Back-to-school lunches can quickly become a daily battle between what you know they should eat and what will actually come home with an empty wrapper. Lily Payen’s Feeding Tiny Bellies: School Lunches is packed with more than 100 practical ideas designed with little appetites in mind.
We’ve picked two fun, fuss-free recipes to try: Pizza Bagel Bites, perfect for popping into a lunchbox, and a Nacho Lunch Kit that lets kids build their own lunch as they go.
Pizza Bagel Bites
INGREDIENTS: ¾ cup (85 g) shredded mozzarella, 1¾ cups (228 g) self-rising flour (plus more for dusting), 1 cup (240 g) plain whole milk, 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter, ½ cup (120 g) pizza sauce, 1/2 cup of diced pepperoni or toppings of choice
Prep: 15 minutes | cook 35 minutes | makes 24 bagel bites
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the flour and yogurt in a medium bowl. Mix and knead with your hands until the dough comes together.
Dust a work surface with flour and place the dough on top. Use a knife to split the dough into twelve equal pieces.
Take one piece of dough and roll it into a log about 5 inches (13 cm) in length. Bring the ends of the dough together and pinch them to form a mini bagel shape. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Place the mini bagels on the prepared baking sheet. Brush all sides of the mini bagels with the melted butter or oil.
Bake the bagels for 20 to 24 minutes, until firm to touch and lightly golden. Remove the mini bagels from
the oven and let them cool.
Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Once cooled slice each bagel in half lengthwise and
place the halves back on the lined baking sheet.
Spoon about 1 teaspoon of pizza sauce onto the cut side of each large bagel and spread it to coat. Evenly
distribute the mozzarella and pepperoni, or your toppings of choice, over the top.
Bake the bites at 425°F (220°C) for 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese is fully melted. Let cool completely
Cinnamon Vanilla Waffles
prep 5 minutes | cook7 minutes per waffle | makes6-8 mini waffles
INGREDIENTS:
- Cooking spray
(olive or
avocado oil) - 1 cup (130 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons
baking powder - ¼ teaspoon
ground cinnamon - 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- ¼ cup (60 ml)
melted unsalted
butter or mildWDɓLQJRLO - 1 tablespoon
maple syrup - 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
Preheat a mini waffle maker. Spray the waffle maker with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Combine the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon in a bowl.
Add the milk, butter or oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix until a smooth batter forms. it’s okay if a few small lumps remain in the batter. Let the batter sit for two minites.
Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the waffle maker and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer than the cook time on your machine , or until you’re fully cooked through (approx 7 mins). The waffles should be golden brown and firm on the outside.
Transfer the cooked waffles to a plate, cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm, and repeat for the remaining waffles.
