The box that is just as good at five as at eight
Eight ounces of noodles boiled with a cup and a half of edamame, tossed with shredded carrots and a peanut sauce of peanut butter, soy, honey, rice vinegar, and enough warm water to pour.
One caution worth naming: peanut sauce does not belong anywhere near a team bench, a shared dugout, or a carpool where somebody has a nut allergy. Keep these boxes at your own table, and check with the coach before packing them for a group.
Ingredients
The recipe serves 4. Plan on about 20 minutes.
- 8 oz lo mein or spaghetti noodles
- 1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 to 4 tablespoons warm water
How to Make It
- Cook the noodles according to the package, adding the edamame for the last 3 minutes; drain and rinse briefly under cool water.
- Whisk the peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger together.
- Whisk in the warm water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce pours easily.
- Toss the noodles, edamame, and carrots with the sauce until coated.
- Divide among 4 boxes or bowls and serve warm or at room temperature.
Timing Before Practice
Start about 25 minutes out; the noodles and sauce are the only real steps.
- T-minus 25: boil noodles and edamame, whisk the sauce
- T-minus 12: toss everything together
- T-minus 4: fill the boxes and serve
Make It Ahead or Save Leftovers
These boxes are built to travel and taste great cold straight from the fridge.
- Make the sauce a day ahead and store it in a jar
- Pack full boxes the night before for a grab-and-go dinner
- Loosen leftovers with a splash of water since the noodles drink the sauce
- Serve with: cucumber slices, mandarin orange cups
Parent Tip
Rinse the noodles under cool water so they do not clump while you mix the sauce.
Make it fit tonight
Small changes that make this one fit your night
Noodles rinsed under cool water
Rinsing stops them clumping into a solid brick while you whisk the sauce.
Sunflower seed butter in place of peanut
It makes the same sauce and travels safely to a field where you do not know everyone.
Sauce made ahead in a jar
It keeps five days and shaking it back together takes ten seconds.
Boxes packed the night before
Fill four containers Sunday and the kid leaving at 5:00 grabs one without asking you anything.
Warm water on the leftovers
The noodles drink the sauce overnight, so stir in a spoon of water before they eat.
Plan the next step
Find more grab-and-go dinners
Use the planner to gather meals that pack up and travel well.