This Lunch Box recipes post is sponsored by Juicy Juice. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make this blog possible!
Hey friends — it’s back-to-school season again, and I couldn’t be more excited. With the school routine returning, now is the perfect time to refresh your lunch box menu. I’m sharing two new, kid-approved lunch box recipes and introducing three new Juicy Juice beverages that make packing lunches easier and more nutritious.
As part of my ongoing collaboration with Juicy Juice, I’m thrilled to add these recipes to your lunch rotation and to highlight three new better-for-you drink options that kids love.
Lunch Box Drinks You Can Feel Good About
Juicy Juice has expanded their line with Juicy Waters, Juicy Juice + Protein, and Juicy Juice Fruitfuls Organic. Each provides a convenient, portable option that fits easily inside a lunch box:
- Juicy Juice Juicy Waters: refreshing water with a hint of fruit flavor.
- Juicy Juice + Protein: fruit juice fortified with whey protein for extra staying power.
- Juicy Juice Fruitfuls Organic: an organic option with 45% less sugar than the leading juice.
All three come in easy pouches or boxes, making them simple to pack for busy mornings and ideal for school lunches or after-school snacks.
Two New Lunch Box Recipes Your Kids Will Love
I often start with dinner when planning lunches. Sandwiches are great, but to avoid the bread-only routine I like to cook dinners that transform into excellent next-day lunches. This year I’m focusing on meals that stretch over multiple meals—cook once, eat twice (or three times). That makes mornings easier and keeps lunches interesting for kids learning to pack their own food.
My daughter Louisa is 11 and now packs her own lunch, which is great—except when she reaches for a power bar and pita chips. To make sure there are more appealing choices available, I prepare recipes that are easy to pack cold or at room temperature. Two favorites are the Beef and Zucchini Flautas and Avocado Brownies with Walnuts. They both travel well and pair perfectly with the new Juicy Juice beverages for a complete lunch.
The Beef and Zucchini Flautas are a family hit and work wonderfully the next day. Kids enjoy them cold or at room temperature, and they take almost no time to add to a lunch box once prepared. The recipe takes some time up front to braise the beef, but you can break the work into steps across a couple of days or use a slow cooker or pressure cooker to save active time.
- Braise the beef one day, then roll and fry the flautas the next.
- Use a slow cooker: brown the meat and vegetables, then finish on low for 8 hours.
- Or speed things up with a pressure cooker: brown the ingredients and braise under pressure for about an hour.
Three reasons to make Avocado Brownies
A homemade treat in a lunchbox is always a sweet way to show love. These Avocado Brownies with Walnuts are an especially good choice. Here’s why they’re worth making:
- Coconut oil and pureed ripe avocado keep the brownies moist and dairy-free. They lean more cakey than fudgy, so plan accordingly if you prefer one texture over the other.
- Espresso powder is optional but intensifies the chocolate flavor without making them taste like coffee.
- They include healthy fats from avocado and walnuts, plus some protein from nuts, so they’re a dessert you can feel good about packing.
Happy Back-to-School!
Beef and Zucchini Flautas
Tender braised beef combined with shredded zucchini makes a flavorful filling for crispy flautas that travel well and taste great at room temperature.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chuck roast
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed and chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 jalapeños, stemmed and chopped (remove seeds if you prefer milder heat)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 3 cups shredded zucchini (about 1 pound)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 42 corn tortillas
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- 42 toothpicks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F and place a rack in the bottom third with room for a covered pot.
- Season chuck roast generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, brown the roast on all sides, about 10–12 minutes. Remove the roast and set aside.
- Add onion, tomatillos, garlic, jalapeños, and cumin to the pot. Season and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, about 6–7 minutes. Add beef broth and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Return the roast to the pot, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise until very tender, about 3 hours. Remove the roast and let cool slightly. Reserve the cooking liquid and vegetables in the pot.
- Shred the roast into bite-sized pieces and return the meat to the cooking liquid. Stir in shredded zucchini and chopped cilantro until combined.
- Warm tortillas in a dry pan or comal, then keep them warm wrapped in a clean towel or in a tortilla holder.
- Place about 3 tablespoons of filling on one edge of each tortilla, roll tightly, and secure with a toothpick. Repeat until all tortillas are filled.
- Pour vegetable oil into a large frying pan and heat over medium-high. When the oil is hot (a tortilla edge should bubble immediately), fry flautas toothpick-side down a few at a time.
- Cook about 2 minutes per side, until crisp and golden. Transfer to a paper towel–lined pan to drain. Serve immediately or let cool, cover, and refrigerate. Flautas are delicious cold, at room temperature, or reheated in a 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 754 Total Fat: 56g Saturated Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 63mg Sodium: 210mg Carbohydrates: 43g
Fiber: 7g Sugar: 4g Protein: 25g
Avocado Brownies with Walnuts
These dairy-free brownies are on the cakey side, made with ripe avocado and crunchy walnut pieces for texture and flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 cup ripe avocado, about 1 large avocado
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup walnut pieces
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F and position a rack in the center. Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang. Grease the parchment as well.
Combine the chopped chocolate and coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until fully melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a food processor, puree the avocado and eggs until smooth. Add the brown sugar, vanilla, flour, espresso powder (if using), salt, and the cooled chocolate mixture. Process until the batter is well combined and smooth.
Fold in walnut pieces or pulse a couple times in the processor to incorporate. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake until a toothpick inserted near the edge comes out clean; the center may be slightly soft. This usually takes about 35–40 minutes. Allow the brownies to cool, then lift them from the pan using the parchment overhang and cut into 16 squares.
Store brownies covered at room temperature for 2–3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 174 Total Fat: 11g Saturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 23mg Sodium: 53mg Carbohydrates: 16g
Fiber: 3g Sugar: 9g Protein: 3g