Pepperoni Pizza Sticks

These Pepperoni Pizza Sticks multi-task as an elegant party appetizer, as an easy afternoon snack, and as a healthy school lunch! Show your little one just how much you love him by packing a lunchbox with a delicious meal...and don't forget to include a "Lovable Lunch Note," the fun Back-To-School program from today's sponsor, Sara Lee® Bread!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sara Lee® Bread.

This fall marks a really big milestone for our family, since I'm getting ready to send my oldest son to kindergarten. It's our first year at the local elementary school, our first year with a full day of school, and my first year packing school lunches. That's why I love the Back-To-School campaign from Sara Lee® Bread called "Lovable Lunch Notes."

Starting on August 3 and running for six weeks, I can visit the Lovable Lunch Notes website to download 30 different, free printable "love notes" to include in Gibbs's lunchbox. It's such an easy way to make him feel special and to bring a smile to his face!

And you know what else brings a smile to my boys' faces? Tasty lunches!

Since I have been hauling large quantities of tomatoes and fresh herbs in from our garden over the past few weeks, I was inspired to turn the produce into a quick and easy snack or lunch option for the kids. And since just about every child loves Italian food (and especially pizza!), these little pizza sticks are a sure hit with diners of all ages.

Of course, the recipe starts with a loaf of Sara Lee® Bread. Our preference is the 100% Whole Wheat version because it strikes the right balance between "good taste and good-for-you." With 18 different varieties to choose from, there is a perfect taste for everyone. And moms can feel good knowing that Sara Lee® is dedicated to baking soft and great tasting bread made with quality ingredients that have no high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors or flavors.

Creating Tasty Lunches For Kids

My kids love peanut butter and jam or turkey and cheese sandwiches, but sometimes we like to mix it up a bit. But creating new and different packable meal options can get tricky, so I was very excited about this idea! It has all of the flavors of a pepperoni pizza, but it only takes about 5 minutes to prepare!

Since we're making Pepperoni Pizza Sticks, the bread acts as our pizza's "crust." And since we're talking about "love notes," I used a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to slice my bread into fun shapes. Of course, if that's too much effort you can always just use a knife to cut your bread into squares (it will still taste good)!

I love that this is a fresh, healthy, and fast way to nourish my kids' bodies. It offers veggies, whole grains, and protein to keep them energized and satisfied for their busy afternoons.

And look how perfectly these sticks fit inside the lunchbox! I used some small appetizer-sized wooden skewers that I found at my grocery store, but I have also used plastic cocktail drink stirrers that work just as well.

Do you have a child heading back to school in the coming weeks? Be sure to check out the Sara Lee® Bread Lovable Lunch Notes website to print love notes each week. There are 30 fun and creative notes to choose from, and you can customize each of them to make your kids feel extra special. Oh, and there's also a coupon that you can grab (bonus!!).

Kids are loving these lovable lunch notes from Sara Lee Bread! Check it out:

Looking for other kid-friendly options? Check out these:

• 7 Tips to Packing Healthy Lunches for Picky Eaters
•  Healthy and Easy Lunch Ideas for Kids
• 5 Toddler Lunch Ideas: Beyond Mac and Cheese
• Cooking for Kids with Allergies: Over 50 Hand-Picked Recipes from Top Food Bloggers!

If you’ve tried these Pepperoni Pizza Sticks or any other recipe on The Seasoned Mom then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest to see what I’m getting up to.

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5 from 1 vote

Pepperoni Pizza Sticks

Fun and easy pepperoni pizza sticks appetizer that everyone will love!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword pizza appetizers, pizza sticks

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 2 (6 sticks)

Calories 122kcal

Author The Seasoned Mom

Ingredients

• 1 slice Sara Lee®100% Whole Wheat Bread cut into 6 squares or small shapes
• 6 slices turkey pepperoni
• 2 ounces small fresh mozzarella cheese balls “bocconcini”, or you can substitute with cubes of mozzarella cheese sticks
• 6 cherry or grape tomatoes
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• For serving: 6 small wooden skewers or plastic drink stirrers
• Optional: marinara sauce for dipping

Instructions

• Alternate threading ingredients onto short wooden or plastic skewers. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Serve with marinara sauce for dipping, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 145mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 315IU | Vitamin C: 11.6mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 0.7mg

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sara Lee® Bread.