Lunch Time

The kids are back in school and I am thankful for a normal routine.  One thing that I commited to last year was to pack my kids healthy lunches.  I have become a bit obsessed with it :).  I love finding perfect containers and boxes.  I have tried several from the inexpensive Glad & Ziplock to more expensive click lock containers found on Amazon.  I found these really great ones at Wal*Mart this year and they were only $8!  I'm loving them!  So I'm going to share lunches with you.  For one reason...I find it so helpful to see what others are doing and get ideas and for another...because I'm proud and I want to show off my creations!!

I do my best to pack whole, nutritious, low-sugar, organic meals.  I also do my best to pack all of the basic food groups.  My son loses his mind when he has sugar and dyes so I do my best to limit those to save the sanity of his teachers.  This lunch was from Tuesday.  Monday was a pack your own lunch day.  I think one of the kids has two bags of chips and a brownie that day...but I digress.  Tuesdays lunch...ham & cheese sandwich on horrible white W0nder bread, processed ham that I got at Sams and Kraft cheese.  Not my best work.  Half a peach, and some Laughing Cow herb & garlic cheese.  Laughing Cow cheese is gluten free and made with whole milk as opposed to powdered or weird varieties.  I added some wheat crackers (Keebler brand, nothing special about them), some pistacios (Pistachios are an excellent source of copper and manganese, and a good source of phosphorus. They’re also an excellent source of vitamin B6, offering 20% of the Daily Value per serving. In addition to vitamin B6, pistachios are a good source of thiamin (15% DV) and have lesser amounts of other B vitamins, such as folate and biotin at 4% DV, and riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid at 2% DV. They are also a great souce of fiber.), there are some chocolate covered rasins hiding uner there (it's a sweet treat without a lot of sugar), a Fiber One brownie and apple sauce.

My kids...and my husband...love the Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies.  Here is a comparison on the Cosmic brownies and the Fiber One.  The Fiber One brownies are a good alternative.  Especially for my son who can't handle sugar.

Calories in Little Debbie cosmic brownies

Serving Size: 1 serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 300

• Total Fat 13.0 g
• Saturated Fat 4.0 g
• Cholesterol 10.0 mg
• Sodium 170.0 mg
• Total Carbohydrate 43.0 g
• Dietary Fiber 1.0 g
• Sugars 27.0 g
• Protein 3.0 g

This was today's lunch.  Left over Panara bread, Oscar Meyer Deli Fresh Chicken Breast (getting better, but still not a great cut of meat), peanuts, ants on a log with chocolate covered rasins sprinkled with Chia seeds, fruit rope, and a half of a papple (pear/apple).

It does take some practice and research to come up with yummy, interesting lunches for your kids, but it is possible!  It does take an extra bit of time, but it is worth it!!