This post was created in partnership with Juicy Juice®. All opinions are my own.
I am big on lunches for our girls and I enjoy getting creative with the foods they like to eat. It can be hard to come up with kids’ lunchbox ideas so I try to mix things up and turn some of our favorite things into fun lunchbox additions like these adorable pumpkin shaped turkey and cranberry hand pies.
This time of year as the weather cools off it makes it a lot easier to pack hot meals for lunch. Our nine year old especially enjoys hot lunch but not the kind made from school she wants to take it from home. Hand pies are one of our favorite simple lunch ideas and kids really do love them. As we get closer to Halloween these simple hand pies are an especially fun lunchbox idea.
The hardest part to this recipe is really just making your own cranberry sauce ahead of time. I love to go seasonal with it and create something with apples in it.
I love using Juicy Juice® products in my recipes especially their organic line of products. Made with no high fructose corn syrup or added sugar Juicy Juice® Organics 100% Juice is that their apple juice really does taste the best. It’s also high in Vitamin C so I know I’m giving my kiddos something that is also high in essential vitamins. Plus the organic line really is made from 100% juice so as a mom I can actually feel good about giving this to my family. Plus my kiddos will tell you that Juicy Juice® really does taste the best!
Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients–
- 16 oz bag of fresh cranberries
- 1 cup of Juicy Juice® Organics 100% Juice, Apple flavor
- 1/4 cup diced apples
I am a big fan of keeping things simple. We will actually use this for sandwiches and even a chicken dinner I have planned later this week so I love keeping fresh cranberry sauce around. Plus our kids love it and the Juicy Juice Organics apple juice, which is USDA organic certified and has no added sugar or high fructose corn syrup, makes it perfectly sweet and delicious right from the 100% juice. I just cook this on medium heat until the cranberries burst, then turn it off and let it
In the end you will have a simple and lightly tart cranberry sauce that’s just perfect to go with these mini hand pies. I used a simple pre-made pie dough and store bought turkey lunch meat. I used a pumpkin cookie cutter to cut the pumpkin shape then cut out small eyes and a mouth for a face.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
We just layer the turkey and cranberry apple sauce with a little cheddar cheese on top. Then just added the top of the pie crust then pieced the two sides together to create the pocket. I let these baked for 13 minutes until golden brown. 
You can serve these with anything in a simple lunch box. You can also make larger ones for a simple and fun dinner idea. I used a smaller pumpkin cookie cutter for the hand pie shape but I have also done this with my larger shape and it’s wonderful. I wanted the smaller size for lunches so this works perfectly for kid-sized portions. 
You can also find other delicious recipes, activities and learn more about Juicy Juice® on their website.
These are so cute great ideas and very festive! Love it!
I feel horrible about how I have absolutely no creativity when it comes to school lunches. Thankfully, our son is easy to please!
Oh, these look fabulous my kids would absolutely love these. How fun and yummy!
This is a fun way to serve healthy food to your kids! I’ll do this for my niece’s lunchbox.
These Halloween hand pies look adorable and yummy! I’m going to try to make these for my kids, I’m sure they’ll love these too!
These hand pies looks so yummy! What kid wouldn’t want one of these in their lunch box for Halloween? I know I would if I was a kid.
These look really good and very easy to make! Kids will surely love these!
It’s only October, and I’m already out of lunch ideas. My middle daughter doesn’t want the same thing day after day. And my preschooler needs a “cute” lunch. Should have set her standards low early on. These, however, are totally going to blow her mind. Yummy flavors and the cutest smile!
That’s an awesome mix of food for your little one. It’s so hard to find healthy food that my kids enjoy, I’m going to try those pies.
I wonder if my kids would eat these. I know my husband would, that is for sure.
These are such a fun idea for the lunchbox. I would be snacking on them too. I love turkey and cranberry together.
These hand pies are so festive and tasty looking! I like that you paired them with Juicy Juice. It’s been a staple in my house for as long as I can remember since it’s such a family favorite brand!
I think this is a wonderful idea. I love doing things like these for my girls lunches. They usually eat school lunch, but when it’s something they don’t like, they’ll bring a home lunch.
How cute!!!!! I am going to have to give these a try. I’ve never made hand pies before
Those are such cute little treats! I have to make some of these for the kids.
School lunches can be a challenge. These pies might be a winner for our kids.
Those little pies seem so good and only a special mom would pack them for their kids. I try and give my kids a good mix of things for lunch but it is not always easy.