Lunch Round Up 111-115 & Grub for the Hub

111 

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Sandwich Skewers
• Salad w/ Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Raisins
• Pumpkin Fluff (Extra Creamy Cool Whip, Pumpkin Puree, and Pumpkin Spice) 

113

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Carrots/Tomatoes w/ hummas
• Small salad w/ taco dressing
• Pretzel skewers that have uncured salami, colby jack and swiss cheese
• Pita Pieces

114

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Leftover Vegetarian Pizza 
• Carrots
• Tomatoes
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Almond Milk

115

IN THIS LUNCH: "Make your own Burritos"

• Tortillas
• Tomatoes
• Pepper Rings
• Cucumbers
• Mix of beans, meat, olives, rotel, and sour cream

Grub for the Hub

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Biscuit
• Tillamook Marionberry Greek Yogurt
• Banana Chips
• Hardboiled egg
• Tillamoo Cheese
• Breakfast sausage. 
• Not Pictured (snacks for work): Cheese, Extra Biscuit, and a LaraBar

Grub for the Hub

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Leftover Vegetarian Pizza
• Cucumbers 
• Dried Cranberries & Pumpkin Seeds
• Larabar
• String Cheese

Happy Packing!

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! 

.098

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!

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!

Wrapped Up To Go -- Love, Mom

.010

So Monkey LOVED the pirate themed lunch. When I picked her up from school she actually thanked me for packing her lunch and asked if she could have one of the chocolate gold coins that she had saved for after school. Well, after a compliment like that...and the self control to save a chocolate for later, who could say no? I'm just glad she liked it. Today's lunch was a bit thrown together. I've been feeling a bit green around the gills. I suspect the little sea monkey is to blame! Lol. Smells of the food in the kitchen is killing me so yeah...luckily my fiance really helped me out by making most of it while I directed. :) 

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Pizza Wrap (in foil w/ [eye][heart][u] pictogram and some stickers)
• Sliced Plum
• Baby Corn (w/ pepper) and;
• Organic Chocolate Milk

Some of the originally planned items got scratched due to queasy tummy! The Pizza Wrap was made with tortilla, tomato paste, mini pepperoni, cheese, and sliced olives. They were put on a baking sheet at 400 until the cheese melted. Then rolled it up and wrapped it in tin foil. Decided to write a little pictogram on her wrapper since she's recently figured out how to read simple ones.

This lunch is part of the 15 minute Friday link-up. Make sure to check out some of the other great lunches by clicking the button below.

What do you all pack when you're just not feeling up to making a lunch? 

Happy Packing!