Packing lunches is a huge roller coaster ride for me (Jen). I have my creative weeks (lots of fun toothpick-a-bobs and such) with yummy ideas. And then I have the not-so-creative times when I am more than thankful that they like peanut butter sandwiches. Also, I'm aiming for greener lunches and have been looking at different types of reusable containers based on what we generally pack.
Issue #1 ... creativity. There are all sorts of photos of fabulous lunches that seem more like artwork than lunch, and frankly, they are bumming me out. Am I the only one? I was motivated to get back up the coaster by listening to Lunches You'll Love with The Meal Makeover Moms, but still feel like my lunches are lack-luster. I know there's a fun, creative lunch-packing mom deep down there ... somewhere ... just dying to get out!
To show you what I mean, I decided to keep track of my lunches this past week:
Monday - PB sandwich, grapes, carrots, cheese cubes, goldfish
Tuesday - hard boiled egg, wheat thins, yogurt, celery
Wednesday - cheerios and yogurt (they mix it), apple, snap peas, goldfish
Thursday - salami, cheese, wheat thins, yogurt, carrots
Friday - PB sandwich, banana, potato chips, snap peas
I agree, boring, but not too bad nutritionally. Luckily, they take a vitamin and get a lot in from their before-school smoothies with added spinach, flax, protein powder, fruit and yogurt.
Issue #2 ... green lunches. The girls always carry their reusable lunch sack, water bottle and I avoid disposal baggies at all costs (what a waste of money anyway, huh?). Although these are what I consider low-waste lunches, I still need to get on the cloth napkin wagon and find the perfect reusable containers that work with my lunches best. Small steps, right?
To show you what I mean, I decided to keep track of my lunches this past week:
Monday - PB sandwich, grapes, carrots, cheese cubes, goldfish
Tuesday - hard boiled egg, wheat thins, yogurt, celery
Wednesday - cheerios and yogurt (they mix it), apple, snap peas, goldfish
Thursday - salami, cheese, wheat thins, yogurt, carrots
Friday - PB sandwich, banana, potato chips, snap peas
I agree, boring, but not too bad nutritionally. Luckily, they take a vitamin and get a lot in from their before-school smoothies with added spinach, flax, protein powder, fruit and yogurt.
Issue #2 ... green lunches. The girls always carry their reusable lunch sack, water bottle and I avoid disposal baggies at all costs (what a waste of money anyway, huh?). Although these are what I consider low-waste lunches, I still need to get on the cloth napkin wagon and find the perfect reusable containers that work with my lunches best. Small steps, right?
If you're not intimidated by lunches tell me why! And please share your ideas for reusable containers with me too ...
6 comments:
I haven't gotten to the "I need to be creative" stage yet, since my daughter hasn't started school yet and my husband likes the most boring lunches on the planet (he has taken the same thing for lunch every day for five years!).
As for containers, we like the Snapware containers - http://www.snapware.com/food. Lightweight, easy to open and close, and have a good variety of sizes, too.
We use Easy Lunchboxes and we all love them!!! I also have other assorted sized boxes & plastic containers to mix in where needed so thatI don't have to us plastic bags.
I also wrote a post on my blog about lunch-packing, lots of links inlcuded ;)
http://thelittlethingsjournal.blogspot.com/2011/09/lunch-packing.html
Thanks ladies!
Katie - do you use the Easy Lunchbox lunchbox for just one plastic container? Looks like you can get three in one.
Kbeeps - do you use several for each lunch? These are similar to what I currently.
The Easy Lunchboxes have three compartments in one box...great for keeping foods seperated! They are the perfect size for a lunch, I use my other assorted extra containers for "extras" - like a snack for days when they have extracurriculars. The bags that are sold with the EL sets are great too..sturdy & washable.
I'm kind of obsessed with the Easy Lunchboxes ;) I even wrote a guest post for their blog:
http://www.easylunchboxes.com/blog/to-pack-or-not-to-pack-that-is-the-lunch-question/
Hi there! Thanks for the big thumbs up Katie! If you visit my site and click on the social sharing buttons at the top you'll find TONS of lunch photos for inspiration, recipes, and more, in addition to what's available on my site. (You can fit up to 3 containers in one of my cooler bags) http://www.easylunchboxes.com/
Two questions about the Easy Lunchboxes:
These need to stay flat, right? I ask because I frequently pack yogurt.
Also, is there a smaller lunchbox? I would not need to pack 3 for lunch.
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