Lunch Box: Quiche

By: Mackenzie Schieck

Hard for the kids to spell, but hardly a difficult sell.

Quiche, Because ...

They are easy to make vegetarian.
It's a great way to use up leftover meat and/or vegetables.
If your kids aren't keen on green, quiches are the perfect hiding spot for veggies!

Eggs Make the Meal

Why? Well …

They're good for you! Eggs are an excellent source of protein, containing about 6 grams, with only 4.5 grams of fat (and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated).
They're cheap. You can purchase the bulk of your dish for less than four dollars!
They're delicious. Need we say more?

A quiche is not only easy to make, but offers endless possibilities for variation--there's surely a winning ingredient combo for even the pickiest eater.

What's for Lunch

The perfect make-ahead meal, quiches can be baked three to four days in advance, then refrigerated and sliced to serve as needed. So, pack a cold slice for school lunch (keep it cold with a frozen juice carton), or if the kids are home on holiday break (and you've got your hands full) they can pop a slice in the microwave. Serve this quiche with a piece of fruit, and skim milk or water (and we threw in a festive dessert too):

Lunch Box Logic

Make ahead. Bake ahead of time and refrigerate, or freeze for longer storage. (Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.)
Make it lighter. Follow the recipe as written, but just skip the crust. Now, you've got a frittata!
Make it for one. Try making individual quiches using a muffin tin. The baking temperature will be the same, though baking time might vary--just keep an eye on them to be sure they don't burn.
Make it different. We chose a spinach quiche, but there's more where that came from. Feel free to swap it with a different one to suit your child's tastes: