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How do you keep lunch box packing easy, nutritious, and something the kids will actually eat? Enter: Baked Mac & Cheese Bites and Choc Chip & Blueberry Bars—two game-changing, lunchbox-friendly recipes that’ll make you the lunch-packing MVP! The Mac & Cheese Bites are packed with hidden veggies (hello, sneaky broccoli!) and baked to golden perfection, making them the ultimate finger food. And for a sweet-but-nut-free treat? These chewy, oaty bars loaded with choc chips and juicy blueberries will have your little ones grinning at snack time. Bonus: both can be made ahead and stored, meaning less morning chaos for you. Win-win! ???? Ready to shake up the lunchbox routine? Let’s get cooking!
Choc Chip & Blueberry Bars
Ingredients :
makes 20-24
Cooking notes:
makes 20-24
- 2 ¾ cups sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 cups oats, rolled or instant
- 1/4 cup ground linseed
- 1¼ cups maple syrup
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup dried blueberries
Method
- Add the sunflower seeds to a high-powered blender. Blend on high for 10-15 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary, until the seeds become a smooth paste. Add oil, sugar and salt and blend until combined.
- Add oats and ground linseed to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add seed butter and maple syrup. Stir until the mixture forms a batter-like consistency.
- Gently stir in the choc chips and blueberries.
- Transfer mixture to a lined oven dish (we used one that is 20cm x 20cm). Use your hands to spread the mixture evenly and firmly compact into the dish.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours to set (overnight is best). Remove from the dish and slice into 24 pieces. Store, refrigerated, in an air-tight container.
- If you want to skip making the seed butter, you can use tahini or peanut butter. Keep in mind whether or not these options are school-safe for you.
- If you don’t have ground linseed, add whole linseeds to a blender and process on high until a rough powder forms.
- You can substitute dried blueberries for dried cranberries, apricots, mango or pineapple, sultanas, or currants.
- Switch up this recipe to make bliss balls! Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into a ball, roll the balls in some desiccated or shredded coconut if desired, and keep refrigerated.
Want to make this at home? We used Raw Food Factory Organic Sunflower Seeds, Niulife Organic Hand Pressed Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and Dr Superfoods Wild Blueberries from the Dinner Twist Marketplace.
Baked Mac & Cheese Bites
Ingredients :
makes 20-24
Cooking notes:
makes 20-24
-
500g short pasta
-
2 tbsp butter
-
3 tbsp flour
-
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-
1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
-
2 1/2 cups milk
-
150g packet shredded mozzarella
-
1 broccoliTopping:
-
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
-
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
-
1 tbsp melted butter
Method
- Cook pasta according to packet instructions. Drain the pasta. Remove pan from heat and return pasta to the pan.
- Add butter to a saucepan over medium heat and allow to melt. Add flour, garlic powder and mustard. Whisk continuously for 3-5 minutes until flour is golden.
- Add milk, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking often in between, until sauce becomes thick. Remove sauce from heat. Add cheese and stir to combine.
- Finely chop broccoli. Add to pasta, along with sauce. Mix well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Set oven to 220ºC. Grease 2x 12-hole cupcake trays with butter or oil.
- Add topping ingredients to a small bowl. Mix to combine.
- Divide Mac & cheese across cupcake trays and add topping. Bake for 10-15 minutes until top is golden.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for a minimum of 30 minutes before removing from the tray.
- You can use 50% milk and 50% water in the sauce if desired.
- Substitute the broccoli for grated carrot or zucchini.
- Instead of making individual bites, bake the mixture in an oven dish, allow to cool completely, and then cut into squares.
Want to make this at home? Harvey Fresh Full Cream Milk, Broccoli and Kitchen2Kitchen Shredded Cheese from the Dinner Twist Marketplace.
