Wraps, muffins and waffles: School sandwich alternatives

Skip the sandwich and pack some of these fun alternatives in your child’s lunch this school year!

Sandwiches are boring, Mom! Put the bread away and think of other ways to complete your child’s packed lunches. These bloggers have some great ideas — follow their lead!

Image credit: Grace from Eats Amazing

Pitas are a fun twist on simple sandwiches. Simply stuff them full of whatever you would have put between two slices of bread and you’ll have a meal that’s fun to eat and cool to your kids. Grace, from Eats Amazing, took it a step further by stuffing hers with tuna and then flowing with an entirely fish-themed lunch.

Image credit: Grace from Eats Amazing

Wraps are easy alternatives to sandwiches, but they can be tricky for little hands to hold and eat. Follow Grace’s lead and slice the wrap, then stick it on a skewer for a simpler way for little hands to enjoy. She has the whole process laid out over at Eats Amazing.

Image credit: Grace from Eats Amazing

Eats Amazing did it again, by substituting bread with an English muffin. She layered hers with ham, but you can fill it with anything from peanut butter and jelly to chicken salad. Even though it won’t be eaten hot, Grace toasted her muffins before making the sandwich to make them less chewy than an untoasted muffin.

Image credit: Keeley McGuire

Muffins can be difficult to layer with meat and spreads, so blogger Keeley McGuire baked the meat right in! She cut up hot dogs and baked them into the batter of these corn muffins, perfect for a weeknight dinner or to fill little lunch boxes.

You can jazz up your mid-day muffin meal even more by making these tasty veggie muffins. Pack them as a side in your child’s brown bag, or bake them with meat like McGuire suggested above.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 2/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup low-fat milk
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 large egg, well beaten
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a mini-muffin pan with cooking spray.
3. Whisk whole-wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, oregano, sugar, garlic powder and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Stir milk, feta, egg, tomato paste and olives into the onion mixture. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fill the prepared muffin cups two-thirds full.
5. Bake the muffins until lightly browned, 13 to 15 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make these muffins on Sunday, then store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Serve at room temperature or reheat at 350 degrees F.

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After-school comfort food
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