Lunch Ideas
It's a holiday here so my kids will be getting stale bread crusts and warm water for lunch - kidding!
Thought I'd dedicate this post to lunch ideas since I know I'm not the only one that struggles to think of things to put in their lunches!
Before I do that though, remember this is the week to submit a photo of a cute lunch you've packed. Come on, you only have to do one at the very least! Send your photo to kimineurope @ hotmail. com so I can post them next week. It's doesn't have to be a traditional bento, just make it cute and take that picture!
Sandwiches:
Meat
Cheese
Peanut Butter/Jam (if allowed)
Cream cheese and cukes
Cream cheese and jam
Cream cheese and meat
Egg or chicken salad
Tuna
Hummus
To change it up, instead of bread use:
English muffins
Pitas
Tortillas
Bagels/Mini Bagels
Other ideas:
Bagel/mini bagel and jam/cream cheese
Cheese and crackers
Hard boiled eggs
Waffles/mini waffles
Pancakes
Tortilla roll ups (add filling, roll up, slice into pieces)
Soup, chili or leftovers in a Thermos
Pasta salad
Pasta with sauce or cheese
English muffin or bagel pizzas
Meatballs
Homemade Lunchables - meat/cheese/crackers
Hummus or Tzakiki and Pita
Savory muffins (like ham and cheese)
Salad (regular, Greek etc)
Oatmeal in a Thermos (keep meaning to try this)
Quesadillas and a little container of salsa
Snacks:
Applesauce
Fruit flavored tofu
Yogurt
Cottage cheese
Fishy crackers
Granola bars
Cereal bars
Mini rice cakes
Trail mix (make your own with what you have on hand)
Banana/apple/zucchini/pumpkin bread
Mini muffins
Cheese cubes
Pretzels
Ants on a log (use cream cheese instead of PB for no nut schools)
Fruit:
Apple slices
Steamed apples with cinnamon
Orange segments
Bananas
Pear slices
Melon
Plums
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Mango
Pineapple
Peaches
Cherries
Grapes
* Tip - send a cup of yogurt to dip in to make it fun!
Veggies (with or without dip):
Cucumbers
Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Peppers
Peas
Mushrooms
Monday, October 10, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Pasta Salad and Winner
Just realized I didn't draw for the winner of my favorite food picks. Congrats to Jen G! (Email me your mailing address to kimineurope @ hotmail.com and I'll fire them out to you!)
So here is your challenge for next week. Pack your child a bento - any form, any fashion, doesn't have to be fancy. Then send me a picture (see email address above) so I can post it! I'll give you all next week to whip something up and then the following week I will post any pictures. I'd love for this blog to be a communal sharing of lunch ideas. Feel free to send any recipes, lunch ideas or anything else!
OK, on to a lunch.
This was the 3 year olds lunch yesterday. She LOVES pasta salad. LOVES. As in does a happy dance when she sees it (she takes after her mother, we like a good happy dance). We had it for dinner so she got the leftovers. I used up several different pastas as each bag just had a bit left. And before you think I'm fancy, I use the Clubhouse mix which is awesome. You mix oil, vinegar and the seasoning packet and toss with pasta and veggies. So good. Hers is how she prefers it, with cucumbers and yellow peppers.
Some long skinny carrot strips under the bowl. Honeydue melon with animal picks and a cereal bar cut into flowers - the heart pick is stabbed through a dried cranberry. Easy and quick.
So here is your challenge for next week. Pack your child a bento - any form, any fashion, doesn't have to be fancy. Then send me a picture (see email address above) so I can post it! I'll give you all next week to whip something up and then the following week I will post any pictures. I'd love for this blog to be a communal sharing of lunch ideas. Feel free to send any recipes, lunch ideas or anything else!
OK, on to a lunch.
This was the 3 year olds lunch yesterday. She LOVES pasta salad. LOVES. As in does a happy dance when she sees it (she takes after her mother, we like a good happy dance). We had it for dinner so she got the leftovers. I used up several different pastas as each bag just had a bit left. And before you think I'm fancy, I use the Clubhouse mix which is awesome. You mix oil, vinegar and the seasoning packet and toss with pasta and veggies. So good. Hers is how she prefers it, with cucumbers and yellow peppers.
Some long skinny carrot strips under the bowl. Honeydue melon with animal picks and a cereal bar cut into flowers - the heart pick is stabbed through a dried cranberry. Easy and quick.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Monster Love
Wanted to do something cute for the 6 year old. I always am careful to try and walk that fine line between cute and cutesy as frankly, I don't want to pay for the therapy down the road LOL
So what he got today was a very cute but not cutesy monster sandwich. What 6 year old boy doesn't like monsters? Especially the ones that come in the cheese and lettuce variety!
I've been using a larger Lock N Lock container (it comes with 3 rectangle sections) and just piecing together things with odd and random containers. Whatever works!
The monster sandwich I cut out with a large glass. He has pretzel rods with a piece of veggie booty stuck on each to make those monster.... whatever you call 'em? Horns? Ears? His eyes are fruit leather and the white thing is a baking sprinkle that I put a black dot on with an edible marker. His teeth are cheese.
Then he has some honeydue melon with spaceship picks (closest thing I had to monster) and the rest of his dried papaya he conned his dad into buying.
Maybe a good Halloween lunch for your little monster....errr.... child?
PS - thanks to those following this blog :) Makes me happy when you follow, repost on Facebook or comment - many thanks!
So what he got today was a very cute but not cutesy monster sandwich. What 6 year old boy doesn't like monsters? Especially the ones that come in the cheese and lettuce variety!
I've been using a larger Lock N Lock container (it comes with 3 rectangle sections) and just piecing together things with odd and random containers. Whatever works!
The monster sandwich I cut out with a large glass. He has pretzel rods with a piece of veggie booty stuck on each to make those monster.... whatever you call 'em? Horns? Ears? His eyes are fruit leather and the white thing is a baking sprinkle that I put a black dot on with an edible marker. His teeth are cheese.
Then he has some honeydue melon with spaceship picks (closest thing I had to monster) and the rest of his dried papaya he conned his dad into buying.
Maybe a good Halloween lunch for your little monster....errr.... child?
PS - thanks to those following this blog :) Makes me happy when you follow, repost on Facebook or comment - many thanks!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Lunch Trial - Baby Taco Cups
So if I'm not sure what the kids will think, sometimes we give a lunch a trial at dinner! I saw this idea on mylunchrox.com and I thought wow, super smart AND cute! And the kicker was it was also SUPER easy.
To make the little taco cups, you take a cookie cutter and cut out circles of tortilla shells (like the kind you would use for a burrito) to fit inside a mini muffin tray. You squish them in, spray lightly with cooking spray and bake for 7-10 minutes at 350. Tada! You could use a cookie cutter to cut them out but in this house, a souvenir glass from the Great Canadian Beer Fest worked out well!
Note to self - remember what your grandma told you, "Patience is a virtue!" Wait until AFTER you take the picture to sample or it will be really obvious! LOL
Then I put them on a plate with stuff to fill them: cut up peppers, lettuce, cheese, salsa and a small bowl of refried beans (not shown). I gave them a little spoon and let them fill them and eat them and dinner was a success!
Definately packable for lunch and easy to eat - just stuff the toppings into your sections and pack a spoon and a little container of salsa.
Now, what to do with those scraps that didn't make it into circles? I chopped them up into pieces and laid them on sprayed baking sheet. Spray them again lightly then shake garlic powder on them. Bake until crispy and you have garlic chips - we love them!
To make the little taco cups, you take a cookie cutter and cut out circles of tortilla shells (like the kind you would use for a burrito) to fit inside a mini muffin tray. You squish them in, spray lightly with cooking spray and bake for 7-10 minutes at 350. Tada! You could use a cookie cutter to cut them out but in this house, a souvenir glass from the Great Canadian Beer Fest worked out well!
Note to self - remember what your grandma told you, "Patience is a virtue!" Wait until AFTER you take the picture to sample or it will be really obvious! LOL
Then I put them on a plate with stuff to fill them: cut up peppers, lettuce, cheese, salsa and a small bowl of refried beans (not shown). I gave them a little spoon and let them fill them and eat them and dinner was a success!
Definately packable for lunch and easy to eat - just stuff the toppings into your sections and pack a spoon and a little container of salsa.Now, what to do with those scraps that didn't make it into circles? I chopped them up into pieces and laid them on sprayed baking sheet. Spray them again lightly then shake garlic powder on them. Bake until crispy and you have garlic chips - we love them!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Mickey Monday!
This is for the 3 year olds lunch tomorrow so it's getting named Mickey Monday!
This lunch is packed in large Lock N Lock container but it didn't work with the 3 inserts so I just used some other random containers.
I made a PB&J sandwich and cut out the circle with a large cup (then ate the rest for my lunch today!) Stuck 2 mini rice cakes in as the ears. The eyes and nose are flattened out raisins and the mouth is a strip cut out of a piece of fruit leather.
I totally admit to the cucumber Mickey being kind of freaky but hey, it's the thought that counts! Cut up cukes and peppers with a Mickey sauce container that has salad dressing for dipping. The other container is strawberries with a red bear pick that we will pretend is a mouse because it worked with the Mickey colors!
Feel free to repost this on FB and I always love your comments!
This lunch is packed in large Lock N Lock container but it didn't work with the 3 inserts so I just used some other random containers.
I made a PB&J sandwich and cut out the circle with a large cup (then ate the rest for my lunch today!) Stuck 2 mini rice cakes in as the ears. The eyes and nose are flattened out raisins and the mouth is a strip cut out of a piece of fruit leather.
I totally admit to the cucumber Mickey being kind of freaky but hey, it's the thought that counts! Cut up cukes and peppers with a Mickey sauce container that has salad dressing for dipping. The other container is strawberries with a red bear pick that we will pretend is a mouse because it worked with the Mickey colors!
Feel free to repost this on FB and I always love your comments!
Q and A
I've had a bunch of people ask some questions so I thought I'd post this here.
If you have a question, feel free to post it in the comments and I'll add it on to this post.
Q: What do you use for your bentos?
A: At the moment it's the Lock N Lock boxes which have the 4 squares. I like them because you can have all 4 squares, take 2 out for something larger on one side etc. I also like that they go all the way up to the lid so there is no mixing it up going on between squares.
Q: Where do you buy these Lock N Lock containers?
A: Well, if you are in the US, you probably have alot more options than I do! I've ordered them to a friend from Amazon.com before. However, since then I did a happy dance (seriously, I did - I apologize if you witnessed it) when I saw them at my local Sears.
Q: What about other bento style boxes?
A: I'm totally open to trying them, I just haven't yet. There are some super cool boxes out there with sections like Go Green Lunchboxes and PlanetBox. There are also the traditional Asian style bento boxes which are non-sectioned.
Q: Where do you get your supplies?
A: For the most part, I get them on eBay. I just search Bento Picks or whatever I'm looking for. I usually go with sellers that have a good combined shipping rate to Canada. Normally I can order quite a bit for $6 in shipping or so.
As far as a specific website, I keep meaning to try this one out. Tons of stuff and reasonable shipping:
All Things For Sale
Other than that, when I'm in Vancouver (Richmond to be precise) or Seattle, I hit up Daiso. They have a great selection of picks, boxes and some other things.
I just keep my eyes open everywhere in case I see something that would work. Dollar stores, Michaels, you just never know where you'll find things. I usually get my cookie/sandwich cutters at the local bakers supply store.
Q: How do you think of ideas?
A: Usually it's something my kids are into - like say Morgan and the robot lunch. Sometimes it's ideas I've pinched from things I've seen online. Depends on the day!
Q: Do your kids eat all their lunch?
A: Well, here's the thing. I think it's important that cute is balanced with what they will eat. As in, there is no point in me making a cute seaweed decoration as there is no chance they will eat it. So I make what they will like, then cute it up. If I'm not sure if they will, I'll usually give it to them at home first to see. Kids need fuel to learn all day and I need to know they have the energy to do that.
OK, so post any other questions I haven't answered and I'll put them on here with the answer. Come on, you know you wanna!
Also, don't forget to enter the contest below for the adorable food picks!
If you have a question, feel free to post it in the comments and I'll add it on to this post.
Q: What do you use for your bentos?
A: At the moment it's the Lock N Lock boxes which have the 4 squares. I like them because you can have all 4 squares, take 2 out for something larger on one side etc. I also like that they go all the way up to the lid so there is no mixing it up going on between squares.
Q: Where do you buy these Lock N Lock containers?
A: Well, if you are in the US, you probably have alot more options than I do! I've ordered them to a friend from Amazon.com before. However, since then I did a happy dance (seriously, I did - I apologize if you witnessed it) when I saw them at my local Sears.
Q: What about other bento style boxes?
A: I'm totally open to trying them, I just haven't yet. There are some super cool boxes out there with sections like Go Green Lunchboxes and PlanetBox. There are also the traditional Asian style bento boxes which are non-sectioned.
Q: Where do you get your supplies?
A: For the most part, I get them on eBay. I just search Bento Picks or whatever I'm looking for. I usually go with sellers that have a good combined shipping rate to Canada. Normally I can order quite a bit for $6 in shipping or so.
As far as a specific website, I keep meaning to try this one out. Tons of stuff and reasonable shipping:
All Things For Sale
Other than that, when I'm in Vancouver (Richmond to be precise) or Seattle, I hit up Daiso. They have a great selection of picks, boxes and some other things.
I just keep my eyes open everywhere in case I see something that would work. Dollar stores, Michaels, you just never know where you'll find things. I usually get my cookie/sandwich cutters at the local bakers supply store.
Q: How do you think of ideas?
A: Usually it's something my kids are into - like say Morgan and the robot lunch. Sometimes it's ideas I've pinched from things I've seen online. Depends on the day!
Q: Do your kids eat all their lunch?
A: Well, here's the thing. I think it's important that cute is balanced with what they will eat. As in, there is no point in me making a cute seaweed decoration as there is no chance they will eat it. So I make what they will like, then cute it up. If I'm not sure if they will, I'll usually give it to them at home first to see. Kids need fuel to learn all day and I need to know they have the energy to do that.
OK, so post any other questions I haven't answered and I'll put them on here with the answer. Come on, you know you wanna!
Also, don't forget to enter the contest below for the adorable food picks!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Teeny Tiny Little Pancake People
Had to come up with something fast tonight for dinner as we needed to rush out to skating lessons. Went with banana pancakes and thought, hmmm I'll make some extras for lunch. Then I decided to make teeny tiny ones the size of a quarter so I could use my new little hats picks!
The 3 year old will be getting a party of pancake people in her lunch tomorrow - along with another big one to fill her up! (Faces made with cut up raisins and craisins)
The 3 year old will be getting a party of pancake people in her lunch tomorrow - along with another big one to fill her up! (Faces made with cut up raisins and craisins)
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