I am used to packing 3 lunches a few days a week but now I am definitely packing two lunches every day for my boys since G started Kindergarten this year! (and no, my kids do NOT eat the school “hot” lunch, by their own choice, which is fine withe me.)
In years past I used a “throw-away” bento-style dish set that I had purchased for G’s pre-school lunches. And last year when K started, I searched for the same thing because I liked it so much, but that big baby retail store* no longer carried the same design.
(*big baby retail store means it’s a big store for baby stuff {you know the one}, not that it sells big babies, just to clarify)
Moving on…
Anyway… G has now graduated to a “big boy” lunch bag and because he’s not as picky as my 3rd-grader, his lunches are pretty fun to pack.
I use two different lunch bags that I got from Target. One boy loves green. The other loves blue. I’ve always kept this color system for the kids. K will probably have a pink lunch bag eventually.
My children eat a lot of the same things so I know what to stock in my fridge and pantry.
*Fresh fruit – strawberries, blueberries, grapes, bananas and apples. (B takes an apple almost every day).
*Snacks – goldfish, wheat pretzels, granola bars, light popcorn
*Fresh veggies – baby carrots, sugar snap peas, red/orange bell pepper strips
*Sandwiches – wheat bread, cashew or almond butter (my kids cannot have peanut butter at their school), turkey, ham, sliced cheese
*Treats – fruit leathers, various cookies, fig bars
*Other – yogurt, apple sauce, cheese sticks/cubes
*Drinks – water or low sugar juice box (I try to alternate)
I do like to pack my kids’ lunches semi-bento style even though I do not own any true bento boxes. I also like to pack them in the morning because I personally feel they are more fresh once they get to school.
I adore these silicone cupcake liners because they take whatever shape you need them to in the box you are packing and they can hold anything from goldfish to cheese cubes to blueberries. And they are reusable!
I actually think packing lunches is pretty fun. I know, I’m weird. But I know that overall it is much healthier for my kids to eat what I pack versus what they serve in the school cafeteria so… (although one day a week wouldn’t be that bad… ahem…)
Here is one particular thing all of my kids LOVE.
Granola bars!
I found this great recipe for making your own (a.k.a sans preservatives and extra junk!) and thought I would share.
(I even like them. Too much, in fact!)
Ingredients:
* 1/2 c honey or corn syrup (I used local honey)
* 1/2 c brown sugar
*1/2 cup nut butter (I used cashew butter since my kids cannot have PB at their school)
* 2 c. quick oats
*2 cups rice cereal (I used crushed up rice chex but rice crispies work too!)
*1/4 c flax seed meal
*1 c. total mixins – such as raisins, craisins, chocolate chips (I used 1/2 raisins, 1/2 mini choc. chips)
Directions:
In saucepan mix honey and brown sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolved, stirring a few times.
Remove from heat and quickly mix in nut butter. Let cool a bit.
Meanwhile, mix oats, cereal and flax seed in large bowl together.
Pour dry ingredients into honey and nut butter mixture and mix well.
Add chosen mix-ins.
Press mixture into a 9X13 pan sprayed with cooking spray or lined with wax paper.
Let cool and firm up (I put mine in the fridge for about an hour).
Then cut into desired size of bars and store in air-tight container in fridge.
Recipe adapted from HERE.
These are really tasty and also the first ones I’ve made that actually stay together. Plus! You don’t have to bake them at all – YAY!
I hope your kids (and possibly you) enjoy them and have fun packing your kiddos’ lunches!
P.S. If you have not already please visit my cohorts in jazzing up your school lunches, Sharon, Angie, Nicole and Amanda! They all have some great tips and fabulous recipes!
You’re kinda awesome
Oh I wanna try this granola bar recipe!
Honestly, your kids’ lunches are pretty much IDENTICAL to my kids’ lunches. It is usually pb&j on wheat everyday (cuz my kids are not very original), some kind of fruit, carrots or broccoli, goldfish or a small handful of baked chips, and then some kind of treat (homemade cookies, granola bars, etc).
Thanks for the granola bar recipe! I’ll definitely have to try that one!
I want to try this granola bar recipe!!
Ok, the silicone cupcake holders is one I’d never thought of or seen before! That is genius. My daughter just started PreK so we don’t have to pack a lunch yet, but I do like to do lunch prep anyways. Its nice to be able to just grab something quickly rather than frantically scrounging for something healthy and balanced. I’ll definitely have to try those granola bars! I made oatmeal cookies today in hopes of giving them a somewhat healthy treat. Not very healthy though when your kids consume four each–behind your back, of course. Oh dear.
Yum! I might try those granola bars. Buddy can’t eat granola bars because they are ALL made on equipment that processes peanuts and tree nuts…both of which he’s allergic to. I would love to be able to let him have a granola bar.
Those granola bars look great!! My oldest loves Chocolate Chip Granola bars so I need to use this recipe! Totally pinning this. Also…need to find those silicone cupcake cups. I looked everywhere here…I need to get online and order them.
Great post!!!!
Brilliant usage for those silicone cups! I have some and never thought to use them like that (not that I have to pack kids lunches yet!) but I will for sure!
And those granola bars look DELISH. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
LOVE the silicone cupcake wrappers as dividers!
I keep meaning to make our own granola bars. I’ve pinned several recipes. Just need to do it!
Elaine, your kids are so cute! I really enjoyed looking at your photos of them in past blog posts. Makes me miss my kids going off to school. I also LOVE the title of your blog!
This is the first year that our son will be in school, and we’re struggling with the hot lunch issue. Our tuition includes hot lunch for pre-k, so we’re paying for it anyway, but I worry about the nutrition. Guess I’ll find out more at back to school night! Thanks for sharing the School Lunch Reboot – GREAT idea!
Using those silicone cupcake holders is genius! I never thought of tucking them into a larger container. I love to be green when I pack lunches and this is way better than having lids to wash too!
Awesome!
I love the idea of the cupcake holders it keeps the food from touching each other and looks so cute. I can’t wait to try this granola bar recipe, the hubs likes to make granola bars.
Yes I am thinking about school lunches on a SAturday. Thank you for all of the ideas and the recipe. Will definitely try soon!
I got silicon hearts..they are adorable.
Going to have to try out your granola recipe.
And, I have cutouts for sandwiches, but I wonder..what do you do with the other part? I don’t want to throw it away?
We have that green lunch box- ours is just blue. Love it though- I use the ziploc containers that have three sections and it is perfect. I also use cupcake wrappers too to divide things, though I need to get some of those silicon ones so I can reuse them.
Yum, yum, yum! I know the kids will love these bars and even think that I’m giving them a treat!