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Running out of lunchbox ideas? We’ve got your back with two easy, kid-approved winners! Sticky Meatballs with Sushi Rice bring a fun twist to classic meatballs—think juicy, teriyaki-glazed bites served with fluffy sushi rice and fresh cucumber for crunch. And for a sweet (but wholesome) treat, Sweet Potato Mini Pancakes are soft, cinnamon-spiced, and perfect for little hands. Both recipes are great for meal prep, easy to pack, and guaranteed to make lunch the highlight of the school day. Say goodbye to lunchbox boredom and hello to happy, well-fed kids!
Sticky Meatballs with Sushi Rice
Ingredients :
makes 4-6 servings
Cooking notes:
makes 4-6 servings
- 300g sushi rice
- 600g beef mince
- 1 carrot
- 1 garlic clove
- 100ml teriyaki sauce
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers
Method
- Rinse sushi rice. Place in a saucepan with 650ml water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat immediately to medium-low. Cook, semi-covered, for 20 minutes until rice is tender and water is absorbed.
- Grate carrot and crush garlic clove. Add to a bowl along with beef mince, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
- Use oiled hands to roll mince into 1 tbsp size meatballs
- Heat a large frypan over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook, turning, for 8-10 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Remove meatballs from heat. Add teriyaki sauce and 1/4 cup water. Toss to coat meatballs.
- Cut cucumbers into sticks.
- Add rice to lunch boxes, and top with meatballs and sauce. Serve with cucumber sticks.
- Cook the sushi rice in a rice cooker if you have one.
- For seasoned sushi rice, add 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar and 1 tbsp sugar to the cooked rice. Use a spoon to break up any lumps in the rice and mix in the seasoning.
Want to make this at home? We used Sushi Rice, Mondo Butcher & Grocer Beef Mince and Lebanese Cucumbers from the Dinner Twist Marketplace.
Sweet Potato Mini Pancakes
Ingredients :
Cooking notes:
- 300g sweet potato
- 1 cup plain flour
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup melted butter
- Butter or oil, for cooking
Method
- Peel and roughly chop the potato. Add to a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until soft. Drain and mash the potato.
- Add flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt to a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs to break them up. Add sweet potato, milk, and melted butter, then whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until no dry patches remain and a smooth batter forms.
- Heat a large frypan over medium-low heat with oil or butter. Add tablespoonfuls of batter to the pan. Cook until bubbles appear and pop on the top and the bottoms are golden. Flip pancakes and cook until cooked through and no longer gooey at the edges.
- Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Sweet potato can be substituted with pumpkin if you have any leftover.
- Freeze excess cooked pancakes, and defrost them in the fridge the night before serving.
Want to make this at home? We used Sweet Potatoes, Ceres Organics Organic White Spelt Flour and Global Spices Cinnamon from the Dinner Twist Marketplace.
