Wednesday, March 12, 2014

School Lunch and Snack Fatigue


I started out this school year pouring over Pinterest under the search term "school lunch ideas." I was revved up to be the best school lunch maker I've ever been. Ideas for bento boxes, wraps, crudités and dips, and fun sandwiches cut into animal shapes were just the begining of my intended lunch/snack revolution . I was going to freeze smoothies and let them thaw to perfection by lunchtime, and do colorful charts with food group graphics so every day would be a lunch party and Freddy would be the winner of the unofficial best lunch award. In short, I was going to rock school lunches. 

Fast forward to now, and ten minutes before school I'm like " oh crap, we have nothing in the house to make for lunch. Freddy, can you eat a jar of baby food for your fruit today?" They have kindly not complained about the increasing frequency of peanut butter, nor my suggestions that cream cheese on bread is to a "meal." 

I'm running out of steam in the lunch department, wait, make that all departments, but I feel revived when it comes to school snacks. Cue Nigella's breakfast bars. 

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/breakfast-bars-55


Zita might have accused me of trying to put seeds, nuts, and raisins in everything I bake, but they can be tailored to suit every child by adding as many nuts or seeds as wanted. Chocolate doesn't hurt either.

I think a chocolate version would be the perfect travel food, field trip food, or durable snack to throw into a sports bag.

Oh, and as far as school lunches go, the only thing keeping me going is the promise of Easter vacation getting close. 

3 comments:

  1. If you put cream cheese and jelly on a hot dog bun I am going to host an intervention. We too are losing lunch steam. Anna has hot lunch, but Taylor insists on bringing a lunch. Sadly, we don't even have the baby food jar/substitute fruit. Maybe next year is our year:)

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  2. I will never combine cream cheese and jam. Never. Mostly because we are out of jam right now, but also in principle.

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    1. That was a staple of ours growing up...akin to PB&J. Oddly, you children thought I was secretly poisoning you if I even suggested it. Can't wait for the next generation to embrace it :)

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