When I mentioned our penchant for lunchbox fritters to a friend, she was very confused. She’s never, ever packed a fritter for her kids’ lunch.
“Aren’t they awful cold?” she asked.
The answer is not at all. Lunchbox fritters are delicious packed straight into an insulated lunchbox. OR you can pack them hot in a thermos. My kids will devour them either way.
They are also terrific for putting on a roll or sandwich, making a welcome change from chicken or lunch meats. I often make sandwiches with lunchbox fritters jammed between layers of spinach and lettuce. So good!
Best bit of all: you can make these for dinner and pack leftovers in the lunchboxes, ready to go.
10 lunchbox fritters
1. Vegetable fritters
Image: Sonia Stackhouse
These vego fritters are Sonia’s breakfast food of choice, but they go down very well for lunch as well. I’ll often throw some cooked brown rice into this fritters recipe plus an extra egg. It’s extra nutrition, plus I get a few extra fritters from the recipe too.
2. Corn fritters
Image: Little Sunny Kitchen
The classic corn fritter is a thing of true beauty. This recipe from Little Sunny Kitchen is a little extra-special.
3. Cheese and cauliflower fritters
Image: Lauren Matheson
Lauren serves these lunchbox fritters warm in a thermos (that way you get the full blast of cheesiness), but they go fine when added cold. I’ve made this recipe as a canape for a party, too. Just make smaller fritters and add a tzatziki dip with a spoon.
4. Tuna and veggie lunchbox fritters
Image: Kylie Archer
This recipe from Kidgredients is really delicious. This is a freezer-friendly recipe, so make a double batch to keep plenty on hand. Kylie adds a great tip in her post for freezing fritters so they don’t end up mushy.
5. Zucchini, feta and spinach fritters
Image: Host the Toast
I’ve made a similar recipe to this one from Host the Toast and it was so very good – but I can’t locate it! So, this will have to be our new favourite spinach lunchbox fritters recipe. I’m okay with that. I love the idea of packing some freshly made dip in with the fritters for my high schoolers.
6. Indian-spiced pea fritters
Image: Jennifer Causey
My kids love a bit of spice, do yours? Actually, my son loves the spice but is not so keen on the peas. What kid won’t eat a pea? Needless to say, these fritters would be for my girls only.
7. Cheesy chicken patties with broccoli
Have you had the pleasure of meeting Nagi from Recipe Tin Eats? She’s a dream cook and person, so click on through to get started with these oven-baked chicken fritters. By the way, I tend to oven-bake most of my fritters, even when a recipe calls for frying. I spray with some olive oil and pop them in a 180 oven instead. I just can never be bothered hunkering over the hot oil, flipping flippin’ fritters! Watch how Nagi makes her fritters in the vid above.
8. Veggie-loaded lunchbox fritters
Image: My Lovely Little Lunchbox
If anyone is an expert at sneaking nutrition into lunches, it’s Kayla at My Lovely Little Lunchbox. These fritters are full of goodies like zucchini, carrot, pumpkin and sweet potato. Nice one! Kayla lists plenty more fritters recipes on her blog too.
9. Potato fritters
Image: Veggie Inspired
Another baked, not fried, recipe that has plenty of substance to hold up well in the lunchbox. Jenn grates plenty of other vegetables into the mix, so these potato fritters offer plenty of nutritional value.
10. Moroccan-spiced chickpea carrot fritters
Image: Veggie Desserts
These Moroccan carrot fritters look divine! We’ve yet to try this recipe, but I reckon we are going to love it. I’m planning to make these for dinner soon so I can add them to the lunchboxes the next day. See, fritters are just so good!
Do you think some lunchbox fritters would go down well at your place?
Feature image by Anshu A