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If you are looking for healthy and easy school lunch ideas with leftovers you are going to love today’s post! These ideas, are quick to prepare with ingredients that are already in your pantry and fridge.
Forget the sandwich. These recipes are the perfect way to revamp leftovers and give them a new purpose so they don't go to waste. The bonus is that they each add a few extra veggies to the lunchbox!
Most of us have pasta once a week, or every other week, and it often leaves a nice portion of plain pasta perfect for a lunchbox meal. Another item we have leftover is beans from Taco night. They are a terrific option to revamp into a delicious lunch! And last but not least, when we have a little bit of broth leftover from a recipe that we aren’t quite sure how to use into something else.
In this video, you’ll see how I take on those three leftover ingredients and revamp them into a new fresh lunch with Libby’s Vegetable Cups.
The veggie pasta salad goes great with other leftovers, like cooked chicken, and the ability to use your favorite dressing makes this the ultimate kid-friendly meal.
The black bean and corn salad has a terrific texture that goes great with plantain chips or traditional chips and fruit. Want a more substantial option? Pack it over a bed or rice, heated, inside a thermos.
For a warm meal, the quick veggie soup option is a great option to have for cold fall and winter days. Sometimes, there is nothing more comforting that a warm bowl of soup for lunch, school lunch included.
What’s great is that the lunches come together quickly, and the Vegetable Cups also make a great standalone snack or side dish at dinner - just lift a corner off the lid and pop in the microwave.
As you can see, a terrific lunch can be put together rather quickly with leftovers that are in most of our refrigerators. These recipes are an excellent way to reduce leftover waste.
How would you use Libby’s Vegetable Cups in your lunchbox?
Lunch 1: Veggie Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked pasta, spirals
- 1 4 oz. Libby's Diced Carrots Vegetable Cup, drained
- ½ coarsely grated yellow cheddar cheese
- 8 oz can sliced black olives, drained
- 2-3 tablespoons Italian dressing, or just olive oil and Italian seasoning, salt, pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Divide into lunchboxes and pack along with a little fruit and half of a boiled egg.
Lunch 2: Black Bean & Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 4 oz. Libby's Whole Kernel Sweet Corn Vegetable Cup, drained
- ½ cup pico de gallo, fresh, chunky salsa
- Plantain chips, inka chips for serving
- Fruit
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Divide into lunchboxes and pack along with a plantain chips and fruit.
Jackie says
Would love to use the lunch containers for my daughter! We are always looking to try new recipes and I can’t wait to try the ones here to incorporate more veggies!
Nancy B says
I could certainly make that black bean and corn salad for my girl. I could use the green beans in a bean salad my kids would gobble up too.
Sara Bunnell says
my kids would eat them just like they are! But I like the idea of being able to customize their lunches & things with individual veggies!
Jenn C. says
Veggies mixed in soup or sautéed in a stir fry for quick and easy lunches.
Dawn Tomsik says
My preschoolers love it when we have our cooking class 2 times a week. I’m always looking for recipes that we can all do together and yet prepare the foods safely. Recently we made homemade vegetable soup. I don’t like using canned veggies and thought this time we would use Libby’s veggies in the individual cups. It worked out fantastic because I have 6 preschoolers and was able to divide the ingredients equally and safely. Most Importantly, these cups were terrific for the use of small motor skills. Pulling the tabs (covers) up, draining, pulling the covers off and pouring. We had a blast and was also able to through in a math lesson and vocabulary lesson with colors, and the words in our recipes. Thanks Libby for allowing us to have a fun and safe cooking experience.
Dawn Tomsik says
Sorry typo above
Throw! Not through.