Camping 2

The Elder eating breakfast.

Laying out food again for our meal. Potatoes, seasoned pork, and pineapple.

Here is one of the minion's meals.

Coleslaw, potatoes, and beef.

It's had to tell, but this is sliced potatoes with dehydrated spinach and tomato. The bun looking thing is a breakfast Pig in a blanket. I cooked it over a fire.

Camping

I love using Easy LunchBoxes when we go camping. Easy to clean, food is separated, and the depth makes it easy for my disabled SO to pick them up. The Elder has Cerebral Palsy. His good hand has some fine motor skill issues.



Dinner one night. Hotdog, cheese stuffed sausage balls, baked beans and some fruit cocktail.

Breakfast of potatoes with dehydrated spinach and tomatoes. Scrambled eggs with dehydrated spinach and ham.

Karl showing off his breakfast. Everyone had a banana while I was making breakfast, hence why there is no fruit.

This is how I set things up. I put them in a row on our coolers. Made it MUCH easier to plate.

Lunch time! Pineapple, chips, ham and grilled cheese and an extra ham slice (as requested).

Why We Pack

I join the kids for lunches when I can. I have to admit, at the end of the school year I was burnt out. Shirley's surprise heart defect and open heart surgery at 2 months of age took a lot out of me. I had weekly visits to the Dr. for a long time on top of everything else. Clark and Karl both had neuro psych evals (3 step process) in a town 3 1/3 hours away. I was just tired. Half the time the kids ate school lunch.

Colonel Sanders

The last week of school I was able to find a sitter and come every day for lunch. I once brought Colonel Sanders with me. Per their request, the boys all had school lunch. Our school offers a "salad bar". It mainly consists of carrots broccoli, a fruit selection, and lettuce. I am impressed that it is offered at the Lower Elementary. Although I saw many plates without any fruit or veggies as I sat there. I had to tell all 3 of mine that they needed to grab some.

Laurence of Arabia eating his Bosco stick.

These are our school lunches. They meet the required guidelines. I have to say that I am saddened. I remember much different lunches when I was their age. We even had leftover soup (veg, spaghetti, and chicken pieces) for a side once a week. That soup was a favorite. You ALWAYS had a vegetable on your plate and you were encouraged to pick up a fruit as well. I remember lunch ladies giving us "the look" and sometimes saying something if we didn't.

My lunch. I don't think it was worth the $3.50. Kids get the same for $2.20.

I am not saying that our lunch staff doesn't care. I KNOW they do. They were happy to see a parent having lunch with the kids. Several stopped and told me how they enjoyed seeing what I made the kids every day. Two mentioned how glad they were to see veggies on the plates of my kids. They wished more kids would eat them. I talked with them a bit as my older kids ran off to recess. It was clear even they were saddened by what they now had to offer for lunches.

Clark picking at his pizza

I once mentioned school lunches to other parents. I was told they were a godsend because their kids were picky eaters. I have 2 picky eaters. One is sensory based (also why I pack). One is not. I saw many of their picky eaters... Many of them barely touched their lunches. You know, that pizza that they love. Maybe 2 bites taken out of it. They ate the goldfish crackers though!

Picky eater. At least he ate his apple and Bosco sticks.

I think mine ate most of their lunches only because I sat there. This year I will pack again. At least I know what my minions are eating. I know they eat a bit more when I pack. How do I know? I taught them to not toss their lunches. So I see all the leftovers.