If you’re responsible for feeding kids, you’ll know the feeling of opening the lunchbox at the end of the day to find a few carrot sticks, half a banana, maybe an apple with one bite taken out of it.
It’s too good to waste, but not exactly appealing to eat. That’s how my (leftover) apple and carrot slice was born – a simple, wholesome way to transform those odds and ends into something delicious, nourishing, and kid-approved.
All those leftover bits actually make the perfect sweet base once blended together.
Apples add natural sweetness and fibre for healthy digestion.
Carrots bring a subtle earthy flavour, a dose of vitamin A for growing eyes, and a lovely orange hue.
Bananas bind it all with potassium and a creamy texture that keeps the slice soft and moist.
For the dry ingredients, I use almond meal and buckwheat flour – a naturally gluten-free combo that’s gentle on little tummies while adding protein, healthy fats, and slow-release energy.
Eggs are nature’s superfood and help hold everything together, perfect for lunchboxes or an after-school snack – and it gets bonus points for freezing well.
It’s naturally sweetened with fruit and a little maple syrup (which you can adjust to your liking).
From there, it’s easy to make it your own: mix through sultanas for a carrot-cake twist, scatter berries or stone fruit on top before baking, or fold in chopped nuts for crunch.
What started as a way to avoid food waste has become a family favourite – a recipe that celebrates real food, resourcefulness, and the small victories of parent life.
Next time those lonely lunchbox leftovers come home, give them a second chance in slice form.
Serves: 12 – Prep time: 10-mins – Cook time: 40-mins
Ingredients:
· 1 large red apple, cored
· 1 over-ripe banana
· 1 carrot, peeled
· 2 organic or free-range eggs
· 1/3 cup olive oil
· ¼ cup pure maple syrup
· 1 cup almond meal
· 1 cup buckwheat flour
· 1 tsp baking powder
· 1 tsp cinnamon
· 1 tsp vanilla extract
· Optional extras: sultanas, frozen berries, chopped nuts
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
2. Line a 30cm x 20cm baking tray with baking paper
3. Pop roughly chopped apple and carrot into a food processor and process until well chopped but not pureed
4. Add banana, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, and olive oil and process until everything is well combined
5. Add almond meal, buckwheat flour, and baking powder and gently process until everything is just combined, trying not to overmix it – and add your extras in here if using
6. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and spread out evenly
7. Cook for 40 minutes until golden brown
8. Allow to cool in the tray before slicing, to avoid it crumbling
9. Store sliced pieces individually wrapped in baking paper in the freezer for up to three months – pop into a lunchbox frozen and it will defrost in time for morning tea
Find more resourceful and nourishing recipes at www.lucystewartnutrition.com or follow @lucystewartkidsnutrition on Instagram.
