1.30.2008
Stuck in a Rut
Well my dear blogging friends, I have a confession to make: I dread making lunch each day. I really don't mind cooking, but for some reason lunch is my achilles heal. I feel like we are eating the same things all the time. We eat leftovers when we have them, quesadillas, grilled cheese, tortellini, macaroni and cheese, and sometimes sandwiches. If I am organized enough to think about lunch at breakfast time, I might make chili, homemade soup, or tacos. The mornings generally fly by as we are doing school and household chores, then lunch is here and I start to panic because I have no clue what to serve my kids. I am tired of what we have been eating - I need some help to shake up our lunchtime routine - any easy, kid friendly suggestions?
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7 comments:
as a home schooling mom, lunch is not my thing. i tend to think of it at the very last min., when everyone is complaining of hunger (i tend to eat b-fast late, so my hunger hasn't set in).
you really go all out for lunch.
i am fine with it being basic.
pb&j, pb&honey, pb& banana, turkey, or egg sandwich with cheese, with a fruit, & a cookie.
sometimes i will mix it up though-
bagel sandwiches (toasted with turkey, pesto, cheese or with egg, ham , cheese)
or tortilla wraps (whole wheat tortilla, turkey, spinach, pesto,alfafa sprouts).
you see i am not all that exciting.
maybe i should hire a lunch lady!
I totally feel your pain. With Anna allergic to peanuts, our lunch options are limited. In addition to not being able to do pb&j, she is not much of a meat eater - doesn't like chicken nuggets, lunch meat, etc. We do LOTS of cheese oriented items for lunch. I don't know if you have a Costco around or not, but ours has a number of wonderful different types of raviolis. I know it's similar to what you've already been doing - but a lot of times you can find spinach and cheese ravioli, or butternut squash ravioli with vodka sauce rather than marinara is a family favorite.
The other thing I try is to spice up things. Such as, making macaroni and cheese, but mixing in peas and carrots. A friend introduced to me mixing in veggies in marinara sauce with spaghetti. She does diced squash and zuchini in hers.
I don't know if any of this helps, since it is very similar to what you're doing already. Hope you find some good recipes!
Hey Kristen, I told you I was going to come read your blog! I have been thinking about this question since you said something the other day. I had come up with absolutly nothing until I read what you wrote. I guess I'm not the most adventurous person when it comes to food, but I like new things, so I make the same things differently. Like you said you make tacos, how about using tortilla chips instead of shells, or instead of making ham sandwhiches serve a meat, cheese and bread 'platter'. My boys love this one. Instead of just chili, make chili dogs. (only if a small dinner is planned though!) I don't know if I helped or not but that's just my idea and what I do.
BTW... awesome blog!!
I cook for a family of 10 (only slightly exaggerated) because I love to have leftovers for lunch. I have also become quite good at turning leftovers into something else. ie) make a giant roast in the crock pot and then use the leftover meat in a stew or casserole OR if I grill chicken, I grill a lot and then use the leftovers in soup/casseroles or just cut it up and throw it on top of a salad. Anyway, I will have to stew (hee, hee) over this one a bit longer, but here are the first easy ideas that come to mind...
Pizza or mini pizzas on english muffins
Breakfast foods (eggs, pancakes)
Do you have a chest freezer? When I make soup, I make a HUGE pot of soup and then store the leftovers in smaller containers. One of my favorite lunches is to heat up some homemade soup with a grilled cheese.
You do pretty much the same thing we do.
Leftovers, grilled cheese, PB&J, PB and Ritz crackers, crackers, cheese and fruit, homemade hotpockets, riceballs. :)
Sorry---I'm not much help either.
Hey Kristen!
Long time no comment. Sorry!
I'm afraid I can't help you here either. Becca is allergic to nuts, eggs, and milk. Her lunches right now are usually hot dogs and beans, turkey sandwiches, or leftover hamburgers or spaghetti. We're trying to get her to eat different kinds of meat...she's a pretty picky eater.
Homemade soup, chili, and tacos are good ideas. You motivate me to want to vary our lunches, too.
hi, kristen. i don't know why i never bothered to look at your blog before. i'm sorry! i too dread lunch for the same reasons. i don't home school, but i still keep it pretty simple. i usually serve the kids cottage cheese, avocado and turkey (low-sodium) and then some fresh fruit. i just keep it simple and give them things they like so we don't have to argue about it. and good for you for running a marathon. i think about it and that's about it. seriously, i used to jog and i loved it. i've been waiting to start again because if i start losing the last of my baby weight, my milk goes with it. i'm adding you to my list.
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