From the roundup: 24 Easy School Snack Recipes Kids Will Actually Eat

After school drop-off on a Thursday, I had a cup of leftover rice on the counter and a head of broccoli that was not going to last another day, and that is honestly how cheesy broccoli rice cups became a regular in our rotation. The mixture takes about fifteen minutes to pull together, and the one thing I learned the hard way is that you have to press it firmly into the muffin cups or the edges crumble when you pop them out. Chop the broccoli small, really small, so it compacts with the rice and cheddar instead of poking through and separating. My kids eat them cold straight from the fridge, which means one batch on Thursday covers snacks clear through the weekend.

Why you will love this

Ready in 33 minutes total, with only about 15 minutes of actual hands-on work
One tin makes 12 cups, enough to cover after-school snacks for several days
Broccoli is chopped small and baked into every bite, so there is no picking around it
They hold their shape cold, which makes them genuinely lunchbox-friendly
No fork needed, fully finger-food from oven to container to kid

Tips for success

Chop the steamed broccoli to roughly pea-sized pieces. Larger chunks create air pockets in the mixture and the cups crack or fall apart when you lift them out.
Press the mixture down firmly with the back of a spoon or your fingertips before baking. This is the step that actually holds the cups together, not the egg alone.
Spray the muffin tin generously, including the sides of each cup, not just the bottom. I once skimped on this and lost four cups to the tin.
Let the cups sit in the tin for a full five minutes after baking before you try to remove them. They firm up as they cool. Running a butter knife around the edge first makes lifting them out much cleaner.

Common questions

Can I use brown rice? Yes, brown rice works fine. The cups may be slightly denser but they hold together just as well.
My cups came out soggy. The most likely cause is broccoli that was too wet. If you used frozen broccoli, squeeze out the excess moisture before adding it to the bowl.
Can I double the batch? Yes, just use two muffin tins and rotate them halfway through baking so both bake evenly.
Do these work for toddlers? They are a good size and soft enough. I would skip the added salt for very young kids and let the cheese do the seasoning.

Substitutions

Brown rice or cauliflower rice both work in place of white rice. For the cheese, Colby Jack, mozzarella, or a Mexican blend all melt well here. If you have a kid who will not touch cheddar, mild mozzarella tends to disappear into the background. Frozen broccoli florets are fine as long as you thaw them completely and squeeze out the extra moisture before chopping, otherwise the cups turn out soft in the middle instead of set.

For a richer texture inside, stir in a tablespoon of cream cheese with the other ingredients before pressing into the tin. It does not change the bake time, just makes the interior a little creamier.

Make-ahead and storage

You can cook the rice and steam the broccoli the night before and refrigerate both separately. The next day, mix, press into the tin, and bake. Total time from fridge to oven is still under 25 minutes. Once baked, let the cups cool completely before storing them, warm cups trap steam and get soft.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, a toaster oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes gives you crisp edges again. The microwave works too, about 30 to 40 seconds, though the edges stay soft. Freezing is possible for up to one month, but the rice does get a bit grainy after thawing, so the fridge is the better option if you can use them within the week.

Brittany Stage