School Lunch: Week 4

This week was a weird week for lunches....meaning Wednesday was a short day so no lunch at school. (we had nachos at home with friends!!)  Alayna also only had school lunch one day this week, so there are only 3 lunches.

 

Day 1: Whole Grain Leige Waffle with natural peanut butter and banana slices inside, carrots and sweet bell peppers, and a hard boiled egg.  For snack...almonds and a clementine.
Verdict: WINNER!!  Alayna ate everything and LOVED having breakfast for lunch. 

Day 2: Grilled chicken with BBQ sauce (there's something about "dips" that kids love!), pluot, celery sticks with natural peanut butter and a healthy chocolate peanut butter treat.  Snack was a fruit pouch and mixed nuts.
Verdict: The only thing she didn't eat was the treat!  She didn't see it she said.  Alayna didn't eat everything at school but finished it all at home!

Day 3: Homemade chicken nuggets with bbq sauce, mozarella cheese slices, and sweet bell peppers.  Friday I like to give her a surprise/treat so today it was apple juice!  For snack...Pamela's gluten free cinnamon graham crackers and some almonds.
Verdict: Alayna ate most of her chicken, ALL her pepper, and some cheese.  She didn't think the apple juice was that exciting!  I think she was expecting a cookie or something!  Alayna did eat all her snack and finished her chicken and cheese when she got home!

Alayna's lunch box is from Costco and we LOVE it!  It has a freezable pouch thing that sits right inside and keeps everything cold.  The lunch box is a good size as is, but it also expands.  It's big but not too big!  The container we use is  looks like the same brand as the lunchbox...Ultra Arctic Zone.

School Lunch: Week 3

This week I was SO super sick the beginning of the week, so lunches were really simple.  I feel like this week Alayna ate a lot better, and what she didn't eat at school she was eager to eat right when she got home.  We're getting the hang of this I think!!

She ate school lunch one day this week, so that's why there are only 4 lunches again....I typically don't see myself making her more than one sandwich a week, but this week was rough with me being sick.

Also, I do PLAN the lunch the night before but don't make it until the morning.  I write on the back of the notecard what I'm making for breakfast and what I'm packing in Alayna's lunch, so it's ready.  Then I flip the card over and leave Alayna a little note for her lunchbox!!

Day 1: peanut butter and jelly heart sandwich on wheat bread, carrot sticks, green grapes, and brown rice chipotle chips. Snack was mixed nuts and raisins I believe....I was sick...I can't remember!!
Verdict:  She LOVED the heart shaped sandwich and ate almost everything today.

Day 2: turkey rolled up, cheddar cheese slices, kiwi, snap peas, sweet bell pepper, and naan crisps.
Verdict: Alayna liked this lunch too and finished her veggies and cheese at home.  Super simple!

Day 3: ground beef and turkey burrito with cheese and spinach, carrots, cinnamon apple slices, and homemade buttermilk ranch for dipping.
 Verdict: She snarfed up that burrito!!  She said it tasted SO SO good.  Finished her veggies and apples at home.  I was SO happy she liked the burrito so much!!

Day 4: Ham and turkey sandwich on wheat, kiwi, broccoli and carrots with homemade buttermilk ranch for dipping.  Gluten Free cookies for snack.
Verdict: Alayna really liked having a sandwich again and ate almost the whole thing.  She ate all her kiwi and only had a couple pieces of vegetables left over.  She actually ate her cookies this time, but gave two of them away!!

***I do still send a small snack with her too since they do have a snack toward the end of the day.  This week was mixed nuts, a homemade raspberry fruit leather, and a Kashi seed and nut bar.  

School Lunch: Week 2

There are only 4 lunches this week because Alayna stayed home sick one day.  I've learned a few things....

1. Food tastes better and stays better if I pack it in the morning.  The night before I write on a notecard what goes in her lunch (Alayna helps me pick!!), and I put it together while the girls are eating breakfast.  It's worked fine!!  Some things that are packaged I'll put in the night before.  Then on the other side of the notecard I leave Alayna a little note!

2. She doesn't eat NEARLY as much at school compared to what I know she can eat at home.  The one day I sent a little less she ate EVERYTHING at school.  When it's too much food, she doesn't eat hardly anything.

3. I was sending a snack, but since she's not eating all her lunch.....she can finish her lunch at snack time!!

Here are her lunches this past week!!

Day 1: ham, cheese, and olive kabobs, strawberries, celery and carrots and mixed nuts for snack.
Verdict: Alayna thought this was too hard to eat?!?!  I was so confused.  She ate it at home though when she got home from school!

Day 2: She wanted something simpler.....string cheese, avocado and pb smoothie, grapes, and snap peas.
Verdict: She did ok....not feeling well still and the tube of smoothie made a big old mess.  Those will be saved for home!!!

Day 3: Grilled Chicken strips and BBQ sauce, sweet bell pepper, cinnamon apple slices, and roasted almonds.
Verdict: THIS WAS HER FAVORITE LUNCH ALL WEEK!!!  She ate everything AT school!!

Day 4: Pepperoni and cheese and whole grain crackers, grapes, carrots and snap peas, and gluten free, whole grain cookies we got from Love With Food!!
Verdict:  She didn't even eat the cookies!!  I don't know what happened today but she didn't eat much! 

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School Lunch: Week 1

My sweet Alayna started all day Kindergarten this last week, and I am on a mission to make awesome, healthy, filling lunches for her!!  There's something so rewarding knowing I am fueling my daughter while I'm not there.  She only had 3 days the first week of school, so that's why there are only 3 lunches posted.  It's funny the things I learned already from packing the lunches I did.  Mainly....crackers don't go in the same sealed container as all the other food...they came out super soggy by the time she got to eat them.

Without further ado.....

 Day 1: leftover homemade chicken pot pie, peach slices, snap peas, and cheddar cheese slices
 VERDICT: She needs to eat MUCH faster!!  She only ate 2 bites of the pot pie, all her peaches, all her snap peas, and a few bites of cheese.  The chicken pot pie was warm but soggy.

Day 2: Whole grain crackers, cheddar cheese triangles, ham and turkey slices, hard boiled egg, fresh fruit salad, and snap peas and sweet bell peppers
VERDICT: The only problem was the soggy crackers and dried up cheese.  She ended up sharing some egg and meat with a friend and finished the rest at home.

Day 3: Leftover Brat with ketchup, cauliflower and sweet bell pepper, tube with frozen pureed pear, strawberry, and avocado, and a homemade oatmeal cookie for her special Friday treat.
VERDICT: She LOVED the frozen tube of fruit, ate the cookie and pepper and a few bites of brats.  She shared her cookie with a friend!!

**I've already got some fun ideas for week 2!**