Cheese, Zucchini and Spinach Slice

Cheese, Zucchini and Spinach Slice

Makes: 12 slices (2 per serve)
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients
2 medium zucchini, grated
200g frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 sp ring onions, finely sliced
2/3 cup raw long or medium grain rice
2/3 cup grated Australian reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Australian parmesan cheese
3 eggs
3/4 cup Australian reduced fat milk
freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Combine zucchini, spinach, spring onion, rice and cheese in a large bowl and toss to coat.
2. Whisk together the eggs, milk and pepper and stir into the rice mixture.
3. Spread rice mixture evenly into a deep 20cm x 30cm baking paper lined ceramic dish, cover with foil and bake at 180°C for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook for a further 30 minutes until eggs have set and rice is cooked. Cool to room temperature before serving or refrigerate until required.
4 . To serve, cut into 12 squares and serve warm or cold.

Dairy top pick for kids
Forget snack bars and chips, it-s milk, cheese and yogurt topping the lunchbox wish lists of Aussie kids according to a recent study.

With only one in five Australian kids consuming enough dairy to meet their calcium requirements, adding milk, cheese or yogurt to the lunchbox might be the easiest way of making sure kids get their three serves of dairy foods every day for healthy growth and development.

Dairy Australia Dietitian Glenys Zucco said this was great news for parents knowing nutritious dairy foods packed into the lunchbox won-t go uneaten.

'It-s important to offer children foods that are full of essential vitamins and minerals for healthy bodies, rather than less nutritious foods such as chips, soft drinks and snack bars that provide calories but little nutrition," Ms Zucco said.

'The school years are a time for building peak bone mass and reducing the risk of osteoporosis. As children get older their requirements for calcium increase, however research tells us their intake of calcium-rich foods such as dairy is not keeping up with these increased needs."

With summer upon us, Dairy Australia is urging parents to give their kids- diets the A+ treatment by not ditching dairy foods over the warmer months. Milk, cheese and yogurt can provide tasty, filling and refreshing options even when the heat hits.

To ensure kids get their three serves of dairy every day and the 10 essential nutrients it provides, Dairy Australia has a bunch of quick and easy lunchbox and snack tips for the warm weather:
Freeze flavoured milk – this will keep the rest of the lunchbox cool and also make for a healthy, refreshing drink. Remind kids to shake frozen milk before drinking it to ensure a smooth consistency
Cut a small slit in the lid of a tub of yogurt, insert an icy pole stick and freeze. Peel off the lid and kids can enjoy a frozen yogurt icy pole after school on a summer day!
Hard cheeses are great options in the warmer months, however as long as the lunchbox is kept chilled, any type of cheese can be included
Cheesy savoury muffins are an easy lunchbox filler and make a great alternative to soggy sandwiches when the temperature is high. Try ham, cheese and corn or cheese, chive and grated sweet potato
Cook extra at dinner the night before and save some for lunch the next day. Pasta salad, quiche and homemade pizza slices can be eaten cold and make a lunch that will keep well in warmer weather.
Lunchbox food safety is particularly important in the warmer months. In most cases food is stored in lunchboxes for several hours so the contents need to stay cool.

Follow these handy food safety tips to help keep your child-s lunchbox safe:
It may seem obvious but a freezer pack and insulated lunchbox is one of the best ways to keep food nicely chilled
Always follow the -Use By- and -Best Before' dates and storage advice for dairy products
Prevent sandwich fillings from drying out by leaving them uncut. Some fillings such as dips and cream cheese may stay fresher this way
UHT milks are a great option to include in the lunch box as they don't need to be kept cold.
Upping children-s dairy intake has positive benefits both now and in years to come. Dairy packs a calcium and protein punch, so be sure to fill up your kids- lunchboxes with nutritious foods to help get them through the day.

Visit www.dairyaustralia.com.au/kidsneed3 for more information on the importance of dairy foods for kids as well as simple tips, recipes and an interactive calcium calculator.