 4 Nature’s Pick Tomatoes, quartered
• Stonemill Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp of Emporium Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl, pour over the olive oil and stir in the garlic. Leave to marinate while preparing the other ingredients.
2. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the salt, and then cook the pasta following the pack instructions.
3. Meanwhile, sauté the chorizo and red pepper over a medium heat until the peppers start to soften, add the chicken, garlic and oil. Brown lightly.
4. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the tomatoes start to break down.
5. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce.
6. Serve in a large bowl with the grated Parmesan sprinkled on top.
Did you know? Aldi receives fresh deliveries to their 147 stores 7 days a week?
Ready to go
Be back to school prepared with Aldi Brand Ambassador, Sinead Kavanagh. Follow Sinead on Instagram @thebeauttruth.
Back to school is an exciting time for all children. They get to play with their friends again and meet their new teacher. To make sure you have everything you need for back to school, I have a few tips and tricks that I have found help both as a teacher and a mom!
School bag
When buying a school bag make sure the bag is big enough to fit an a4 folder comfortably. Pockets at the side for drink bottles are also a plus, as they can help prevent those dreaded leaks in the school bag!
Lunchboxes
No matter what age your child is, opening and closing lunch boxes can sometimes be tricky. Try and make sure that your child can easily open and close their lunch box. Most schools are green schools now, so that means the children will have to bring home any packaging from their lunch too. Reusable packaging or a trusty lunchbox is best.
Uniform
Depending on your child’s age, they may already have pieces of their uniform that they can reuse for the school year. I have found that 2 shirts, two pairs of trousers or a skirt /pinafore and one jumper cuts down on the panic of having to have the uniform clean and dry for school the next day. Make sure that every piece of their school uniform is clearly labelled with their name, right down to the tie.
Coats
For younger children, especially those starting school, it is important that they can put their coat on themselves without using the coat on the floor trick! Easy to open and close coats for all ages means that your little one will be wrapped up warm no matter what the weather!
Pencil cases
Ideally, they will have a packet of crayons or colouring pencils, a scissors, glue stick, two pencils, a rubber and a sharpener. Older children may need a few blue, black and red pens.
