We’re pretty sure this question is asked in every family with kids every single morning: what should I pack for lunch??

Most parents would love for their child’s favorite sandwich to be made with whole grain sourdough bread loaded with hummus and veggies—but let’s be honest, reality usually looks a lot more like salami or ham on a fresh white bun :) So what can we do to help kids eat a little more varied and nutritious food during the day? Give them snacks that offer more fiber, vitamins, and minerals than a plain sandwich. Ideally, these snacks are sweetened naturally with fruit (like banana, apple, or dates), and made with whole grain flour, oats, or ground nuts instead of white flour. That way, they provide longer-lasting energy instead of a quick sugar rush.

Here are two kid-friendly recipes we’ve brought you: apple-oat muffins and almond butter pancakes. Both can be prepared ahead of time, are easy to transport, use minimal natural sweeteners, and are packed with essential nutrients to support learning.

Almond Butter Pancakes

Ingredients (for 15 pieces):

• 80 g Mendula almond butter
• 1 egg
• 250 ml milk or almond/plant-based milk
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 140 g spelt flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• Blueberries, maple syrup, almond butter for serving

Instructions:

1. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, egg, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Add the almond butter and stir well.
3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth.
4. Heat a pan, add a little oil, and scoop about 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan.
5. When bubbles appear and the edges start to set (after about 1.5–2 minutes), flip and cook for another 1–1.5 minutes.
6. Top your pancake stack with almond butter, blueberries, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Almond & Apple Muffins

Ingredients (for 12 pieces):

• 120 g Greek yogurt
• 100 g Mendula almond butter
• 2 eggs
• 60 g maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 ml almond milk
• 1 sweet apple, peeled and grated
• 180 g rolled oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C (fan setting). Line a muffin tin with paper cups.
2. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
3. In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then mix in the milk and the rest of the wet ingredients. Add the grated apple last.
4. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture in two batches.
5. Divide the batter into 12 muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick.