Lunch From Home

I consider myself to be a combination of a procrastinator and a planner.  I think there are pros and cons to each individually, but when they cross paths it's usually not a good thing.  Usually it means that if I don't have something planned out nicely I am more than happy putting it off until a plan is created.  The problem is, there are always things that are better accomplished sooner than later.  A current "battle" in my life is packing a lunch from home for myself and my son.  It's easy and tempting for us to eat hot lunch at school, but (sadly) I don't think that is the healthiest option.  I will skip my rant about the current status of school hot lunches in our nation.  You're welcome. 

 Back to the situation at hand.  The process usually plays out something like this.  I think it sounds like a great idea to get lunch ready for tomorrow while I'm already in the kitchen working on dinner.  The opportunity passes.  I don't feel too badly.  I assure myself that I will get the lunches together before going to bed.  The couch ends up being very inviting.  No worries.  I can wake up only 10 minutes early in the morning to throw something together.  (The underlying problem here is that I have not yet decided what I'm going to pack.  Without a plan, I find it easy to procrastinate continue brainstorming lunch ideas.)  The alarm goes off in the morning and it turns out that my bed is several degrees warmer than the bedroom and my body won't get out from under the covers.  I have no control over this issue.  Time runs out.  Looks like hot lunch again.  After this scenario goes on repeat I give up on the idea of making lunches at all.  Until Guilt rears it's ugly head again.  

However, I don't want any pity over this situation.  As you may have guessed by the fact that I am blogging about this topic, I have created a solution!  Let's take a look.

Here is the inspiration that got me thinking:

(1) "Easylunchboxes" are a great idea because they makes packing a lunch, and cleaning up after a lunch so quick and easy.  Plus the website has a lot of good pictures of lunches that people have submitted.
(2) 100 Healthy snack ideas just got me thinking about different options that could go in the lunch.
(3) The third picture has a link with a simple smoothie recipe.  The mom makes the smoothies, freezes them, and then puts them in her child's lunch box.  By the time lunch rolls around the smoothie is thawed and ready to eat.  It's a fun way to work in some fruit. 

Easylunchboxes.smugmug.com

sixsistersstuff.com

meetthedubiens.com

Here is the solution that works for me:

First, I needed a few things to get my lunch system up and running. 
(1) I needed a way to plan out what to put in our lunches. 
(2) I needed containers that were easy to use and clean. 
(3) I also needed freezer jars so that I could make a stash of smoothies.

Below is a picture of what I came up with for planning lunches.  My main goal with lunch is to include something from each food group.  So with that in mind I made a list of foods from each food group that would work well for an easy-to-make lunch.  I used the lists to make magnets that are color-coded by food group.  Now, each night when it's time to pack a lunch, I just pull up something from each food group to quickly assemble a meal.  No extended "brainstorming" needed.
I actually made these magnets for myself, but when my son came home and saw them he said "Oh cool!  Good job being creative, Mom!  Did you get this idea from Pinterest?"  
My child knows me so well.  However, it was a fun turn of events that he enjoys using the magnets.  Now he gets to "order" his lunch for the next day.  This works well because he gets to choose, but his choices are within my parameters. 

Now on to containers!  I didn't want to invest in Easylunchboxes just yet.  I wanted a cheaper option until I was sure this new plan would work for me.  I bought similar Ziplock brand containers instead.  In addition to that, I purchased some silicone muffin cups and plastic ramakins with lids.  I also couldn't resist the urge to buy a few new cookie cutters, because from time to time I like to make lunch a little more fun.  Finally, I also purchased the freezer jars I would need to put smoothies in.  With all of my purchases I spent $40.  I could have spent about $25 if I had skipped the cookie cutters, so I felt like all in all that wasn't too bad.  Here are my necessities for packing a lunch.......

 
  








The first week of my new lunch system was pretty darn successful.  Easy, fast, healthier, filling, fun.  That's a good amount of positive adjectives.  Please enjoy looking at some pictures of some successful lunches from this week!

Grapes, carrots with ranch dressing, peanut butter dolphin-shaped sandwich with bread "bubbles", star cheese wedges on a toothpick, and dehydrated fruit bits.

My son chose the ingredients for this meal.  On the left is the kid friendly version.  On the right is a more adult take on the meal.  Romaine lettuce with some carrot and cabbage pieces, dried cranberries, bacon, blueberry muffin, and then milk on the side.  Our treat for this meal was chips.  I added a hard boiled egg to my salad and also mixed in the dried cranberries.  Yummy!

Grapes, carrots with ranch dressing, whole wheat tortilla cinnamon crisps in the shape of fish, beef jerky, string cheese, chocolate cereal treat.