Packing a Healthier Lunchbox

720. That's the approximate number of lunches I pack per school year, give or take a few for pizza at school and forgotten lunch boxes.  And I think I've got a pretty efficient routine, provide the kids a good variety and a healthy balance - it's all right here in my post, What's In the Lunchbox. I mean - preparing 720 meals that have to fit into a small box, staying hot/cold, without melting, growing salmonella, spilling, or smelling crazy in the school cafeteria takes a little effort.

Recently, my oldest daughter has decided that she wants to eat healthier. Good thing. (She's not terribly unhealthy and is relatively athletic, but we can all do better.)  In her new eating habits, she's been evaluating what she packs for breakfast, lunch, and after school snack (she has a long school day.)  And told me I needed to get healthier options for their lunches.

What? I paid little attention to her because - well, because what did she know? I've been packing these 720 lunches for years.

Then one day, I looked at one of the lunches. There was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a mandarin orange fruit cup, a juice box, and cookies for a snack.  This follows my lunchbox formula... kinda.

But the problem wasn't really with the lunchbox formula, but each component and all of that combined. Maybe jelly, a packaged fruit cup, juice, and cookies were fine on their own, but all together that was a lot of sugar - even without reading the label.  Maybe I could do something fresher, too.

I went to the grocery store to do my lunch shopping and I'll be replacing some of my lunchbox ingredients to make them a little more healthier.

• Instead of packaged fruit cups: fresh fruit - grapes, oranges, pears, berries. Also carrot sticks.
• Instead of juice boxes: milk (individual boxes) and water (in reusable water bottles)
• Instead of cookies all the time: I will do cookies sometimes (balance, moderation, all that good stuff) but also popcorn.

So my "formula" will stay the same, but with the fresher, less sugary options, lunch should be more balanced and healthier.

Share any ideas on making your kid's (or your own) lunchbox healthy.

Join the conversation on Facebook: Just Piddlin' with Frances

I Wonder What My Kids Are Having For Lunch

180 days, August through June, I pack four lunches.  Sandwiches, quesadillas, bowls of rice - I try to pack a variety.  Some cookies or chips, a box of milk or juice, a bottle of water, a bag of grapes. I think I do pretty good for my own fast-food to-go operation.  Add to this the to-go dinners on sports practice and game nights.  So when summer comes - the folks are on their own.

I don't think I've made lunch since the last school bell. I do my part - I buy bread, sliced turkey, cheese, hot dogs, peanut butter and other random lunch fixin's.  And because of morning swim practices, I haven't really been on schedule to cook breakfast, either. But I do sometimes because I love a hot biscuit and a bowl of grits every now and then.  In general, however, I assume that at some point, my able bodied children will realize that they are hungry, amble from the couch all the way to the kitchen and fix themselves something to eat.

I used to feel guilty about not making them breakfast, lunch and dinner during the summer months. What if they whither away to nothing, go back to school all emaciated and CPS comes looking for me?  I've since decided that that's not even a close possibility.  I've determined that I am not abandoning my children, I'm teaching them to feed themselves.

Yes, there are some days that its about 5 o'clock where one of them realizes that they haven't eaten all day and hey, what is Mommy going to do about it?  But for the most part, someone hears their stomach grumble, remembers that someone has already done the hunting and gathering, and all they have to do is put it all on a couple slices of bread.

They seem to be surviving.  Next step - get them to make me something, too.

Join the conversation on Facebook & Twitter

Why You Should Be One of Those Ladies Who Lunch

My schedule last week was pretty much shot. Why? Lunch.

I'm a stay-at-home/write-at-home/volunteer-at-school mom.  My commute is a flight of steps and my receptionist is my dog.  Lunch for me is usually what was forgotten by my kids or a grilled cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwich (also grilled) sandwich, eaten while vacuuming or editing.

But what threw off my schedule? Sandwiches, drinks, and chocolate cake.

I caught up with a couple girlfriends when we all happened to be free at the same time, I visited with a friend who was in town for the week, and I went to a formal luncheon. I was, for a few days, like one of those fancy ladies who plan their lives around their lunch dates.  And all three ate up hours of time in the middle of my day, making those days pretty unproductive.  But here's five quick reasons to be a lady who lunches, anyway.

We need to connect to our friends. Vacuuming and running errands are important, but it's not going to make you laugh like sitting around with friends and complaining about vacuuming and running errands. We need to take a break from all the stuff to do and spend time with the people who matter to us. Take a break to share your joys and your worries, your celebrations and your concerns.  We need to do that, face-to-face, not just on Facebook posts and texts.

Delicious lunch, thanks to the chefs at Season 52.

It breaks your routine. For SAHM and WAHM, its good to get out of the house. We need to trade in the pajama pants, put on some lipstick, and let someone else feed us.  It doesn't have to be real fancy, but let it be a treat for you.  We do get in a rut, eating PBJs everyday, and, I don't know about you, but sometimes that rut can make you bored and unhappy. And hungry. Do things that make you happy.

For those days you can't wait 'til 5 pm.

Happy Hour can be whenever you make it.  Sure, "Happy Hour" is traditionally at 5 pm, but for SAHM/WAHM, this is a terrible time unless you're taking the kids along or hanging out at the bar in between dropping kids off at activities.  Dinner is also supposed to be at 6 pm, but when was the last time that happened either. If we can eat dinner at 9 pm, why can't we have happy hour at noon?

You could learn something. If you must make it productive so you don't feel guilty about neglecting whatever it is you are not doing, then find an educational event. Go to a brown bag parenting talk or take a lunch-time class (I took a writing class where everyone brought their lunch with them).  Go to a professional networking event, if you are in the job market or an entrepreneur.  Meet up with others who are in the same profession or volunteer organization and have a working lunch, share ideas and solutions.

Any excuse for chocolate cake will do.

It's fun.  It might not be "productive" (or it could be, see point above) but at the end of the week, will you look back and regret not visiting with your friend or not finishing that load of laundry at that particular time. Okay, maybe, when you're up at midnight still folding laundry, you might rethink that lunch, but not really.  What will make you smile is the break from the routine with people that matter or learning something important to you.

Happy lunching!



Join the conversation on Facebook: Just Piddlin' with Frances

What's in the Lunchbox?

Got the notebooks and the crayons. New shoes and outfits. New backpacks and lunch boxes.  Oh! Lunchboxes! What are you going to put in those things?

Lunch packing stuff: lunch box, reusable drink bottle, reusable plastic container, thermos

Like many of you, I pack my kids' lunches on most days. I'm not so much concerned about them eating chicken nuggets or hamburgers everyday, because we provide some balance with breakfast and dinner; I'm more concerned that they will spend all their lunch money on ice cream and cookies.  (And yes, they will.)  

It would be easiest to make a stack of 180 peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and dole them out day-by-day, but kids do enjoy variety in their lunches (don't we all?) and that's where the challenge lies.  I have a basic formula for lunch and then I work within that plan.

• Protein - usually meat and/or cheese, but also consider beans and tofu if your kid likes that
• Carbs/bread - although I need to watch my carb intake, the kids are running around at recess and after school sports, so they're fine
• Fruit/Veggie - on a good day, they get both, but I strive for at least one. Fresh fruit, apple sauce, carrot sticks, V8 drinks
• Snack - Sometimes its graham crackers, other days chocolate chip cookies. Pretzels or veggie chips.  Those tube yogurt things, frozen. Whatever, it's their little treat.  If your kid stays after school for whatever reason or has a long bus ride home, then this can be their after-school snack.
• Beverage - water, juice, milk. I like to use the re-usable, plastic juice bottles (I feel like I'm saving the planet), but do send juice boxes every now and then, especially for field trips. We get the milk boxes because no-one wants to carry around a milky juice bottle all day.

I asked my little folks what were some good lunch ideas to share in this post; here they are.

Lunch options: make-your-own lunchables, wraps, fruit, frozen yogurt

Quesadillas - They are so versatile and a great use of leftovers, but do take a few minutes of prep time.  I cook them on the stove, but if you're really pressed, you can wrap them in foil and stick them in the oven while you go brush your teeth.  Wrap them in foil and they are warm enough by lunch time.  I gave more details on how to put them together in this other post; they're also great for a quick dinner. I like them for both when we are on the go, as well as those nights everyone's on a different schedule, passing each other in the kitchen looking for food.

Wraps, pitas - These are variations of the basic 2 slices of bread sandwich.  Tortilla wraps & pita pockets both come in different sizes and wheat-i-ness (whole, corn, flour, white, etc.) to keep things interesting.  (I stuff them with whatever meat & cheese, sneak in some spinach leaves or shredded carrots, and top with a little bit of ranch dressing (kids love food with ranch dressing.)  I like that you can use sandwich fillings that might be more messy with regular bread, like chicken salad.

Fried rice - Another great use for leftovers, for lunch or dinner.  A friend asked for a recipe and it's really simple. Ingredients: rice (we always have the sticky kind), chopped meat or tofu (if desired), chopped veggies - carrots, green onions, mushrooms work well, an egg.  Heat sesame oil in a pan (wok pan if you have one, large frying pan if you don't).  Heat any meat/tofu until warm. Add any raw vegetables, cook, but not too soft. Add rice, an egg, and just a little bit of soy sauce and stir all together. If you like, you can add minced garlic or sesame seeds.  When it's all mixed and heated, you're done. Easy, right?

"Lunchables" - The folks who make Lunchables are like geniuses. Take some cold cuts, cheese, and crackers, put it in a box and give it a cute name and kids go crazy. And then, if they are over 5 years old, they get hungry. Make your own, with whatever you want. Get a reusable box with compartments (from Target, Container Store, grocery store) and fill it with a variety of your kid's favorite food.  Good option for the kid who doesn't like sandwiches.

Dinner leftovers - Be sure to have a thermos-type container in your arsenal of lunch stuff and you can send any warmed up mini-meal to school.  Consider cooking extra specifically for lunch.  If you think they'll be bored of the same old thing - change it up. Rotisserie chicken for dinner, chicken salad for lunch.  Spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, meatball sub for lunch.  Chicken fingers for dinner, chicken wraps for lunch.  Be careful of sending soup or anything too saucy for little ones, as it might make a mess when they open it.

Cultural meals? I'd be careful. Even if your kid can't get enough of your curried goat for dinner, re-think sending it in his school lunch. Speaking from experience, from way back when everybody did not think eating sushi or anything wrapped in seaweed was cool, these special family meals don't always draw the attention your kid desires in the school cafeteria. 

Have fun, eat well, and don't stress. There's always peanut butter and jelly.

Click here to keep piddlin' with us on Facebook: Just Piddlin' with Frances

Mommy Tip: Don't smoosh the sandwich

With school, comes field trips.  And with field trips, comes the note with the familiar reminder, “Be sure to pack a bag lunch.”  Do you know how they get all those lunches from school to the museum?  In our school, they put them in one big bag or hamper, put them on the bus, and then hand them out at their lunch destination.  Very efficient, neat, simple system.  Unless your kid’s peanut butter and jelly sandwich lunch is on the bottom of the pile. 

As I was packing my son’s lunch for their class trip one day last semester, he had just finished off some blackberries with his breakfast, the plastic box lay on the counter.  Then I noticed that his peanut butter & jelly sandwich fit perfectly in the empty plastic berry case.  “Mommy, that’s a great idea!  Now my sandwich won’t be all smooshed.” We solved the problem of smoosh-y sandwiches and recycled at the same time.