For the last 2 year my kids were at a school with an AWARD winning school lunch program. THEY LOVED getting school lunch...and honestly, it was SO NICE NOT have to pack them a lunch everyday.
FASTFORWARD to THIS YEAR?? We live in OREGON now ...and they REALLY wanted ME to pack their lunches!!! Cue: Pinterest Mom panic attack!!
AHHHHHH! I had a little freak out about it. How do I do make healthy lunches I KNOW THEY WILL EAT?? How do I make it CUTE and FUN?? How do I make it AFFORDABLE? I sat down to research...and I just felt OVERWHELMED. So I had to remind myself of something I have learned over the past few years.... ACCEPTING that
THERE IS NOT PERFECT WAY!!! I get to DO IT MY OWN WAY.....and ITS TOTALLY OK.
So..I deciced to try buying "cold lunch" insulated sacks and containers that I could pack their lunch instead of the traditional baggies and paper bags. That way I could save $$$ on buying baggies??? Well 70$ later....I had 3 insulated lunch bags and sistema lunch boxes. (because even thought WILLIAM is only in preK, he HAD to have one too!! And UNFORTUNATELY I am "the queen of fair"...so I couldn't day NO!!) The sistema boxes are kind of like Bento stlyle boxes...but not as expensive. And SCORE they come with WATER BOTTLES....so I can refuse to buy juice boxes!!! And suprisingly....the kids were cool with JUST WATER.
So.... The week before I wrote out ideas and my amazing husband kept the kids so I could go shopping ALONE. ( that is a GIFT!!! What a man!!) I created a menu of themed days for different types of food....sure I had visions of pirate ship snawhiches and gold coins for desert....but I simplified it. And I was relieved. Making a list of what I HAD and I could just choose combinations and prep the night before. Seemed easy enough!!
DAY 1 - I made homemeade lunchables!!! Whole wheat crackers with cheese and deli meat cut with cookie cutters!! (faster and easier than I thought it would be) I packed pickles and olives on toothpicks, fruit cocktail and "S'mores" trail mix!! (Chocolate chips, min marshmallows and, grhams broken into bite sized bits)
I even decided that to help them REMEMBER to eat it ALL....I would write out a "Daily Menu" on a post it note..with a little "love MOM"
...
It was a HIT. Day 1 lunchboxes came home......devoured.
..The only problem I encountered was that my TWO kiddos left at HOME
wanted "school lunches too!!" So...I had to make the same thing and
"pack them a lunch" and let them eat it at home!! This was Sabrina lunch in another random box I had....I cut her cheese and ham into TINY STARS. SHE ATE IT ALL!!!
Now how did the REST of the week go???
http://www.laptoplunches.com/bento-menus/
Wendesday I made meixcan theme with cheese rollups and rice with salsa and a few chips!! I was proud of that lunch....and Caitlyn forgot it in the carpool car. SO....she ended up with school lucnch that day. #awesome
Another day I did bagels and fruit and Friday I did ham sandwiches ....cut in half. With pickles and olives again...and a cookie.
SUPER CREATIVE right?? LOL
......and they came home HALF EATEN!!! I guess I am going to have to learn what they like and dont like so I DONT GO CRAZY over the WASTE!!! ARG!! How you do you not get frustrated with uneaten food?? Truth is...they did that AT HOME TOO. Why would at school be any better?? I did ask them to leave their uneaten food in their lunch box so I can AT LEAST get an idea of how I can improve the system (am I a total efficiency freak or WHAT??)
Over all I learned 2 things
1. ITS JUST FOOD. Whether is looks fancy or not.....IT'S TO EAT. SO I am giving my permission NOT be super creative everyday. AND ITS OK!!! I am aslo NOT going to freak out when they DONT eat everything I packed....its not personal...its just FOOD. #momguiltnotallowed
2. Acts of LOVE are most important. Even if the MENU was boring....they loved the hand written MENU with HEARTS on it and "I love you, LOVE MOM."
If they are filled up with anything....it should be MY LOVE.
On Friday I wrote them each a little note telling them Congratulations for making through their first week in a new school and put their favorite pack of GUM in their lunch. I think I will make a "special Treat" on Friday a tradition. I want them to ALWAYS know that I am proud of them and looking forward to our family time on the WEEKENDS!!
Its a
BRAVE thing to go into a NEW SCHOOL in a NEW STATE, ride a bus for the first time, make new friends, and learn NEW things. The first week of school is a BIG DEAL...for ALL OF US. My kids are growing up...and it tugs at my heart strings to send them to school where I cant always protect them from everything. Change is hard...but it makes us STRONGER.
If I can help them believe in themselves, be BRAVE, and TRUST that I will ALWAYS be there to fill their tummies with healthy food....and their hearts with LOVE...I know that they will be ok.
We ALL survived the first week of school....learned new things...and LOVED eachother. I will call that a SUCCESS!!!
OH WAIT...one last thing that we learned.....the KIDS need to PUT AWAY their lunchboxes when they come home....
OR THIS HAPPENS!! Their baby sister (who still refuses to wear clothing!!!) will get into their leftovers....and drink their ranch dressing.
Now...to plan out next weeks lunches!!!
Here are a FEW great websites I found (that I also follow on pinterest and Instagram with GREAT IDEAS)
Thank you to ALL OF YOU out there who helped me get through my PRE SCHOOL LUNCH FREAKOUT!! haha!! I love you ALL!!!
http://www.laptoplunches.com/bento-menus/
http://weelicious.com/
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/09/12/real-food-tips-advice-recipes/
