Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: you cook up boxed mac n cheese for no other reason than that your toddler demanded–or yelled or pleaded or ___ –it, only for him or her to eat roughly 4-5 bites and declare themselves finished. (In our case, our son told us he didn’t ever want to eat it again.) You are not eating all that leftover mac and cheese; your child ain’t eating it either–at least not in its present form. What, then, to do?
Answer: think and cook like a child. Ball it. Bread it. Air fry the heck out of it. Make it cheesy; make it crunchy. Most of all, make it something new–or, at least, new to them. It’s portable, it’s got a texture other than, you know, the mush of boxed mac and cheese; most of all, it looks like something else. Sure, you can tell them what you’ve done, but the surprise and/or secret of what (s)he is actually eating is the best part. They’ll thank you later.
Check the Adapt section and these posts for more ideas on how to repurpose leftovers!
Think crispy, cheesy snack meets toddler-approved finger food. These bites start with cold leftover mac and cheese, get stuffed with an extra hit of cheddar, coated in Parmesan-panko crumbs, and air-fried until golden. The result? A crunchy outside, gooey inside, and a whole new way to serve yesterday’s dinner—no spoon required.
Q: Can I use fresh mac and cheese instead of leftovers?
A: You can, but it’s way easier to shape when it’s cold from the fridge.
Q: What if the shapes fall apart when I press the cheese inside?
A: Just squish it firmly, patch any gaps with extra noodles, and remember freezing will firm them up before cooking.
Q: Can I bake instead of air fry?
A: Yep—bake at 400°F for 12–15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden.
Q: Do they reheat well?
A: They crisp back up nicely in the air fryer or oven—microwaving will make them a little soft.
Q: Any other foods I can do this with?
A: Absolutely. Try the same method with leftover rice, mashed potatoes, or even chopped veggies. You can also borrow the coating trick for meat or seafood (like our chicken kieve).
Put all that leftover mac and cheese your kid didn't eat to good use with these air fryer mac and cheese bites. With a crispy exterior and gooey center, they make for an easy and delicious lunch the next day.
If your child is already a big fan of mac and cheese, it may help the first time you serve to show him or her the noodles and cheese inside; then again, they might be a “tots” or “nuggs” kind of kids, so you can also sell that way. Offer a favorite condiment or sauce to go alongside.
You can take the exact same approach with leftover rice, potatoes, or vegetables with similarly good–and good eating–results. Note: we use basically the same cooking approach in our chicken kiev recipe; rolling leftover or extra meat or seafood in crumbs and cooking it up is also something we know well.
Servings 5
Serving Size 2 bites
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
