Name: Mini Tuna Balls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 6-ounce cans of tuna (or pouches) (drained); 1/4 cup bread crumbs; 1 egg (whisked)

Mini Tuna Balls

By Laura Fuentes Updated Sep 2, 2024

5 from 12 votes

Recipe

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An easy, 3-ingredient recipe for nutritious mini tuna balls kids love.

These mini tuna balls are rich in protein, delicious, and don’t taste “fishy.” And with the tips in this post, you’ll learn how to pack them in a school lunch.

mini tuna balls with mac and cheese, apple slices and baby carrots in a lunchbox

Tuna Bites for Preschoolers

One way I ensured my kid ate his preschool and kindergarten lunch was by making nutritious foods bite-sized, including these mini tuna balls! They’re a delicious high-protein lunch idea, rich in omega-3s, and the perfect size for little hands.

Unlike tuna straight out of a can, when cooked, it doesn’t taste fishy -something my young toddler lunch had whenever I packed him tuna. They can be eaten warm or at room temperature and are an easy lunch to pack for school!

Ingredients

You’ll find the measurements in the recipe card, but before you make any swaps to the 3 ingredients needed, a few notes on them:

Tuna: for a savory and protein-packed base, use canned or tuna in water from a packet.
Breadcrumbs: they add texture and form to the balls giving your kid something to bite into.
Egg: helps bind the tuna and breadcrumbs and holds them together. Use ¼ cup mashed potatoes for an egg-free option.

How to Make Tuna Balls for Lunch

Here’s how to make these mini tuna balls with tips so they stay delicious and fresh until your preschooler enjoys them at lunchtime:

Mix It Up
Use a fork to break up the tuna into very small pieces and whisk the egg before mixing it in. This ensures they all bind together.
Form the Balls
The balls should be about 2 teaspoons in size. When forming them with your hands, give the mixture a little squeeze. If it feels too wet, add more breadcrumbs until it holds together.
Bake
Spray them with a little spray or olive oil to give them a crisp outer texture.
Pack for School
You can serve them warm at home or warmed and inside a thermos container. Most of the time, however, my kids eat these at room temperature straight out of the lunchbox. Add lunch sides to complete the meal in a separate compartment or container.

Lunch Packing Tips for Tuna Bites

Other helpful tips for packing a simple school lunch that stays fresh in a lunch box include:

Prevent Soggyness
Pack the tuna balls separately to prevent moisture from making them mushy, like in one of these lunch containers that are great for young kids.

Avoid Afternoon Slumps
Some kids have lunch and preschool snack time, sometimes in the morning sometimes after lunch. Make sure to pack enough food for the whole day.

Add Condiments
Dipping makes nutritious foods like these bites more fun so feel free to add ketchup or homemade ranch inside a leak-proof condiment container.

Save Time
Double or triple the batch because these freeze great! On busy mornings, ie. most days, grab a few from the freezer, toss them in the lunchbox, and you’re ready to roll since they’re small and they thaw out by lunch -you can also warm them up for 30 seconds in the microwave.

More Lunch Ideas for Preschoolers

Other great lunches for younger kids include this easy peasy pasta lunch, one of these preschool bento box lunches, or this pizza pasta salad.

Mini Tuna Balls

tuna balls in a lunch container with macaroni an cheese, apple slices and carrot sticks

Servings: 12 balls

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

An easy, 3-ingredient recipe for nutritious mini tuna balls kids love.

5 from 12 votes

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Ingredients

2 6-ounce cans of tuna (or pouches), drained
¼ cup bread crumbs
1 egg, whisked

Instructions

Prep:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make the tuna balls:

In a medium bowl, break up the tuna with a fork until you have small, even flakes. Add the whisked egg and combine with the tuna.
Add half of the bread crumbs to the tuna mixture and mix. Add the rest and mix well. The mixture should be a little wet and smooth enough to form balls.
With your hands, shape the tuna mixture into medium-sized 1-inch round balls and place them on the baking sheet as you go.

Bake:

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping them over after 10 minutes to help them brown on both sides. Remove them from the oven and serve warm.

Storage:

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.

Pack them for school:

These tuna balls can be enjoyed at room temperature, packed in a lunch container or hot packed inside a thermos container.

Notes

Air fryer directions: Form the tuna balls and cook them in a preheated air fryer at 370F for 10 minutes, stopping throughout to turn the tuna balls over for even cooking.