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3 Practical Back To School Lunch Box Tips + Better-For-You Muffin Recipe Formula

3 Practical Back To School Lunch Box Tips + Better-For-You Muffin Recipe Formula

Disclosure: I was compensated by fairlife to write this post. Opinions and thoughts are my own.

[sponsored] Use this recipe formula to make better-for-you mini muffins with all different types of fruit, veggies and nut butters! Recipe at Teaspoonofspice.com

So, I realize some bloggers are onto Halloween stuff but my daughter still doesn’t go back to school until next week! And at the risk at of this being just another back-to-school packing/snacking post, I wanted to share my 3 practical, no elaborate food prep or out-there suggestions that I actually use for back-to-school time.

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1) There’s no shame in the same. If your kid wants the same sandwich every day, IT’S OK. While we dietitians always preach variety in the diet, some kids like the routine and familiarity of the same lunch so it’s not worth a power struggle as there are other places to switch it up.

[sponsored] Use this recipe formula to make better-for-you mini muffins with all different types of fruit, veggies and nut butters! Recipe at Teaspoonofspice.com

My daughter is on a ham and cheese kick. This was her camp lunch every day except for the occasional Friday when they served pizza. Your kids may be open to having a different piece of fruit or veggie instead (she’s pretty open to this.) And switching up their drink could be another option, too.

If you’ve followed me on social media, you’ll know I’m a fan of fairlife milk – real milk that’s been ultra-pasteurized and filtered so it contains 50% more protein and 30% more calcium compared to regular milk.

[sponsored] Use this recipe formula to make better-for-you mini muffins with all different types of fruit, veggies and nut butters! Recipe at Teaspoonofspice.com

***And now they have a brand new line – called fairlife SuperKids with DHA Omega-3! I’m thrilled about this because most kids (including dear daughter) don’t get enough omega-3s in their diets which is so important for brain growth and health. So, here’s the scoop on SuperKids:

  • Each 8-ounce serving contains:
    • 125 mg DHA Omega-3
    • 12 grams protein
    • 35% daily value calcium
    • no lactose
    • comes in plain and chocolate

My 10-year old asks for the 2% milk over the chocolate (go figure!)

2) Breakfast also works for lunch.  If your kid has a favorite breakfast that’s packable, go for it! Almost every weekend, I make a batch of these whole grain pancakes and freeze for busy mornings and once in awhile, I pack one for lunch with some fruit and nut or seed spread. Other breakfast-for-lunch ideas include oatmeal in a thermos, breakfast burritos, egg breakfast muffins and many of these quick protein breakfast recipes are packable too.

[sponsored] Use this recipe formula to make better-for-you mini muffins with all different types of fruit, veggies and nut butters! Recipe at Teaspoonofspice.com

3) The freezer is your friend. Admittedly, I am not big on freezer meals as a) I’m not great with meal prep and b) when I do make a double batch and freeze, I usually forget that the extra meal is in there until freezer burn sets in.

BUT, I do use the freezer often to help with packing school lunch and serving up after-school snacks. A few freezer foods I use often:

  • Frozen peas
  • Frozen fruit
  • Frozen waffles (and those homemade pancakes I mentioned before)
  • Whole-grain bread/English muffins (side tip: bread goes stale faster if you store refrigerator vs. freezer)
  • Frozen muffins (recipe below) – I ALWAYS have these in the freezer along with those pancakes. I’ve made so many varieties of these muffins over the years to add to school lunch or serve as an afternoon snack. I’m calling this recipe a “muffin formula” because you can swap in so many different fruit and veggie combos like:
    • Blueberry Lemon
    • Apple Carrot
    • Vanilla Zucchini
    • Peanut Butter & Strawberry
    • Chocolate Cherry

[sponsored] Use this recipe formula to make better-for-you mini muffins with all different types of fruit, veggies and nut butters! Recipe at Teaspoonofspice.com

After refining this recipe over the years, here are the different ways I’ve made them “better-for-you” muffins:

  • added different fruit and veggies – for several vitamins and minerals
  • added nut and seeds – for protein and unsaturated fats
  • added whole grain meals/flours – for fiber
  • made them mini size – for better portion control

And my latest “addition” is to serve them with a glass of fairlife SuperKids milk to my daughter as an afternoon snack (or even as a quicky, out-the-door breakfast on one of THOSE days.)

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[sponsored] Use this recipe formula to make better-for-you mini muffins with all different types of fruit, veggies and nut butters! Recipe at Teaspoonofspice.com

Better-For-You Muffin Recipe Formula


5 from 1 review

  • Author: Deanna Segrave-Daly
  • Yield: 24 mini muffins 1x

Description

Use this recipe formula to make better-for-you mini muffins with all different types of fruit, veggies and nut butters!


Ingredients

Scale

Basic mini-muffin formula:

  • 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 cup golden flaxseed meal
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/3 cup fairlife Superkids 2% milk
  • 1 cup grated vegetables (like carrots or zucchini) or 1 cup chopped fruit (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together pastry flour, flaxseed, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • In another bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, fairlife Superkids milk, vegetables or fruit and vanilla.
  • Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients. Mix with spatula until just incorporated.
  • Spray a 24 cup mini-muffin tin with cooking spray or use mini cupcake liners.
  • Spoon batter evenly into each cup.
  • Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until muffins test clean.
  • Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove muffins from tin and cool completely.

 

Notes

Other mini muffin variations:
Chocolate Cherry – add 1 cup pitted cherries, chopped (can be frozen) + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder + use fairlife Superkids chocolate milk instead
Blueberry Lemon – add 1 cup frozen wild blueberries + zest from one lemon
Apple Carrot – add 1/3 cup applesauce instead of oil + 1 cup grated carrots
Vanilla Zucchini – add 1 cup grated zucchini + an extra 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peanut Butter & Strawberry – add 6 tablespoons peanut butter + 1 cup chopped strawberries

[sponsored] Use this recipe formula to make better-for-you mini muffins with all different types of fruit, veggies and nut butters! Recipe at Teaspoonofspice.com

Click on this link for more back-to-school healthy and fun lunch box tips.

What are your go-to school lunch packing staples?

[sponsored] Use this recipe formula to make better-for-you mini muffins with all different types of fruit, veggies and nut butters! Recipe at Teaspoonofspice.com

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Wednesday 24th of February 2021

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Kaze

Monday 19th of November 2018

This blog post came along at the right time for me! My little guy is so sick of chicken sandwiches! Thanks for the great ideas!

Serena Ball

Monday 19th of November 2018

Glad to hear it Kaze!

Bin Do

Saturday 26th of August 2017

It’s hard to beat a very good muffin.

Tender and just slightly moist, an excellent muffin should boast a fine but sturdy crumb. It should have a high, lofty dome and a crackly cap that spills over the muffin liner. When you break off a piece of the muffin top, it should pull away in craggy chunks.

Deanna Segrave-Daly

Sunday 27th of August 2017

I'm not sure if my muffins are on par with this description but now I'm drooling ;)

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