This post is has nothing to do with anything just a random this and that.
Do you use the reusable grocery bags?
Joanna talked about them upwards of a year ago, and I remember thinking, "mmm, great idea, but probably not me." WRONG! I LOVE THEM. If the bagger (I try and bag them myself) bags them correctly, they can fit SO much. Usually the silly high school kid ends up bagging it with chips and bread (HELLO they hold so much weight, pack it silly boy), but when done correctly, I can take my normal shopping and drop the number of bags by almost 2/3. My favorite is Target's bag. It wraps up to a 6x6(or so) square and it is about twice the size of the bags bought at a grocery store. When I remember them (still a work in progress) I seem to feel a sense of relief not bringing in all of those plastic bags. Of course, I am not totally plastic bag-less. I am not fond of having raw meat in them.
DO you use them and if so, what are your favorite? What do you do to remember them each time you go?
and on to lunches.
IF you have children, do you pack their lunch? What do you put in it? Madison's school has no lunch service so they order out. I am somewhat (read: extremely) disappointed in their catering choices. Monday and Wednesday is Chick-fil-a and Fridays are Pizza Hut. I am not sure about Tuesdays and Thursdays, I know I read nachos and hot dogs, but not sure if those are the only choices on that day. I am just not sold on my children eating fast food EVERYDAY for lunch. Granted, it is a "better" fast food place, but still fast food? Needless to say, there will be a lot of packed lunches. So back to my original question..
What do you pack for lunches and snacks?How much is too much? Better to pack more? Can you pack a PB&J? That is what Madison eats for most lunches. I have some idea, granola bars, goldfish, fruit, maybe some chips, but at a loss.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
6 comments:
I love my reusable bags! I use green ones I bought at the commisary, but I think they're about the same size as ones I've seen at Target - you're right, you can pack SO much in them! I have the best luck using them at the grocery - other stores (Target) seem so set up to bag in their own bags they seem a little put out when I ask them to bag it in mine - and they usually set the stuff on the counter for me to bag myself (while I try to pay with my debit card and keep Alan close by - not easy).
I pack lunch a lot. Their school orders out pizza on Fridays and otherwise has a limited menu (taquito, burrito, corn dog, candy ice cream, chips, and some drinks). Holly has a classmate who is allergic to peanut butter and that's put a kink in easy lunches - although she isn't big on sandwiches anyway. I'm always looking for good lunch ideas. We also have to send a snack (or enough lunch that they can pull something out for snack). It's hard!!
Lunches - the bane of my existence!
However, here is what my kids like:
Leftovers!!!! At Target, back by all the camping gear, they have an aisle of thermoses. Don't skimp get the REAL Termos brand one. It is silver with a black lid. I put REALLY hot water in it as soon as I get up and start breakfast. Once the boys are eating, I heat up leftovers in microwave. Dump hot water and insert hot food into wrm thermos. Wah-lah - hot lunch at lunchtime! I also do this with canned chicken noodle (Costco seels a big back of Progresso chicken noodle vaieties). Popular leftovers around here are: Ziti (barilla plus for extra protein) with tomato parmesean (Knorr) sauce. Spaghetti (again the Barilla plus). Any kind of pasta. Chicken curry with coconut rice, red beans and rice, and taco soup. I usually send crackers or bread, juicebox and a no-sugar blueberry or peach applesauce. Around holidays, I always try to pack one little "treat" like a little Dove chocolate heart, or a Little debbie christmas tree....something nice that makes them smile at lunch, because, not everyday is a good day at school and its noce to think that there is something to make them smile even if it is only at lunch for that day. I used to pack baby carrots and cauliflower with a little ranch for dipping (gladware makes those great tiny containers), but the boys got tired of them, so I started using the no-sugar applesauces with berries - they NEVER seem to get tired of them!
Sometimes I mix up crushed pineapple with mandarin oranges and mix them with sugar-free vanilla yogurt and then mix in a few chopped maraschino cherries and/or mini-marshmallows for lunch desserts that week....
Jamie like to take Pb&J - I wrap in Glad press n Seal and then stick that in a sandwich container - the thought of a squished sandwich freaks me out! On sandwich days, I usually pack a small bag of chips, and a horizon boxed vanilla milk with the ever-present applesauce or apple.
Lastly - ALWAYS keep a big box (like from Sams or Costco) of Penut butter crackers. Some days the boys will tell they want a "snack lunch" then they get PB crackers, a yogurt (usually key lime whips) and a juice.
Oh, one more thing they like - triscuits, cheese sticks, and sliced pepperoni - Its kind of like a homemade lunchable....just add fruit or veggie and a juice box or water...
I have one friend who gets up EVERY morning to pop two pillsbury fresh-bake rolls from her freezer into her oven and makes her daughter a ham and cheese on fresh rolls and then wraps them in foil...My kids dont love meat sandwiches except for BLTs and those don't pack well, but her "roll sandwiches" do!
Sorry to hijack your comments. Can you tell I have been packing daily lunches for NINE years?????Two lunches per day for 7 of those years! I can talk about it all day!!! And, I am STILL always looking for fresh ideas for lunches too!
Thermos not Termos - obviously! You know how I Never Ever check/edit my comments, but it might matter this time regarding brand names. The other brands do not retain heat nearly as well as that thermos one - it is a dream and easy for the kids to open and never leaks. (p.s. they are about $15 here at our Trget and well worth it!)
Also - definitely invest in some cute re-usable hard-sided ice packs - you'll use them a lot!!! especially if you like to send yogurt or cheesesticks
so, so sorry, but I thouught of another idea that we use...Do your girls like hummus? Jamie likes to hummus (full of protein!) as a dip for pretzels, carrots, and celery an yellow pepper slices(if I have them around). He's not a huge lunch eater, so some protein packed hummus with pretzels and veggies is a good snack that will serve as a lunch.
Ill stop now, I promise!!!!
I love maryb's lunch help!! The girls are allowed to have something warmed up in a microwave, but I like the Thermos idea... and they were definitely excited about have pasta a leftover chicken last week when I was too tired to pack a sandwich lunch and just threw leftovers in their boxes. I'm going to write those down. Julia did not eat her crackers the day I sent Ritz for her - they were all broken at lunch - and I should get an ice pack because they don't eat the cheese I send either.
Is it just me, or do the school provided lunches just sound ATROCIOUS and unhealthy? No wonder we have a childhood obesity problem in this country. Nothing but pizza and corn dogs at schools? That makes me SO ANGRY!!!!!
Okay. That is all. I have no suggestions, but love MaryB's!
Post a Comment