Just a little note about the cafeteria lunches. . .

Our school seems to do a great job of keeping the kids well fed on a variety of fairly healthy foods. We are very far from perfect, diet wise, but we do try hard to provide the best food possible to our kids. I am not opposed to buying the school lunch at all. It just isn't a great fit for us most days. We do go over the menu and notice when something sounds especially appetizing and let our daughter choose whether or not she wants it.

She has eaten school lunch twice. Once because she really wanted what they were offering ( home made mac n cheese with cornbread, both favorites) and the other time was because I woke up too late to make her lunch. I woke up too late to even get her to school on time. School lunch saved the day! The possibility of her trying things she normally wouldn't is also there. If she sees her friends eating it, she's more likely to try it too.

I don't think that my girl is ready to take on lunch choices full time yet though. She came home the other day disappointed that she had said no to the salad, only to realize later that it was her favorite kind. The other issues are time and consumption. They have so little time to eat, I want her to be able to get right down to business. She's pokey, so every minute counts. I also get to see her leftovers come home daily. I know how much she ate. If she is wild and cranky after school, a quick peek in the lunch box can tell me a lot!

I will continue to keep her school account filled with enough money to buy milk every morning and a few lunches here and there, but probably will be making the majority of the lunches for a few more years at least!

Lunch 35

Rather Blah

Lunch: Strawberry jelly on whole wheat cowgirl boot sandwiches. Prunes and craisins. Apple, cheese cubes and a Hersey's Kiss. A pony to make her smile.

Snacks: Banana and container of dry cereal.

So the little lady has been very tired and a little grumpy lately. She wants the easy, comforting familiarity of her favorite foods. So, I'm giving them to her. I'd rather she eat and kick whatever is dragging her down rather than spend lunch staring blankly at food she doesn't want. I hope her sense of adventure returns soon or this food blog and her diet will be pretty boring!

Lunch 34

Ideas, ideas. . .

Lunch: Home made cinnamon swirl bread. Mini pumpkin muffins. Little doggy. Cucumber and carrots. Cheese. Chocolate cake just for fun. Grapes.

Snacks: Banana and a granola bar.

I am always coming up with great ideas for lunch, at midnight. Then by the time I get to the store, I have forgotten my great idea. . . until midnight again. I need to resurrect the lunch board and start filling it out early. It has sort of faded into the background of my to do lists.

Lunch 33

Triple Play

Lunch(es!): Half an apple for the big kids and cut up grapes. Hard boiled egg. Pumpkin muffins. The friends were a small puppy for the little lady and a cougar for the big girl.

Snacks: Cheese sticks (and cubes for the baby). Peanut free trail mix. Pretzels and goldfish crackers for everyone.

This was a crazy morning! We all had to be ready, out the door and prepped to be gone for hours by 7:20. That meant food ready for all three kids. It's nice to know that I can actually pull it off, but I'm glad I don't have to do that again for a long time!

My hat's off to all the parents out there that do this every day!

Lunch 32

I love pancake days!

Lunch: Heart shaped, tie dyed hard boiled egg. Grapes. Whole wheat pumpkin pancakes with cinnamon butter lightly spread on them. Bunny friend. Real maple syrup, about two teaspoons in a separate container, not shown.

Snacks: Banana and a granola bar

I love pancake days because this is what comes home after school. It's a very good feeling knowing that I packed something that she enjoys. Something that she EATS! Something that is good for her and keeps her full.

Special thanks goes out to Chandra for the photography tips I've started playing with.

Lunch 31

BOOooooOOOOOOOoooooooo!

Lunch: Golden delicious apple, red pepper pieces in the top. Nutella on whole wheat sandwiches with fruit leather details. Monkey friend rode along. String cheese, not shown. Yogurt covered fruit snacks linger in the background. They went in after I fit everything together.

Snacks: Banana and a homemade pumpkin muffin.

Drinks: chocolate milk from school and watered down juice from home.