Just for fun! Are you having anything good for lunch?

Dell

I'm 36 weeks pregnant a mother of two and still proud of myself when I manage to put together a healthy, nutritious lunch that my kids and I both enjoy.

Suppers are easy-meat, starch, vegetable... And I have all day to prepare and think about it.

Lunch on the other hand seems to sneak up on me. It always seems like I'm cleaning up breakfast and last night suppers dishes, sweeping or doing whatever chores need to get done- and BAM! it's 12:30 and my four year old is "staAarving" or my two year old is "ungry"... So I whip together some pb&j or make mac and cheese.

BUT once in a great while I manage to actually think about lunch and pull something good together. Today it was homemade vegetable soup with whole wheat grilled cheese sandwich. I just took a can of tomato juice and added some frozen veggies and pasta. I even finished it off with warm oatmeal raisin cookies and a glass of milk! YUMMO!

SO...
My question is- Are you having anything good for lunch today? Or have any good healthy lunch ideas?
emrod- Thank you for being perfect! I wish I could be just like you and had children who ate everything I cooked and loved nothing but healthy food!
Unfortunately I live in the real world and I'm sure you do too.

Answer
I had our leftover tomato soup - it was actually from a can, Wolfgang Pucks, tomato basil, and it was awesome. We call it Pizza Soup to the kids. And also a grilled cheese.

Both were leftovers from yesterday.

The other thing our kids are into now is soybeans. Edame (sp?) We get them in the shell, and they are fun to shoot out. And put just a little soy sauce on them.
We also do a lot of frozen mixed veggie bags, the archer farms brand from target. They have some with fun shapes, like carrots in balls, and mini corns.

Do you make your kids' school lunches the night before, or the day of?

Mozz

And why does the bread get like that?? It's wrapped in saran for crying out loud.

Answer
It depends on my mood. I prefer to do it at night so that I can sleep a few extra minutes in the morning, but usually by night time I am exhausted. I've probably done it 5 times at night this year and the rest in the mornings. I use sandwich bags and I haven't had a problem with the bread (I pack for my 5 year old and for my husband, so the husband would say something if it got weird).

I'd like to get something like Nina described so we can save money on bags. I think I'll go to Target this weekend :)

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eco friendly lunch bags?

Hannah K

i need a lunch bag i can carry to high school so i don't have to "brown bag it". (eco friendly ??) it would be great if i could get it at normal stores too and NOT online. (normal stores include target, walmart etc.) any suggestions??
a bag that is NOT a paper bag that i can bring to school. like a tote bag.

Answer
Lunch boxes are NOT geeky! Maybe if you're geeky to begin with. But you'd totally be starting a trend, it could be your signature. "Hey, that's the kid with the batman lunch tote. He's in my econ class. He's super nice." Your other posters are probably the kids who think their shit don't stink.

It doesn't really matter what material you get, just check that it's a trusted brand. If it's made out of some non-recyclable plastic, that's a pain in the butt, but really, you'll be using it so many times it'll make up for itself. Donate it to a thrift store when you no longer need it, then it'll never go to waste.

good diaper bag for multiple kids?

Jo

I am pregnant with number three and due in a couple of weeks. I am in need of a diaper bag thats large enough to carry things for 3 kids under 5 yrs of age. Durable,stylish and as I said large.
I am looking to spend NO MORE than 75 dollars on it.
If you have ANY suggestions please let me know! Thanks!

Answer
When I had two in diapers I didn't get a diaper bag at all. I got a Satchel bag the kind ppl carry computers in. It was rectangular and fit the diaper and bottle carrying bag easily it also had several pockets for all my mommy needs. It had an adjustable strap so i could wear it on my shoulder so i could hold the car seat in one hand and my toddlers hand. It was cheaper then any large diaper bag I could find about 25 bucks at target and more adult/ stylish. I used it as my purse and baby bag so when I wasn't with the kids I didn't look like I was carrying around a child's bag. It also was very easy to wash. Also i used a generic insulated lunch sack for bottles that was about $4.00 rather then the very over priced bottle carries. Good luck and congrats.

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How often do your kids get junk food?

lunch bags for kids target image

fedfanfore

Like sweets, candy, chips, pop tarts, fruit snacks like gushers, soda, etc
Also cake, cookies, anything unhealthy.

Answer
Easter, Halloween, Christmas, birthdays... (just a couple things: maybe a candy cane after dinner or a piece of fudge after nap, chips with lunch, etc. on each of those "relaxed" days). Other than that, my kids may get to split a small bag of french fries as a treat if they're super-good during a marathon shopping trip (you know, one of those where you have to go to two grocery stores, the drugstore, Target, and three other places to pick something up and the kids have been really patient waiting in lines and being shuttled from store to store). Other than that, my kids favorite snacks "treats to eat" are dried cranberries (unsweetened), grapes, and whole wheat crackers with slices of gouda cheese (don't ask how they got started on that). My son also really loves eating a huge whole carrot (it takes him forever)... I think it's just such a treat because he's used to eating those little snack pack sized carrots. My daughter likes munching on persian cucumbers (the mini-ones) dipped in red pepper hummus.

Does someone have any idea of affordable cute and creative end of the year gift for the teachers?

I have 13 teachers to give it too. (3 kids)

Answer
I have taught Preschool for several years. Here is what I can tell you NOT to get:
candles, apples of any kind, quilted cosmetic bags, fancy bars of soap and coffee cups.

People often forget that teachers have other lives. We like to save money, and shop at the same places you do. A gift card, for whatever amount, is always welcome. I would much rather have a $5 gift card to Target or Walmart than another candle. Keep in mind that other parents give gift cards too, so yours may not be the only one a teacher gets. Last year, I had several gift cards to the local garden center. Individually, some of them weren't for much money, but I used them throughout the summer to save money all season.

Last year, I also got several bunches of fresh flowers. The children gave them to me in the morning when they arrived with their Mothers. It was very thoughtful, but each time a child handed me something, I had to scramble to find a vase right in the middle of drop off time. When I went to the grocery store that afternoon, I saw that those same bunches of flowers were on sale. The flowers died in a few days, and I wished I had that money in a gift card from the grocery store.

If you don't want to spend $5 each, then do something with food. Make some chocolate chip cookies and give each person a half dozen in a baggie with a ribbon tie. A bag of homemade chocolate candy, carmel corn, or muffins would also be welcome. Trust me, we would rather eat some tasty cookies at lunch than have another apple magnet.

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