KID-FRIENDLY, NUTRITIOUS LUNCHBOX RECIPES PACKED WITH FRUITS AND VEGGIES

A big thank you to Juicy Juice for sponsoring these lunchbox recipes. All opinions are my own.

One of the biggest challenges of the back to school season is packing lunches. We pack our own lunches most days to keep lunchtime affordable and nutritious – while making sure their bellies full for the afternoon of learning ahead! Today I’m sharing two of our favorite lunchbox recipes that can be prepped ahead of time: Savory Veggie and Cheese Muffins and Fruit Leather.

savory veggie & cheese muffins

These savory veggie and cheese muffins are perfect as a side dish, a savory snack, or to pack some veggies into your kid’s lunchbox. These muffins have approximately 1/4 C. veggies per serving!

These are easy to make, and freeze beautifully for another day. Just heat in the microwave, or pop in lunchboxes to thaw by lunchtime!

First, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and oregano in a large mixing bowl.

Second, mix buttermilk, eggs, Greek yogurt and butter together in a separate bowl.

Third, make a well in the dry ingredients and slowly mix in the wet mixture, until just combined.  Don’t over mix! The batter will be slightly lumpy. 

Next, gently fold in your preferred vegetable mix-ins: zucchini, carrots, red pepper, corn and green onions. If you omit one of ingredients, be sure to add more of another. The more veggies, the better!

Spoon even amounts of the mixture into a well greased muffin pan. I love muffin liners for this recipe because they’re great for lunchboxes!

Bake the muffins at 350º for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serve and enjoy!

If you plan to bake now and serve later, be sure the muffins are completely cooled before freezing for best results. 

Not only is this a great lunchbox recipe, but the muffins are also delicious served with hot soups, stews and chilis. Yum!

We love packing Juicy Juice in lunchboxes each day to keep the kids hydrated and happy! We are stocked with a big variety to keep everyone happy.

My oldest son loves  Juicy Juice + Protein. As a middle schooler, he needs the VItamin C and 5 grams of protein in each serving. 

 My oldest daughter is a fan of the Juicy Juice Juicy Waters. It’s hydrating,  great tasting, and contains no sugar and no sweeteners.  

That brings me to our next recipe: fruit leather. 

My youngest likes Juicy Juice Fruitifuls Organic, which I also love because they have 45% less sugar than the leading juice and each 8-ounce serving packs a half cup of fruit!

Speaking of fruit servings, I want to introduce you into another favorite lunchbox recipe: fruit leather.

strawberry fruit leather

Fruit leather is incredibly simple to make with three simple ingredients: fruit, honey and lemon juice.

I love making fruit leather with fruit that’s starting to turn – and there are so many combinations you can try with a variety of fruits! Just pop it in the freezer and pull out when you’re ready to make a batch of fruit leather. Just be sure to drain all of the juices after defrosting before starting.

First, add 1 lb. of (thawed) fruit in the blender. Add 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1-3 Tablespoons honey to taste. Blend until well combined.

Next, pour the fruit mixture on a large pan lined with parchment. Spread thinly and evenly, making sure that you cannot see the parchment liner through the fruit mixture (spreading too thin will turn your leather into crisps! 🙂

Bake at 190º for 3-4 hours. Bake until no longer wet, but still very tacky. Let cool at room temperature, then begin cutting fruit covered parchment into strips and roll up!

This is such a yummy treat, packed with real fruit! Fruit leather never lasts more than a day or two in our house because we eat it so fast, but I’m told it can be stored for up to two weeks in a well sealed container.

I have to admit, I’ve packed all of these in my own lunchbox, as well. They taste great, and filled with the fruit, veggies, hydration and protein we need.

What are your favorite recipes for packing lunchboxes? Please let me know in the comments below!

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