Back-to-school lunches don’t have to be complicated to be fun, colourful, and nutritious. For my daughter Mila’s lunchbox, I put together a playful little lunch featuring homemade broccoli balls, apple sticks with a peanut butter dip, and yellow kiwi cut into heart shapes. I even made the peanut butter dip into a little “scary” character by adding two googly eyes — because sometimes making food fun is the easiest way to get little ones excited about eating it.

The star of this lunchbox is definitely the broccoli balls. They’re soft on the inside, lightly golden on the outside, and made with simple ingredients you probably already have at home. They’re also a great way to sneak some vegetables into your child’s lunch without making it feel like they’re being served a plate of vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1 large Irish potato

• ½ head broccoli

• 1 egg

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• Salt, to taste

Key ingredients include broccoli, Irish potato, an egg, and shredded mozzarella cheese. (Photo: Alan Smith)

Method

1. Peel and cut the Irish potato into small pieces.

2. Place the potato in a pot of salted water and boil until almost tender.

3. Cut the broccoli into small florets and add to the same pot. Continue boiling until both the potato and broccoli are completely tender.

4. Drain well and transfer to a bowl.

5. Mash the potato and broccoli together.

6. Add the egg and mozzarella cheese and mix until well combined.

7. Using your hands or a small scoop, shape the mixture into small balls.

8. Place the broccoli balls on a lined baking tray.

9. Bake at 375°F for about 30 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm.

Shanice Gore gets assistance from her daughter Mila in preparing the potato wedges. (Photo: Alan Smith)

Shanice Gore dices the Irish potato into small, uniform pieces. (Photo: Alan Smith)

Shanice Gore mixes the ingredients until well-combined as daughter Mila looks on.(Photo: Alan Smith)

Mila takes charge of mashing the potatoes and broccoli together.(Photo: Alan Smith)

Roll the mixture into small, bite-sized balls. (Photo: Alan Smith)

Bake the broccoli bites at 375°F for approximately 30 minutes or until they are lightly golden and firm. (Photo: Alan Smith)

Packing the Lunchbox

For Mila’s lunchbox, I paired the broccoli balls with apple sticks and peanut butter dip, along with yellow kiwi cut into little heart shapes. I also had fun with the presentation and turned the peanut butter dip into a little scary character with two googly eyes. It’s such a simple touch, but those little details can make lunch feel much more exciting for a child.

I personally like to keep the rest of the lunch simple when the broccoli balls are included. With the fruit, protein from the peanut butter and cheese, and the vegetables in the broccoli balls, it makes a balanced and satisfying lunch without overcrowding the lunchbox.

Pair these broccoli balls with apple sticks, peanut butter dip, and yellow kiwi. (Photo: Alan Smith)

Back-to-School Tip

These broccoli balls are perfect for meal prep. Make a batch ahead of time, allow them to cool completely, and store them in an airtight container in the freezer. When you need a quick lunchbox option, take out what you need and reheat.

Because at the end of the day, back-to-school lunch doesn’t have to be fancy — it just has to be made with a little love and a little creativity!