Kids’ Veggie Fritter Dippers
+ Snack: Chocolate Pudding
- Milk
- Eggs
- Wheat
- Soy
Does planning, cooking, and packing kids’ lunches and snacks feel like a part-time job? Well, this 30-minute lunch (plus a 10-minute snack) is the perfect make-ahead time-saver: kid-approved impossibly crispy pan-fried “hidden veggie” fritters with a creamy, zingy honey-mustard BBQ dipping sauce. On the side are wholesome fresh cucumber slices, grapes, and cheddar cheese. But wait—it’ll be snacktime before you know it! So we’ve got a homemade chocolate pudding that includes almost a cup of milk per serving! Yup, we’re thinking outside the lunchbox (so you don’t have to!). This recipe is designed to provide lunch and snack components for multiple days. For each lunch and snack meal, 3 servings and 6 servings are provided for a 2 person and 4 person box respectively. Nutrition information under the Nutrition Values section below is for the lunch portion. The following nutrition information is for 1 serving of the snack meal: Calories: 240, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 180mg, Carbohydrates: 29g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 24g, Protein: 7g. Download the nutrition labels to see final nutrition information for both lunch and snack components.
Ingredients
½ cup
Cheddar Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
4 tablespoon
BBQ Sauce
1 tablespoon
Cornstarch
1 tablespoon
Fry Seasoning
1.5 ounce
Honey Dijon Dressing
(Contains: Eggs)
6 ounce
Cauliflower Rice
1 unit
Mini Cucumber
4.5 ounce
Red Grapes
2 unit
Milk
(Contains: Milk)
2 tablespoon
Mayonnaise
(Contains: Eggs)
82 g
Tempura Batter Mix
(Contains: Milk, Wheat, Eggs)
3 unit
Cheddar Snack Slices
(Contains: Milk)
½ unit
Corn
3 ounce
Semisweet Chocolate Chips
(Contains: Soy)
Not included in your delivery
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
2 tablespoon (tbsp)
Cooking Oil
3 teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Wash and dry produce. • Drain corn, then pat dry with paper towels. Halve grapes if desired. Thinly slice cucumber into rounds. • In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, 2 TBSP dressing, 1 TBSP BBQ sauce, and a pinch of salt (4 TBSP dressing and 2 TBSP BBQ sauce for 6 servings). (We sent more BBQ sauce; use any remaining as another dipper for fritters!)
• Roughly chop half the drained corn (all for 6 servings). • Add corn, cauliflower rice, shredded cheddar, and Fry Seasoning to a large bowl; stir to combine. • Stir in tempura batter mix, 1⁄3 cup cold water (2⁄3 cup for 6), ½ tsp salt (1 tsp for 6), and pepper. TIP: Batter should be very thick but not dry; add a splash of water if necessary.
• Heat a 1⁄3-inch layer of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering and hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles when added to the pan, carefully add heaping 1½-TBSP scoops of batter to pan; press down lightly with a spoon. (TIP: Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to work in batches, adding more oil in between each batch.) Cook until golden brown and crisp, 3-4 minutes per side. • Transfer fritters to a paper-towel-lined plate. (TIP: If fritters appear oily, pat dry with more paper towels.) Season with salt.
• To serve: Divide fritters between plates. Serve with dipping sauce, grapes, cucumber, and cheddar slices on the side. • To stash: Let fritters cool completely. Refrigerate fritters, dipping sauce, grapes, and cucumber in separate containers and pack with cheddar slices as desired!
• Combine chocolate chips and cornstarch in a second large microwave-safe bowl; stir to coat. Add milk and ¼ tsp salt; stir to combine. • Microwave, uncovered, until chocolate begins to melt, 1½ minutes. Gently whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat microwaving and whisking 2-3 more times, until pudding begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. (Keep a close eye on your bowl so it doesn’t boil or overflow!)
• Carefully divide pudding between three small serving bowls or containers (six bowls or containers for 6 servings). Place a layer of plastic wrap on top, directly touching the pudding (this helps prevent a solid layer from forming on top!), then cover bowls with another layer of plastic wrap. • Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. (Pudding will thicken as it cools.) Serve straight from the bowls! TIP: It’s natural for the pudding to begin to separate as it sits. Simply re-whisk before serving!
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many loved the fritters, calling them "absurdly delicious" and kid-approved. The dipping sauce was a hit! 🍲
- Ease of prep: Some found it time-consuming for a kids' meal, with lengthy cooking steps. Consider simplifying for quicker prep.
- Suggestions: For fritters, try using quinoa or brown rice blend instead of cauliflower rice if preferred.
- Pudding: Several had issues with pudding not setting. Consider adjusting recipe or providing more detailed instructions.
- Kid-friendly: Great for picky eaters! Many children enjoyed helping cook and trying new foods.
Reviews from our home cooks
I have a little boy who is a very picky eater. He doesn't like most vegetables, or mayo or bbq sauce. Honestly, the list of his dislikes is very long. However, he has been assisting in cooking these kids meals. He absolutely loved making and eating these veggie fritters! He made the dipper sauce and LOVED it! We are having so much fun cooking these kids meals together. It's wonderful watching him try new foods!
These were my favorite! I've never fried anything before but these came out perfect! I'd love to see these offered with other veggies, maybe riced broccoli or squash for fall!
These fritters were absurdly delicious and the pudding was so easy.
I had quite a few ingredients missing but I bought them and fixed it and it was wonderful! I love these quick, easy kids meals.
This recipe was a keeper! My 9 year old even tried it.
Loved these even got my picker eater to try and he liked it
Such a fun and easy lunch! The dipping sauce was the best!
Pretty balanced meal. Appreciated all the fruits and vegetables. But the pudding didn't work out for me (it never thickened).
Fritter batter is way too wet. Did not stick together. Very hard to turn, but tasty.
Cooking steps were waaay too long/involved for a kids lunch. Tasted great
