Back to School Lunches....Made Fun

For pictures of the recipes featured, please click on the link below.  And be prepared for a horrifying picture of me......

It’s official now.  Summer is over and school is back in session…..at least in most of Washoe County.  Let the learning begin!  And let the morning time rushed lunch packing commence.

Oh, were you thinking that I was one of those moms that has it all together and packs lunches the night before?  Maybe even on Sunday for the whole week?  I’m not.  Although, I have found some things that work for our family, and I am more than happy to share them with you.

To start, I have two kids….one that likes sandwiches and one that doesn’t.  The majority of the time, I forget which is which and get it all messed up.  50/50 chance, right?  Packing a lunch for a child that won’t eat sandwiches is tough.  It really forces me to get creative.  Let me show you what works in our house.

I like to stick with “finger foods”.  If I don’t, forks get lost, food doesn’t get eaten, and sometimes uneaten food will sit in a lunch bag through a weekend.  Not fun to find that on Monday morning.  Some of the finger foods that I like to make, and my kids like to eat are mini muffins, spreads and crackers and dips with fruit, veggies or more crackers. 

Today I am going to show you three basic recipes for mini muffins, spreads and dips with variations.  There is bound to be something that your child will eat.  All the recipes are easy and fun, and can be made easily the night before or even the morning of school.

Let’s get started with spreads.  All three of these spreads are fabulous with crackers or veggies, and of course, if you have sandwich lovers…they are great smeared on bread.  I start with a base of mayo, cream cheese and a meat of some sort.  Veggies get added in, sometimes fruit, and sometimes nuts.

My “Perfect Chicken Spread” is a combination of cream cheese, mayo, diced chicken, grapes, red onion, slivered almonds, celery and salt and pepper.  I use a rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken, or even quickly grilled chicken depending on what I have on hand.

Softened cream cheese mixes in smoothly and easily with mayo.  I stir in the diced chicken, diced celery and onion, quartered grapes and slivered almonds.  Then, I season with salt and pepper.  Sometimes I even throw it all into the food processor for a really smooth spread.

This spread has protein, calcium and vitamins from the grapes, onions and celery. It is different than most chicken salads because of the cream cheese.  I think the cream cheese makes it more “spreadable”.   It keeps well in the fridge, and it packs well in a little plastic container.  I send it with celery sticks, crackers or even pita chips sometimes.  My kids love it.  And seriously, if you throw everything into the food processor?  Crazy fast.

My second spread is a combination of cream cheese, mayo, diced turkey, green onions, dried cranberries, chopped pecans and salt and pepper.  It is very similar to my chicken salad, but the dried cranberries give it a yummy tang, and the green onion gives it a softer onion flavor. 

I use a cooked turkey breast that I like to buy from Costco, but Wal-Mart has one too.  I always have dried cranberries on hand, as well as green onions.  This one is kind of a no-brainer for me because my kids prefer it, and it is so super easy.

My third spread is my personal favorite.  It is a combination of cream cheese, mayo, salami and pickles!  It is like a pickle wrap!  You’ve had that for an appetizer, right?  I throw all the ingredients into the food processor and “pulse” until it is the consistency I want.  You could totally do this without a mixer, too.

This spread is the perfect combination of salty, tangy and creamy.  If you have brave kids, you could even throw in some pepperoncini.  I pack this with crackers, usually.  One of them will eat this on bread, again, I can’t remember who.

I pack all of these spreads in a little plastic container that I don’t care too much about losing.  Because yes, they lose a lot.  I save plastic containers and re-use whenever possible.

Remember how I mentioned mini muffins?  These muffins are super easy, and kids love them because they are bite sized.  I usually bake up a batch on Sunday nights, but I have been known to bake them on a Tuesday morning.  I love this basic recipe because you can throw anything in….sweet or savory.

 I start by blending together oil and sugar.  Then, I add eggs and blend that in.  I also blend in flour, salt, baking powder and milk.  That right there is the basic recipe.

If I want sweet, I add in diced dried fruit.  I prefer dried because it doesn’t add moisture to the batter.  For my Cherries and Cream Muffins, I add in diced dried cherries, which I coat in flour to keep the stickiness down.  I also blend in cold cream cheese. I keep the cream cheese cold so that it doesn’t blend in smoothly.  I like the chunks of cream cheese in the muffins.  I want to be able to taste it!

Again, these muffins have protein, carbs, vitamins….everything a kid needs to make it through the day.  Dried blueberries are good, as well as dried apricots, strawberries or even raisins.  What will your kid eat, guaranteed?

For a more savory muffin, I like to add diced ham, shredded cheddar cheese and green onions to make a “Ham and Cheese Muffin”.  I cut the sugar down for a savory muffin, but the base recipe remains the same.

I also like a muffin brimming with diced tomatoes, shredded mozzarella, mini pepperoni, basil and oregano.  Who doesn’t like pizza?

I use my mixer for these muffin recipes, but they are just as easy by hand.  I like to get my money’s worth out of my mixer.

My last recipes are for dips.  As a lover of all things appetizer-ish….these are my favorite.  I would eat anything if it had a dip.  Seriously, anything.  My kids tend to be the same way.  And what better way to get your kids to eat veggies then to give them something yummy to dip in?

My dips have the same base.  Plain, low-fat Greek yogurt.  Greek yogurt is packed with calcium and protein.  And if you use low-fat?  Come on…..It’s perfect!

My first “go-to” dip is my easy Ranch Dip.  I combine plain Greek Yogurt with a smidge of mayo, buttermilk powder (found in the baking aisle), dried chives, parsley, dill, mustard, garlic, onion, salt and pepper.  The combination of all these dried herbs and spices are what is essentially in a pack of dry ranch mix…..except you can pronounce everything in mine.

I blend this together and chill it.  This dip is perfect with veggies of all kinds.  I also usually pack cracker dippers, rolled up lunch meats and cheese sticks too.  It’s like a cocktail party in their lunch box, minus the cocktails, of course.

My second dip is a great fruit dip.  I combine plain Greek yogurt with orange marmalade, a bit of cream cheese and a dash of powdered sugar.  I usually send apple slices, strawberries, bananas and graham cracker sticks with this dip. 

Does your kid hate marmalade?  Tyr substituting lemon or lime curd.  Just as yummy.

My final dip is my Peanut Butter and Honey Dip.  I combine plain Greek yogurt with peanut butter and honey.  Is your school peanut free?  Try sunflower butter or even cookie butter!  This is a perfect dip for celery, fruit, graham crackers, etc.

All of the dips just need to be packed with an ice pack somewhere in the lunch box.  Don’t have an ice pack because your kids lose every single one you send with them?  I’ve been there.  I freeze a juice box and send that with them.  It will defrost by lunch and keep everything in the lunch box cold.  Genius, right?

I hope your kid’s transition back to school has been a smooth one.  I hope yours has been too! 

Perfect Chicken Spread

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup light mayonnaise

2 cups cooked chicken, diced

1 cup grapes, quartered

½ cup celery, diced

½ cup red onion, diced

½ cup slivered almonds

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Combine mayo and cream cheese until smooth.  Stir in remaining ingredients. 

Or, combine all ingredients in food processor and “pulse” until desired consistency is reached.

Chill until ready to eat.

Serves about 6 kids, or 4 adults

Perfect Turkey Spread

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup light mayonnaise

2 cups white or dark meat cooked turkey, diced

½ cup green onion, diced

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup pecans, chopped

 1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Combine mayo and cream cheese until smooth.  Stir in remaining ingredients. 

Or, combine all ingredients in food processor and “pulse” until desired consistency is reached.

Chill until ready to eat.

Serves about 6 kids, or 4 adults

Perfect Salami Spread

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayonnaise

2 cups salami, diced

½ cup dill or bread and butter pickles, diced

Combine mayo and cream cheese until smooth.  Stir in remaining ingredients. 

Or, combine all ingredients in food processor and “pulse” until desired consistency is reached.

Chill until ready to eat.

Serves about 6 kids, or 4 adults

Cherries and Cream Mini-Muffins

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 cups flour

1 cup milk

1 cup dried cherries, chopped and coated in flour to prevent sticking

4 ounces cream cheese, chilled and diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

Blend together oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Slowly blend in eggs, vanilla and salt.  Once that is smooth, blend in baking powder, flour and milk until just blended.  Batter will be lumpy.

Finally, stir in dried cherries and diced cream cheese. 

Fill each paper liner 2/3 full.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Makes 48 mini muffins

Pizza Mini Muffins

½ cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 cups flour

1 cup milk

½ cup tomato, diced and seeds removed

½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 cup mini pepperoni

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

Blend together oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Slowly blend in eggs, salt, garlic, oregano, and basil.  Once that is smooth, blend in baking powder, flour and milk until just blended.  Batter will be lumpy.

Finally, stir in tomato, cheese and pepperoni. 

Fill each paper liner 2/3 full.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Makes 48 mini muffins

 

Ham and Cheese Mini Muffins

½ cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 cups flour

1 cup milk

1 cup ham, small dice

½ cup shredded mozzarella

½ cup green onion, small dice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

Blend together oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Slowly blend in eggs, salt, garlic and pepper.  Once that is smooth, blend in baking powder, flour and milk until just blended.  Batter will be lumpy.

Finally, stir in ham, cheese and green onion. 

Fill each paper liner 2/3 full.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Makes 48 mini muffins

 

Greek Yogurt “Ranch”

2 cups plain Greek yogurt, low-fat if desired

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon buttermilk powder

1 teaspoon dried chives

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried mustard

½ teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth.  Chill until ready to eat.

Makes about 2 cups.

Peanut Butter and Honey Dip

2 cups plain Greek yogurt, low-fat if desired

1 cup creamy peanut butter

¼ cup honey

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth.  Chill until ready to eat.

Makes about 3 cups.

 

Orange Yogurt Dip

2 cups plain Greek Yogurt, low-fat if desired

1 ½ cups orange marmalade

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth.  Chill until ready to eat.

Makes about 3 ½ cups.