Oh god, not another lunch box to fill. Day after day, week after week, I swear I am about ready to put a twenty in my daughter’s lunch box and tell her to call Domino’s. It just gets exhausting, you know? I’m so tired of making the same ol’ sun-butter-and-jelly sandwiches—and she’s got to be sick of eating them, too, right?
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Leftovers for Lunch: 15 Recipes for Kids' Lunch Boxes
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Arancini (Rice Balls) with Marinara Sauce
Use leftover rice or risotto and fill your kid's lunch box with these creamy, crunchy, cheesy balls that are insanely delicious.
Get the recipe: Just a Taste
Photo: Just a Taste
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Taco French Bread Pizzas
All those fixins from taco night? Load them onto a wedge of french bread and send your kids to school with a Mexican inspired pizza.
Get the recipe: Life in the Lofthouse
Photo: Life in the Lofthouse
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Chicken Salad Wrap
Combine leftover chicken and macaroni in this sweet, savory, and crunchy chicken salad that tastes great on its own or bundled up in a wrap.
Get the recipe: Will Cook for Smiles
Photo: Will Cook for Smiles
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Pesto Tortellini Skewers
Grab a few cocktail sticks and add sun dried tomatoes and maybe a little cheese to last night's tortellini for a fun-to-munch lunchtime nibble.
Get the recipe: Foody Schmoody
Photo: Foody Schmoody
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Thanksgiving Leftovers Quesadilla
Put all the scrumptious flavors from Thanksgiving dinner into a gooey, cheesy, cranberry-infused lunchtime quesadilla.
Get the recipe: Momtastic
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Pasta Frittata
Chances are, there's leftover pasta from last night's dinner, so crack a few eggs and toss some spices into it, and make this delicious Italian flavored frittata that tastes great cool or at room temperature.
Get the recipe: Back to Her Roots
Photo: Back to Her Roots
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Tilapia Melt
Leftover fish makes a great next-day sandwich. With melted cheese, tomato, and spinach, it's a nice change of pace from tuna salad sandwiches.
Get the recipe: Momtastic
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Meatball Sub Sliders
Leftover meatballs in marinara sauce make fantastic meatball sub sliders. They're perfect for lunch boxes and small hands, and packed with rustic flavor.
Get the recipe: Lisa's Dinnertime Dish
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Potato Skins
Scoop out last night's baked potatoes, crisp them up, and load 'em with your favorite fixins, from chopped bacon to cheese, scallions, and sour cream.
Get the recipe: The Pioneer Woman
Photo: The Pioneer Woman
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Greek Chicken Salad Pitas
Leftover chicken is perfect for chicken salad. This Greek inspired recipe is loaded with kalamata olives, crunchy cucumbers, and creamy feta, and it tastes great in a pita pocket.
Get the recipe: Sarah's Cucina Bella
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Loaded Mashed Potato Balls
Garlicky mashed potatoes rolled into balls with bacon and cheese, and then deep fried? Yes, please.
Get the recipe: Damn Delicious
Photo: Damn Delicious
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Roast Beef Sliders
These quick and easy roast beef sliders, loaded with cheese, are a great use for leftover roast beef, and they taste great on Hawaiian rolls.
Get the recipe: Recipes for Our Daily Bread
Photo: Recipes for Our Daily Bread
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Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
Sloppy Joes are a great family dinner, and grilled cheese sandwiches are perfect for school lunches, so why not marry the two in this insanely delicious repurposed sandwich?
Get the recipe: The Recipe Rebel
Photo: The Recipe Rebel
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Buttermilk Roasted Chicken Sandwich
A batch of buttermilk roasted chicken gets a new lease on life, dressed up in a sandwich with arugula, pesto, and mozzarella cheese.
Get the recipe: Momtastic
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Leftover Pasta Fritters
Leftover pasta can be great in lunch boxes if you jazz it up a bit. These scrumptious fritters are the perfect size for little lunch boxes (and hands), and they leave a lot of room for creativity.
Get the recipe: Recipe Tin Eats
Photo: Recipe Tin Eats
