Hectic Host: Packed Lunch Ideas That Will Make Their Day

This is my favourite time of the year I love a crisp, sunny autumnal day. The summer is well and truly over, everyone is back at work and the kids are back to school. 

‘Back to School’ even today that phrase fills me with absolute terror; much the same as; “I’m afraid its dry rot’ or ‘do you want chrysanthemums in that bouquet?”  

My school career started out wonderfully well and term-time was indistinguishable from the holidays. We went to St Johns & St Clements as it was then in the tiny building on the corner of North Cross Road. Each September my sister and I would run down Archdale Road with the dog, who would take herself home after she had seen us safely through the school gates, hug our teacher, admire her new clogs - it was the 70’s - and picked up where we left off in July. 

Then one dark September I was banished to the Dickensian, towering Archbishop Tenison’s Grammar School at the Oval. From loving encouragement to draconian admonishment in less than two months, I simply didn’t get it. I had been sent from a pastoral, East Dulwich summer of content into drizzly, grizzly urban horror, where it always rained and it was always double physics. ‘Miss’ was replaced by a flock of masters, gone were her colourful clogs and tabards, replaced with a flurry of gowns and mortarboards. 

To make matters worse Tenison’s had seen fit to dress the lower school in blazers in that particular, and peculiar, shade of Yves St Laurent electric blue. You could always spot a Tensonian, not by the blue blazer, but we were the only kids with our jackets on inside out. 

My mother knew I hated Tenison’s and she took to writing little notes and hiding them amongst my sandwiches for me to find at lunchtime. To this day I marvel at how sweet that was. I never have time for breakfast yet my mum would make breakfast and packed lunches for us all and even find time to slip in a little message. 

Here is a selection of quick sandwich ideas that are ready in moments and children and adults alike adore. The trick is to utilise as many leftovers as possible. So plan ahead and always make a little extra. 

Tarka Cowlam, of the Pavilion Café in Dulwich Park, suggests using left over roast pork in a wholemeal baguette: Slice the pork add a little apple sauce, tarragon mustard and crisp oak or cos lettuce. 

Caterer Suzanne James, Barry Road SE22, uses leftover Sunday roast beef, with caramelised onion chutney, horseradish and rocket on Mighty White, cut the crust off and WOW! Another of her favourites is Cumberland sausage with Branston Pickle in a soft white bap. 

Tariq of Tandoori Nights on Lordship Lane advises us not to be scared of recycling last night’s left over vegetable curry, spoon into pita pockets and revitalise with a little cucumber raita.

Similarly our friends at Dos Amigos, also Lordship Lane, tell us cold vegetable chilli works well in wraps with sour cream and cheese. Cold scrambled eggs in brown pita pockets with sprinkled grated cheese and shredded lettuce.  This works equally well with omelette or tortilla.

Avocado, salad and pine nuts in a crispy brown roll. 

Cheddar and sliced strawberries on multi grain with lightly spread low calorie mayonnaise.

Mixed grated carrot, cheese and a tiny drop of olive oil, preferably in a big cheesy bap. 

Roast chicken and apricot or mango. 

Pop in a little note, you never know they could still be talking about it 30 years later. 

Oh and cut them into triangles. Everyone knows they taste much better that way!

Hectic Host appears monthly in SE Magazines.