Today we kick off with Gingerbread Men in our 12 Days of Lunch Box Festive Fun! For 12 Days we'll bring you some festive ideas for your lunch box.
Now we decided to start this at the weekend, so if you have got some time on your hands, you can grab all the ingredients and have a go... I mean, that's what weekends are for? Am I right?
So if you missed these already, we've made our Gingerbread Houses. Soon to be broken up and popped into lunch boxes but for now, they are proud centre pieces for all to enjoy!
Now to the Gingerbread Men
We've been finding some easy to make Gingerbread characters to share with you. Now, you can cheat and just decorate some ready made ones from your local baker or M and S, but for some really tasty morsels, why not get inspired over here, get some fun cookie cutters and make your own...
Here are over 30 ways with Gingerbread Men from "Cute Food For Kids"
Just love them all.
Thanks to a quick and easy recipe from Savvy Chic Mums you can even make up the cookie mix, pop it in a jar and give as a home made gift this Christmas.
Gingerbread Cookie Mix In a Jar Recipe:
Ingredients
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons ground ginger
* 1 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
Directions
1. Mix 2 cups of the flour with the baking soda and baking powder. Mix the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour with the ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. In a 1 quart, wide mouth canning jar, layer the ingredients starting with the flour and baking powder mixture, then the brown sugar, and finally the flour and spice mixture. Pack firmly between layers.
2. Attach a card to the jar with the following directions: Gingerbread Cookies 1. Empty contents of jar into a large mixing bowl. Stir to blend together. Mix in 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine, 3/4 cup molasses, and 1 slightly beaten egg. Dough will be very stiff, so you may need to use your hands. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. 2. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.
3. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Place cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven. Decorate as desired.
 |
| Image from Savvy Chic Mums - Gingerbread Cookie Mix in a Jar |
In case you were wondering, this is the criteria we set ourselves:
These festive ideas have to be:
* totally transportable, so will be happy in a lunch box and taken to work or school - come on, where's the kid in you!
* festive - colours, follow the festive theme
* Quick and easy to make and prepare
* Will guarantee you get into that spirit of Christmas!
* Edible treats so something you'll look forward to each day!
So what kind of Gingerbread Man would you make?
The Lunchbox World Team x
Thanks to Cute Food For Kids and Savvy Chic Mums in letting us share these ideas with you!