Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lunch.

Snack today is some chocolate covered raisins, blueberries, and baby carrots. I added a dinosaur cupcake topper to this snack. In only Karl's snack I added the little face you see. Karl refuses to try blueberries. He loves them in pancakes, but he won't try just the fruit. So I added the little face. I imagine that was his face when he saw them. One day... One day he will try them.

We have a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lunch today. I found the sandwich cutter on Amazon. Laurence loves TMNT. The ninja sword food pick was also found on Amazon. The sandwich is a peanut butter and jelly, carrots and peppers, grapes, a cheese stick, and some chocolate covered raisins under the cheese. 

I place a flattened cupcake baking cup under the sandwiches to add some color. The boys seem to like it.

First day of school

Excuse my poor pictures. My camera is dead, I lost my phone, and I am using my Kindle for pictures. Not that I was ever the best at taking pictures, but I do try.

This year I have two 2nd graders and a 1st grader! So everyone gets a snack and a lunch.



For the first day of school I made a ninja lunch. I made sure to double check the ninja sword food pick with our principal first. The boys loved it. We have baby carrots, tomatoes (fresh from Aunt Agnes' garden), grapes, 2 ninja sandwiches, string cheese, and under the cheese we have chocolate covered raisins. 

First day of school snack consisted of grapes, carrots, and some hummus to dip it in. I was not sure how well the humus would be received. I was told it was interesting but they weren't interested in it again. I added a shark cupcake topper for fun.

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.

2/2 Lunch

Today we find out if surgery is a go or not. My anxiety is so high that I am considering asking the Dr. for something if they are delaying it again.

Lunch is part of an apple from our CSA, tomatoes from the CSA, string cheese, GMO free and organic tortilla chips, and a star shaped meat sandwich.

1/30 Lunch

I have GMO free tortilla chips with flax seeds, oranges, grilled cheese fish (3), a cheese stick, and some M&M's.

Monday we hope to get confirmation on Shirley's open heart surgery for Tuesday. The only thing that held her back was the slightly stuffy nose and the single green booger. Praying it is this week. It is hard to work out 2 weeks care for 5 other kids with no missed school.