The secret to a nutritious, fun lunch box? These cooks say it’s make-ahead dips and spreads

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This article was published 27/08/2025 (409 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO – Cookbook authors and expert lunch box packers Aleyda Batarse and Aviva Wittenberg say versatile make-ahead dips, spreads and sauces are among their secret weapons for back-to-school prep.

Protein-packed hummus, bean dip and labneh bolster a fingerfood-style bento that pair well with cut veggies or can jazz up a rice bowl.

Wittenberg’s 2022 book, “Lunchbox,” includes a smoky black bean dip flavoured with cumin and sweet smoked paprika. She adds instructions for homemade bagel chips that can make use of days-old bagels well-past their prime. Plain or flavoured varieties work, but consider using less salt if they are already salted, such as “everything” bagels.

Batarse’s chia-spiked strawberry jam is packed with omega-3s and contain no refined sugar. Paired with soy or seed butter, she says it makes a nutrient-dense PB&J-style sandwich that doesn’t flout school peanut bans.

“It’s nice and it’s sweet. It lures them in,” says Batarse, whose book “Deliciously Nourishing Eats” came out Aug. 19.

The version below uses fresh strawberries but Batarse says more budget-friendly frozen berries would work, too, with other fruit options including peaches, apricots and mango.

STRAWBERRY CHIA JAM

Makes: 1 cup

450 grams strawberries, chopped, or whole raspberries

3 to 4 tbsp pure maple syrup or runny honey (I love wildflower and orange blossom honey)

21/2 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pinch of grated lemon zest (optional but recommended)

1. Place the strawberries in a medium saucepan, set over medium heat, and add the maple syrup.

2. Stir the mixture with a spoon. Once the fruit has softened and started to break down, about 5 minutes, mash with a potato masher. I like my jam with texture and large strawberry chunks. When the jam starts to bubble, lower the heat to low and add the chia seeds, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

3. Stir the jam over low heat for another 10 minutes, until thickened, and then remove from the heat. Allow the jam to cool to room temperature to fully set, then place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 6 days. For best results, allow the jam to rest in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours before eating.

– “Deliciously Nourishing Eats,” by Aleyda Batarse, published by Appetite by Random House, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited.

SMOKY BLACK BEAN DIP

Makes: 1 cup

Active time: 5 minutes

Total time: 5 minutes

Get ahead: This dip can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

Juice of 2 small limes

1/2 clove garlic

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh

cilantro leaves and stems

2 to 3 tbsp olive oil

1 . Put the beans, lime juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Run the processor until the beans are mashed and the garlic disappears into the purée. Scrape down the sides with a spatula.

2 . Add the cilantro to the bowl and then, with the machine running, add the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach a smooth consistency. You may not need all of the olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

– Excerpted from “Lunchbox” by Aviva Wittenberg, published by Appetite by Random House, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited.

BAGEL CHIPS

Makes: About 8 chips per bagel, depending on the kind and size of bagels

Active time: 5 mins

Total time: 20 minutes

Get ahead: Can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Bagel(s)

Olive oil, for drizzling

Salt (consider less if bagels are already salted)

1 . Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2 . Place a bagel flat on a cutting board. Using a bread knife, slice (downwards, not across) into roughly [- to 1/4-inch slices. Depending on your bagel, you will end up with a collection of oblongs or a mix of oblongs and circles if your bagel has a big hole in the middle! Repeat if using more than one bagel.

3 . Put your bagel slices into a large bowl and drizzle them with olive oil — use 1 tablespoon oil for every bagel you started with. Add a sprinkle of salt as desired. Using your hands or a rubber spatula, toss everything together until the bagel slices are evenly coated with olive oil.

4 . Tip the slices out of the bowl onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and spread them out evenly. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the slices are medium brown. Allow to cool completely before packing.

– Excerpted from “Lunchbox” by Aviva Wittenberg, published by Appetite by Random House, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 27, 2025.