I've been making good on one of my most important resolutions. I have been getting up every morning, super-extra, ridiculous early, to make lunches for my girls. Lara and Mia hated the school lunches last semester and have been bugging me make their lunches again.
I'll tell you, though...it was so much easier to do it in England. We didn't have to be at school til 8:45 and it was just a 10 minute walk down the road. Now the girls catch the bus at 6:45 and it is a struggle every single weekday to get them there on time with just a full belly let alone with a home-made lunch.
BUT their health is important to me and it does me good to get up earlier. I tend to have better bedtime habits during the week (mostly because I just cannot keep my eyes open past 9 pm) and it means I can squeeze a workout in during the hour and a half between Lara and Mia getting on the bus and my waking up Norah. :)
So, I've been trying to make the best of it. I ask the girls each weekend about the types of meals they'd like to have during the coming week and we plan a loose menu around what they like to eat.
This particular lunch:
2 mini pizzas (baked in the morning and packed last so they're still warm at lunchtime)
cucumber slices
caprese kebabs (mini mozzarella ball, basil leaf and cherry tomato speared on a toothpick)
orange (pre-peeled, my girls don't get a lot of time for lunch)
boiled egg (this one's in the shape of a bunny...kinda hard to tell)
carrot sticks with garlic hummus dip
Sometimes they ask for slightly more complicated lunches. I don't mind at all, but they know they have to ask for sushi (ish) things the night before. Making the rice ahead of time is essential to pulling this one off without pulling your hair off. They both love avocado and cucumber maki, so it's a snap to pull together in the morning. I also make it super easy on myself by tossing in very easy nibbles. Less prep for me.
For this lunch:
Avocado maki with soy sauce (you can purchase the tiny bottles or save them from sushi takeout)
mini carrots (no chopping!), grapes and cherry tomatoes
boiled egg, sliced in half with salt and pepper
cucumber slices
natural apple sauce (hopefully I will be able to have a homemade version soon instead of using store-bought)
Pasta salads are always a good solution since they can be left at room temperature if you don't use anything perishable.
For this lunch:
Greek pasta salad (rotini pasta, black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, spices)
carrot sticks (my kids really, really like carrots)
crackers with smoked sausage and brie
grapes and a fig newton bar
I try not to give them too many store-bought snacks, but there are some that they adore and they are considered special treats. I also try to make their lunches fun and I like tucking little surprises in there for them to find. :)
I mean, who doesn't want to find Mr. Grape Tree in their lunch box?
Thanks for stopping by!
