I have a really hard time thinking about lunch foods in the morning. Late at night doesn’t work so well for me either. My brain just goes totally blank and nothing seems appealing.
I like thinking about lunch right as we’re about to eat lunch. But now that the kids are back in school three days a week that just doesn’t work.
So, this past weekend, with my clipboard in hand, I interviewed both of my children and made a list of their favorite lunch foods. We then categorized the foods into healthy growing foods (nutrient-dense, high protein foods), fruits and veggies, and special treats.
{I got this idea from Cynthia Lair’s book, Feeding the Whole Family. She uses three categories — growing foods, fruits, and veggies. From her book, and from my own childhood, I was inspired to include non-food items in my list of special treats — rocks, shells, stickers, notes from mama and papa etc.}
I typed up the list, printed it out and hung it on our fridge.
{click on the photo to see a larger (hopefully readable) version of this list.}
I used the list yesterday morning, as I was stumbling around the kitchen, still tired from being out late at our farm movie night, feeling certain that there was nothing to pack for their lunches — until I looked at the list and remembered how much my kids LOVE hard-boiled eggs…and edamame…and blueberry muffins (which I make ahead of time and freeze).
And just like that I stopped stumbling in circles and made the lunches — complete with love notes from mama – feeling so grateful for my list. Because NOT having to think about what goes into the lunchboxes each morning really works for me!
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what a great system. I am in the habit now of planning lunch in the morning while we are out in the garden, but starting tomorrow two days a week we will be at preschool (I say we because I am the assistant teacher) so lunches will have to be given more forethought. This seems like a system that could work for me. Thanks for sharing!
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okay so funny. I have a copy of the book now. I copied that page out last night and showed the kids! as soon as I saw your picture I knew where that idea came from. Love love the book
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Brilliant – love it!
I sometimes wonder if my entire motivation to homeschool is just to avoid having to pack lunch boxes! =)
Jamie
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That’s a great idea! I love lists like that because I will like something and then forget about it. I don’t pack lunches but it would be good for me at home. I lose any imagination when it comes to lunch even though the whole house is stocked!
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I’m with Jaime. I think I’d die if I had to pack school lunches. I like to think and plan lunch while I’m making breakfast. Sometimes I actually stirfry veggies and tofu, other times I’ll prep a salad or at the very least make the plan for what to make come 12pm. But I love your lists. I love lists period and charts and schedules… all those neat boxes on paper. If only life stayed to neat & tidy!
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This is right up my alley! I have searched every local library & bookstore, to no avail, for “Feeding the Whole Family” – guess I’ll have to order it online. I keep hearing about it, so it must be worth it?!
My hubby packs the girls’ school lunches… a list like this would be great to give him some gentle, ahem, suggestions! Thanks for sharing.
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I can see I’m not the wholesome feeder the rest of you seem to be :), but I try to mainly make healthful choices for my children.
For me, the issue is variety. Your list is fantastic. We’re only five weeks in to school, and I’ve already made too many pb and j’s. Something like this will give me direction on days — like today — when I realize I forgot to pack lunches the night before.
Thursdays are my favorite school night: my boys get pizza at school on Fridays, so those lunchboxes go in the cupboard.
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THANK YOU for passing on this idea. Just yesterday, our daughter came home tied in knots and being uncharacteristically mean-spirited. Nothing would cut through the bad mood. She finally came downstairs after (another) time out and said, tearfully, “I didn’t get enough lunch!”
She’s at a new school and I had finally settled on sending a rice cake with peanut butter and almond butter (she likes them together). But, oops, their school is nut-free so she hadn’t eaten the “growing food” in her lunch (Mama isn’t quite caught up yet). I think we’re about to take a survey this morning.
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Our go to lunch lately has been quesadillas.
You can put almost anything in them (leftover chicken, beans, etc) and I always have some sort-of cheese around.
Plus they taste good hot or cold and can be dipped in salsa.
Also as a bonus they stick together and stuff doesn’t fall out (my 2yr old has a bit of a “keeping sandwiches together” problem….) -
I think I should check out that book.
Hubby eats lunch with us, and he isn’t as hot on pb & j as the rest of us, so I am always trying to thin kof something else to eat. -
Your list makes me feel a little guilty, in the UK, children mostly get sent to school with a sandwich, piece of fruit/veg, homemade little cake/flapjack/biscuit and carton of juice. I don’t think i know anyone who sends pasta or soup anything like that. It seems like in the USA, people have much more variety for lunch, I would NEVER consider doing a cooked lunch, it’s all i can muster to get a cooked from sratch evening meal on the table! :-/
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A great idea! We made a (more casual) list of lunch foods before school started, but my boy INSISTS on a cheese sandwich every day. (I can’t blame him, I was exactly the same!)
And I do love that book “Feeding the Whole Family.” It’s full of great recipes and ideas.
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This is SUCH a good idea. Again. I just think you are all around fantastic, Erin. I swear it.
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Great idea! Love the extra special things added. Beautiful blog.
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What a GREAT idea! I really need to do this.
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I’ve got my partial lunch list handwritten on a crumpled piece of paper. You’ve inspired me to complete it & post it. Loved the pics especially!
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This is a fantastic idea. I am going to work on my own list. My kids will be thrilled. I feel like they get the same basic thing packed in their lunch everyday.
My WFMW post: Organizing School Papers
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very interesting. this could totally work for me seeing as I have to pack lunches every day :) Thanks for the idea.
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that’s a great idea Erin. I agree, some mornings when I’m thinking school lunch, I feel as if I’ve never come up with a single decent lunch in my life! Especially towards the end of term! Good for you, making up the list – I think I will try that. And isn’t that book FANTASTIC! It only arrived in Bootville this week and already we’ve had two dinners out of it and we’ve been taking chickpea salads for lunch. Today I took chickpeas, drained and rinsed from the tin, that I mixed three spoonsfuls of the red pepper salsa through – they were delicious and the most energizing thing I’ve ever taken for lunch! We’re on school holidays now but I’ll be getting Abby to help me make up a lunch list!
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