Butternut Mac Two-Way Lunch Pots

Ingredients

Shared butternut mac

• 280 g dry elbow macaroni
• 400 g peeled butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes
• ¾ cup (180 mL) milk
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup (100 g) finely shredded cheddar
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• ½ cup (120 mL) reserved pasta cooking water; use only 2–4 tbsp as needed

Kid version: 2 pots

• ½ cup (70 g) frozen peas

Adult version: 2 pots

• 1 cup (170 g) cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp water, for heating beans
• ¼ cup (60 g) plain Greek yogurt
• ½ tsp ground chipotle chili
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp (16 g) shelled pumpkin seeds, chopped

Equipment

Large saucepan, small saucepan, blender, instant-read thermometer; insulated food containers for hot option

Allergens and ingredient notes: Wheat, milk; adult version includes pumpkin seeds. Use care with hot containers and boiling water; adult supervision is needed for hot packing.

Step by step

1. Cover squash with water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer 12–15 minutes until very soft. Drain thoroughly. Cook macaroni in a separate pot according to its package and drain, reserving ½ cup (120 mL) pasta water before draining.
2. Blend cooked squash with milk, butter, garlic powder, and salt until smooth. For a hot blender, follow its hot-liquid instructions and vent safely; alternatively use an immersion blender in a deep pan.
3. Return squash sauce to a saucepan over low heat. Stir in cheddar until melted, without boiling. Fold in macaroni. Add 2–4 tbsp of the reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, only if needed to make a creamy sauce.
4. Divide mac into 4 equal portions. Kid version: cook peas according to the package, drain, and split between 2 portions of mac; keep peas separate if preferred.
5. Adult version: heat drained beans in a small saucepan with 1 tbsp water until steaming, then drain any excess. Split beans between the other 2 portions of mac. Mix yogurt, chipotle, and lime juice; divide into 2 sealed cups. Pack chopped pumpkin seeds separately, half per adult portion, to add with the yogurt at lunch.
6. Cold option: transfer cooked mac and peas/beans promptly to shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Once fully chilled, close and transport cold. At lunch, reheat mac and its peas or beans to 165°F (74°C); add adult yogurt and seeds afterward.
7. Hot option: before packing, preheat insulated food containers with boiling water for several minutes, then empty. Reheat mac and its peas or beans to 165°F (74°C), immediately fill and seal. Use a container that keeps food at 140°F (60°C) or above until lunch. Transport the adult yogurt separately in a chilled bag and add at serving.

The Devotti twist: Blended butternut squash forms the sauce itself; splitting the finished mac keeps the kid version mild while beans, chipotle yogurt, and seed crunch make the adult finish bolder.

How to pack

Choose either the cold/reheat or verified hot-holding method in the steps. Keep yogurt chilled and pumpkin seeds dry. Label kid and adult pots; chop adult seeds finely as listed and do not add them to the kid version.

Swaps and preferences

For a smoother kid version, keep peas in a separate compartment. Use suitable gluten-free pasta if needed. Suitable dairy-free milk, butter, cheese, and yogurt can be substituted, but sauce texture will vary.

For cold lunches, pack fully chilled perishable food in an insulated bag with at least two cold sources. Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below and refrigerate on arrival when possible. Discard perishables left out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).

Make ahead and storage

Refrigerate cooked components within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Adult yogurt sauce is best within 2 days. Do not keep perishable food that has been between 40°F and 140°F (4°C and 60°C) for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).