110 + Grub for the Hub -- Daddy & Me Lunch

Okay, so...sorry for the long title but I feel like this lunch is different than just the other lunches where I had Monkey's lunch and my Husband's lunch. This lunch I made them (roughly) the same thing. When I use the same ingredients I sorta like thinking of them as "Daddy & Me" lunches. I hope they highlight for you that you can really pack the same things for more than one person despite appetite size!

IN THESE LUNCHES:

• Pizza Bagels -- Mini Bagel, tomato sauce, turkey pepperoni, olives, shredded cheddar
• Mixed Greens Salad w/ Balsamic Dressing
• Popcorn (First time using coconut oil to pop, it's pretty tasty)
• HE got a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Lara Bar and SHE got a handful of grape tomatoes. 

[These are packed in our Easy Lunchboxes]

One of the goals when packing lunches for me is to make sure that Monkey doesn't feel alienated from the other kids. I don't want her to be the weird kid who's mom packs her lunch (thank goodness there's like 4 other kids in her class this year that bring lunches). I don't want her to feel excluded from the goodies they get like Pizza or Popcorn. Her school has Popcorn Friday where you can pay .50 for a bag of popcorn. Well, sometimes I do this because it raises money for the school, but OTHER weeks I just pop my own and send it with her and she seems happy with it. She just wants to feel like she is like the other kids most of the time and this is a small way I can make her feel included. 

As a side note, she thinks Daddy getting packed lunches too is the coolest. :-P

Happy Packing! 

108 & Grub for the Hub

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Monkey has been very enthusiastic about her lunches lately and now that I am making lunches for Dad she's pretty interested in those too. The sad part, we're getting to the end of the month so we are starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel on lunch fixins. Usually I plan out lunches for the whole month, but this month with her birthday party well, things went a bit off course and I never got around to it! But, hopefully these lunches will be up to par.

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Apple Slices
• Mini Ravioli (tomato sauce in green container)
• Halved Tomatoes
• Turkey Pepperoni
• String Cheese (cut into rounds)

Initially, I wanted these to be skewers...but the string cheeses weren't cooperating! So I gave up and she got all the pieces I had ready for the skewers. Hooray for lunch fails! 

Grub for the Hub

So my bento blog friends all helped me come up with this segment name and my husband liked it too, so all the posts with lunches for my husband will have the Grub for the Hub title. :) I hope this will make finding them easier when you search. 

IN THIS LUNCH:

• Garlic Hummas
• Carrots & Pepper Strips
• Parmesan Cous Cous
• Chicken Tenderloins

Color wise this lunch IS a bit drab, but it's full of flavor and I think he'll enjoy it. He LOVES chicken so that's always an easy go to when thinking about what to cook for him. 

Happy Packing!

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I know that there are many of us that hear the same thing when we go down the refrigerated aisle at the grocery store, "Mom, can I have a Lunchable?". They have done some fantastic marketing over the years where even kids that have had barely any (like Monkey) still ask for them. Everytime Monkey sees one, she asks. She knows the answer will be no and she's only had maybe 6 in her lifetime. Since I know many lunchboxes in her cafeteria have a Lunchable, I like to make sure that Monkey gets to feel on the 'in'. So today's lunch is a Pizza "Lunchable".

IN THIS LUNCH:

• Pita Flatbread Triangles (4 triangles = 1/2 Pita)
• Tomato Sauce
• Turkey Pepperoni
• Shredded Cheese
• Olives
• Sliced Kiwi
• Flavored Water (not pictured)

Do your kids like Lunchables? Is is something you buy for them or that you prefer to make? 

Happy Packing!

.097 -- New Bento Toys!

So after Monkey's My Little Pony Party yesterday, decided to check the mail. I was super excited when my husband brought everything in and my bento order had arrived! So I decided to skip my original lunch plan for something that I could use my new tools on.

IN THIS LUNCH:

• PB&J "Sushi" (Got this idea from my friend Beau over @ Lunchbox Dad. Check out his post including a how to HERE)
• Sweet pepper slices
• Grapes
• 2 slices of Mozzarella cheese
• Chocolate Almond Milk

I always like finding new ways of presenting food and the sandwich roll ups will be a fun lunch addition for Monkey. I think I might try it with meat & cheese sandwiches too and see how that goes.

Happy Packing!

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Monkey has been enjoying her first week back at school and I'm finding the quiet extremely odd! I'm glad she is reconnecting with friends and getting back on a schedule. Today for lunch I wanted to offer her some of her favorite foods

IN THIS LUNCH

• Pretzel Thins
• Rolled Turkey Lunch Meat
• Baby Carrots
• Tomato Slices
• Mozzarella Slices
• Watermelon Chunks

What are your kids favorite foods?

Happy Packing!

April 7th -- A New Bento Box

So maybe it's dorky but I was super excited to put this together. I found a fantastic new bento box at Target and let us just say, it's got me lunch inspired! Been dying to use it for a few days and here is what we've got.

UPPER LEVEL: One clementine, some grapes, two strawberries, string cheese, and pretzels.

LOWER LEVEL: Meat/lettuce roll ups, mixed greens salad with almonds, dried cranberries, and catalina dressing with tomato hearts.

Happy Packing!

March 31 - April 4: Round Up

Life certainly has gotten hectic lately! We've begun homeschooling and have added a new baby to the family which has been keeping us all busy and tired! However the lunches must go on. It is one of the things I truly enjoy doing and gives me something to look forward to. If you'd like to see the lunches daily, make sure to like us on Facebook. You can catch the weekly lunch round ups here :)

3/31

IN THIS LUNCH: 

Leftover Enchiladas

Corn on the Cob

Orange

2 Fig Cookies

4/1

IN THIS LUNCH:

Salad w/ Catalina Dressing

Annie's Organic Mac n Cheese

Shrimp

Blueberries

4/2

IN THIS LUNCH:

Chicken Nuggets w/ BBQ Sauce

Cottage Cheese

Orange

Banana

Hello Panda Cookies

4/3

IN THIS LUNCH:

French Bread Sandwich

Leftover Peas

Frozen Raspberries (from last summer)

Strawberries

4/4

IN THIS LUNCH:

Seafood Salad (was on a fantastic sale) w/ Crackers

Lima Beans

Blueberries

Orange

Cheddar Cheese

Happy Packing!

2014 -- 029

Feeling Green

Literally, last night I woke up feeling really ill. I really hope that little miss hasn't decided to bring morning sickness back in the last few weeks of her gestation! Subsequently, I overslept a little...which also means, lunch got a bit thrown together. Today I was really gravitating towards green items and fruit. I had several times I would pick up something to include and went, ''no not another fruit!" and would put it back. She almost had about 5 different fruits in her lunch today (not counting her drink). Also, I apologize for the terrible glare and picture quality. It was a one snap on the kitchen table sort of day!

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Hello Kitty Thermos is filled with a Mango Fruit Smoothie, 
• Cottage Cheese w/ Pepper, 
• Pretzels, 
• Almonds, 
• Cucumbers, 
• String Cheese and;
• Kiwi

So this is one of those ''look, grab, pack'' lunches! It is featuring my new triangle silicon cups which I got for Valentine's Day. Oh yes, my hubby knows me. BENTO SUPPLIES! Loving them. Monkey has also been asking for a smoothie for quite some time and I never get around to it. Partially because I don't like taking the time to make smoothies and also because the thermos takes up so much of the box! She will be pleasantly surprised though! 

Happy Packing!

2014 -- 028

Happy Valentine's Day! I will be totally honest I did think about what kind of lunch to make for several days. I thought about all the cute hearts, x's, o's, envelopes, conversation hearts, roses, and anything else I could pin to this holiday. I came up with some ideas but truly just couldn't figure out how to make them happen (that happens a lot, I get grand visions and lack the tools or skills to create them LOL). So, instead Monkey got a lunch made with lots of love that really isn't all that festive. I think she's still going to really enjoy it though. 

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Bagel sandwich with cream cheese and blackberry jam,
• Brussels Sprouts (leftover from dinner) sprinkled with dried cranberries (there are some throughout, promise it's not just 5 little cranberries!), 
• Almonds mixed with white chocolate chips for a treat, 
• An orange and;
• A juice box. 

Luckily, thanks to pinterest and other fantastic bloggers I will get to oogle all the creative and cute lunches that I didn't make and will wish I had thought of myself! Are you packing your kiddos any fun treats for the v-day lunches? 

Happy Packing! 

2014 -- 010

New Containers!

So I have been crushing on those lunchboxes that have the built in ice packs in the lids for some time. Well, my husband apparently spotted them on clearance and nabbed them for me! I love that he sees lunch containers and thinks of me (and enables my lunch making craziness hobby). When looking at my monthly lunch menu I was not seeing anything that really would showcase the new box! What's a girl to do? Plan a new lunch obviously! I had some pita that needed using up anyway...

IN THIS LUNCH: "Homemade Pizza Lunchable"

• Whole Wheat Pita, cut into slices
• Tomato Sauce
• Cut up pepperoni slices (it's only about 4 whole slices, but they were too large for the pita so I cut them down smaller). 
• Mozzarella Cheese
• For the treat (monkey likes to point out the store bought lunchables always have a treat) is a lindor truffle. 
• On the side is no-sugar added applesauce with cinnamon on top
• Served with Organic Milk (not pictured)

Fantastic marketing has gotten kids to really love the lunchable and the convenience is something that parents can enjoy for sure. But for the cost to me it's just not worth the buy. They are usually pretty expensive for the little bit of food they're getting and I don't always feel great about what is in them. This lunch only required about 1/2 a pita, 4 slices of pepperoni, a few TBSP of tomato sauce, and a small amount of shredded cheese. They're definitely cost effective and only take a few minutes! I am so glad I started making my own. 

I'd love to see all your homemade 'lunchables'! Please feel free to share. :) 

Happy Packing!

2014 -- 003

The lunch that almost wasn't

So, I got the lunch all ready to go and found that Monkey had forgotten ANOTHER lunch box at school. Well the first we've still never seen again, so I was a bit distraught thinking that we'd lost a 2nd box and our last ice packs. Luckily, the box was recovered and we were able to send this lunch a day late.

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Skewers -- 1 Babybel cheese cut up, 1 slice of turkey, 3 slices of salami, 3 grape tomatoes. 
• Cucumber Stars and Flowers (about 6 slices of cucumber)
• Grapes
• Home Popped Popcorn
• Organic Chocolate Milk

Monkey adored the cucumber shapes and it was an easy way to incorporate them in a fun way. Usually I just toss slices in and call it good. This didn't take much extra effort and she really enjoyed the product. Popcorn is one of Monkey's favorite snacks and is a great lunch feature for a whole grain. Our protein star in this was cheese and lunch meat. 

Don't forget this lunch is part of the ''What's for Lunch?" Wednesday Link-up. Check out all the other fantastic lunches!! 

Happy Packing! 

Halloween Lunches are Here!!

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So one of my absolute favorite things about October is that we get to start doing fun Halloween themed lunches! They don't all get crazy, like today's lunch, but they do get to have a little Halloween flair! The holidays are my absolute favorite time of year in general, but I also think that's when the creativity starts coming out too!! Here's what monkey had for lunch... 

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Thick cut ham skull & cross bones w/ medium cheddar cut outs
• Crackers
• Strawberries & Bananas
• 2 whole wheat fig cookies
• Organic Chocolate Milk

I'm also loving the adorable Dollar Tree napkins I picked up for this month! Monkey has actually enjoyed the napkins being packed in the lunch. Last year I never packed napkins and apparently there were several times she could have used one. I have contemplated making my own fabric napkins in different themed fabrics so that we're not wasting so much...but I'm not sure where to start on that... Not sure what fabric would be best to use...and furthermore how many I would actually need to include a napkin everyday! Anyone that has insight on this I would definitely appreciate some tips! I don't want to buy already made napkins, I'd like to make them myself. Thanks. 

Happy Packing!! 

Last September Lunch

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So, it's the end of the month and we are getting to the ''cabinet creative'' time of month I like to call it. We all go through it I think. When you're at the bottom of the month's groceries and you're suddenly a culinary MacGyver. Tonight we had noodles, leftover frozen turkey meatballs, and cream of mushroom soup. It looked a lot like stroganoff but tasted nothing like it haha. Monday lunch is just as MacGyvered as dinner was, but a little food time creativity will be continuing on till we go grocery shopping again on the 6th. :-P

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Sunflower Butter/Apple Butter Bagel Sandwich
• Organic Apple Slices
• Babybel Cheese
• Raisin/Almond 'trail' mix. 
• Organic Vanilla Milk (not pictured). 

She was still up when I made this one and she was pretty excited about it! There was a few apple slices leftover and some more raisin/almond mix so I decided since tomorrow I would be heading to class I'd salvage these leftovers from her lunch and make my own little snack for class (no one likes a grumpy hungry preggo!)

IN THIS MOMMY MUNCHABLE:

• Leftover Apple Slices from Monkey's Lunch
• Raisin/Almond 'trail' mix. 
• Medium Cheddar pieces
• Popcorn and;
• A tiny bag of mini gummy bears

I was actually looking forward to my snack tomorrow! I even washed my metal reusable water bottle, got it filled, and chilling in the fridge. I have been very bad about eating so far this pregnancy. I mostly snack and even that isn't very often...I blame my sensitive nose and the nausea but this snack looks appetizing even to me! I'm looking forward to eating it. 

This lunch will also be part of the Meatless Monday link-up party. Make sure to check out all the fantastic lunches. :) 

Happy Packing!

Look, Grab, Pack

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So I'm calling today's lunch, ''Look, grab, pack'' because I didn't pack it last night! I got tired, went to bed, and this morning remembered that I didn't pack a lunch for Monkey! Instead of throwing in the towel and letting her have school lunch today (who know's what they're having and what kind of gunk it's made with) I did a ''look, grab, pack''. So simply, you look at what you got in the fridge, try to cover all your food groups, and run with it. No pre-plan (the pre-planned lunch I didn't feel like making). So here is what Monkey got today!

IN THIS LUNCH:

• Fruit: Cut Apples, Sunburst Tomatoes
• Dairy: Vanilla Yogurt (also protein) w/ fall sprinkles, String Cheese (also has protein), Milk (not pictured)
• Veggies: Baby Corn
• Grain: Butterfly Crackers
• Protein: Sunflower Butter (not pictured for dipping apples and crackers). 

As I started I was thinking about fall and how I am a bit sad to see summer go. So accidentally, we've got a goodbye summer (the single purple butterfly silicon cup) and hello fall (all the colors and the sprinkles). The sprinkles by the way are green, orange, and have little brown pumpkins which I picked up in my Target's dollar area! I think in general we covered all our bases and it's a lunch that should come home empty.

Don't forget to check out ''What's for Lunch Wednesday" to see a bunch of fantastic lunches!

Have you ever made a look, grab, pack lunch? What was it? :) 

Happy Packing!

Shaken Salad

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So, initially I had a whole other salad in mind. But since I was mysteriously missing a couple items and forgot to cook the chicken for it, I decided to run with something else! While my Monkey will eat salad I don't like to push it, I know she can get sick of them quickly if I make too many. However I like their versatility. 

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Salad: Mixed Baby Greens, Peas, Cucumbers, Turkey ribbons.
• Sunburst Tomatoes
• Pineapple Skewers
• Babybel Cheese
• Not Pictured: Side of Ranch and Capri Sun 100% Juice Pouch

With this salad I simply took a container and put in a handful of mixed baby greens, cut up cucumbers, cut some turkey lunch meat ribbons (by rolling up the lunch meat and cutting across) and tossed in the leftover peas from dinner. Put on the lid and gave it a shake! I personally hate when all my salad mix-ins are on the top and by the time you get to the middle there's nothing left but lettuce. 

I know that Monkey will be a bit bummed that we were all out of her favorite dressing, Catalina. However, I know that she'll eat ranch and we threw a cute little sticker of a bunny on top of her dressing cup. She won't get it, but it was a joke at the fact most people call this sort of lunch ''rabbit food''. On the side is her napkin with her fork wrapped inside. 

This post is also park of the ''What's for Lunch Wednesday'' link up. Feel free to check out the other awesome lunches by clicking the button! 

What kind of salads do your kids like to eat? :)

Happy Packing!