The Ultimate 5-a-Day Muffins (Straight from Our Kids’ Cookbook)
Looking for a healthy kids muffin recipe that actually gets eaten? These easy fruit and veg muffins are a brilliant way to sneak in nutrients while keeping lunchboxes fun. Packed with hidden goodness and simple enough for kids to make themselves, these 5-a-day muffins are the ultimate easy lunchbox idea for busy parents.
Wow — what an incredible two weeks it’s been since the release of our kids’ cookbook Now You’re Cooking!
In the very first week, it reached number 4 in the hardback bestsellers chart 🎉 and we’ve been blown away by the reviews — including from none other than Darina Allen and John & Sally McKenna.
But the best part? Hearing from families. The messages from kids who are already cooking from the book have been amazing — and that’s exactly why we made it. It’s meant to get into little hands and inspire confidence in the kitchen. Honestly, it deserves a spot on this year’s Christmas list!
👉 If you’d like to grab a copy, you can [get it here]. Want a signed copy? Just drop me a message and I’ll sort you out.
Our Famous 5-a-Day Muffins
Packing the school lunch box can feel like such a chore, right? These muffins are the ultimate hack. They’re packed with fruit and veg, super easy to make, and the best part — the kids can get involved.
They love baking them. They love eating them. And you? You win at lunch boxes. 🙌
Straight from Now You’re Cooking, these muffins are like undercover veggies — sneaking into lunchboxes disguised as treats. Parents get empty lunchboxes back, and kids think they’re getting a sweet reward. Win-win!
Happy cooking,
Jolene & Lils x
5-a-Day Muffins Recipe
Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 apple
- 1 carrot
- ½ courgette
- 50g sultanas or raisins
- 2 eggs
- 80g dark brown sugar
- 4 tbsp vegetable or olive oil (plus extra for greasing if not using liners)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Method
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
- Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners, or lightly grease each hole. Silicone trays work too, but still grease them.
- Peel and mash the banana in a large mixing bowl.
- Peel and grate the apple and carrot. Grate the courgette (no need to peel). Add them all to the banana, along with the sultanas. Mix well.
- Crack in the eggs, add the sugar, oil and vanilla, and stir.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, ginger and cinnamon into the bowl. Mix everything together until combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin holes, filling each about three-quarters full.
- Place the tin on a baking tray and bake for 20–25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Using oven gloves, remove the tin and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing the muffins.
- Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Keeps for up to 4 days.
✨ These muffins are proof that healthy doesn’t have to mean boring — and that baking together can be simple, fun, and delicious.
