Saturday, March 24, 2012

Lunch. It's hard. And I'm not even impoverished.

I seriously suck at making lunches.

Dinner is easy, my family thrive on meat and three veg. Breakfast is easy too, cereal and toast, with bacon and eggs on Sunday.

But lunches? Lacking.

Sandwiches are too boring to have everyday, sushi is too complex. Two minute noodles are delicious but not anywhere near healthy enough to be eaten regularly. Baked beans go down well after playschool, but don't count as a complete meal and leave more mess than Krakatoa.

And don't get me started on actual lunch boxes.

This is probably the best one I have ever made. It was yesterday, and it was so good I took a picture. Proud, much?

Strawberries, blueberries, grapes,
a carrot, snowpeas, a vegemite and cheese
cruskit sandwich and three tiny teddies.
And not to forget, an apple for the apple slinky machine!

But it's the exception. I am usually heinously uninspired and hopelessly under-stocked with lunchy goodies.

But, of course, no matter how bad I get there is always someone worse. I have seen chocolate milk given instead of water as a daily lunchbox staple, fairy bread as sandwich on a normal day, and a kid given nothing but a box full of cheetos. Oh the humanity! I haven't sunk that low.... yet. Never say never.

Care to share your inspired lunch ideas, to keep me from feeding my poor kids total dross?

8 comments:

  1. Nup, cos I am crapola at lunches too......I thought yours was a picture from a magazine...it looked that good!!!!!

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  2. I've gotten much better at lunches, since my little man started school this year. I made a big batch of mini zucchini quiches and corn and bacon fritters. I freeze them in batches (double wrapped, so prevent freezer burn) and they last for ages!

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  3. Ahhh, I suck at lunches too... and our son is not even in school yet! So, yes I suck at lunches for 2 grown adults. But I've just resorted to reheating leftovers from last night's dinner. 2-in-1 equals a win in my book! But alas, I'll have to figure this whole lunch-thing out at some point :-/

    I know your picture is the exception, but what a beautiful exception it is! :)

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  4. My kid is young, turning 1 in less than 2 weeks, so I don't have to pack her lunches yet. However, we eat lunch together every day, and I'm also in a lunch rut. Daily, I give her plain greek yogurt, a chunk of wheat bread, tomato dices, and fresh fruit like mangoes and berries. Literally every day for almost 6 months, that lunch hasn't changed. The fruit varies, but that's it. I've tried and tried, but I haven't been able to come up with anything better!

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  5. Haha, I thought I was the only one that took pictures of my son's lunch! Too cute, nice job.

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  6. Oh I love planning our menu...lunches included. I've gotten the kids involved because I figure if they are old enough to be at school they are old enough to be helping out in the kitchen. One thing I got told me wonderful doctor (me asking about nutrition for kids when Two Foot Guru went through one of those no eat stages) was that kids love basic food and repetition. Don't feel bad if they get yoghurt, fruit and a sandwhich/pasta salad/bickies sticks and cheese mix up each day. If they get their favourite food (what kid doesn't love pasta right?)and you've got a mix going on, they generally would eat the same thing every single day. I've found that the media and all its gourmet mum stuff really puts the pressure on but most kids love simple stuff. I think that picutre of your lunch looks brilliant, both my Gurus would be all over that like a rash lol

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  7. Go to the Down 2 Earth Forum and search 'lunches'. Lots of ideas for varied packed lunches there.

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  8. I came across this and thought of you :)
    http://easylunchboxes.smugmug.com/The-Best-Lunchbox-System/Yummy-Lunch-Ideas/10136835_YSuyb#!i=696914291&k=YxmUd

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