Chickpea Smash Two-Way Lunch Boxes

Ingredients

Shared chickpea mash and cucumber

• 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, about 480 g total drained weight
• ½ cup (115 g) plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 1 medium cucumber (250 g), divided

Kid version: 2 boxes

• 4 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread
• 2 slices mild cheddar, about 40 g total

Adult version: 2 boxes

• 2 whole-wheat pitas, about 60 g each
• ¼ cup (40 g) crumbled feta
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 150 g cherry tomatoes, quartered
• ¼ cup (60 g) plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Equipment

Mixing bowl, fork or potato masher, knife

Allergens and ingredient notes: Wheat, milk; bread and pita may contain sesame or soy. No cooking is required because the recipe uses canned, ready-to-eat chickpeas.

Step by step

1. Pat drained chickpeas dry. Mash with the shared yogurt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt until mostly smooth with a few small pieces. Divide into 5 equal portions; use 2 for the kid version and 3 for adults.
2. Kid version: place one cheese slice on each of 2 bread slices. Spread one chickpea portion over each, top with the remaining bread, and cut into triangles or smaller pieces. Cut 100 g cucumber into short thin sticks and split between the 2 kid boxes.
3. Adult version: stir feta and dill into the 3 reserved chickpea portions. Divide between 2 split pitas. Dice the remaining 150 g cucumber and split it and the tomatoes between the adult boxes, keeping the salad separate from the pita until lunch.
4. Mix the adult ¼ cup yogurt with its 1 tsp lemon juice and divide into 2 sealed sauce cups. Pack one per adult box. At lunch, add cucumber, tomato, and sauce to the adult pita or eat the salad alongside.
5. Refrigerate all 4 boxes immediately. For best bread texture, make the mash ahead and assemble sandwiches and pitas on the morning they will be eaten.

The Devotti twist: The same chickpea base stays creamy and mild under cheddar, then takes on a briny feta-dill finish for the adult pita.

How to pack

Keep cucumber and tomatoes in separate cups so bread stays dry. Wrap sandwich triangles in parchment inside the chilled box; seal adult dressing separately. This recipe is eaten cold.

Swaps and preferences

For a child who prefers separate textures, pack the mash in a dip cup with bread strips and cheese separately. Use suitable plant yogurt and cheese alternatives if needed; chickpeas remain a legume allergen for some eaters.

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 mash immediately and use within 3 days. Assemble bread on the day of eating when possible; assembled sandwiches and pitas are best within 1 day.