Back to School!

First off, let me say "Hello again!"
I've had quite a few changes happen since my last update including moving from our home in Oklahoma to an apartment in Austin, TX! I'm currently in the 9th month of my 4th pregnancy with ANOTHER baby girl. Some things haven't changed. I'm still working as a stay at home mom, selling crochet accessories on the side, and making our little space the best home possible for our expanding family.

Ok, now with formalities out of the way, I'm going to jump in where I left off. This week marked the beginning of the school year for my oldest 2 kids, and that means I'm back to packing those lunch boxes!
We are using our old favorite lunch containers which are similar to a bento box, but a little less fancy. I purchased these at walmart almost 2 years ago, and they have been well worth the $5 each I spent. 

For my 6 year old first grader, sandwiches are a favorite. She loves ham and cheese on whole wheat, but ONLY if it has plenty of veggies! Her first day she had fresh baby spinach,  and tomatoes on her sandwich, along with a blueberry yogurt tube, a spinach and grape tomato salad with ranch dressing and a dill pickle, raisins, a cutie orange, cheese cubes, and cheetos (which were a special treat she chose at the grocery store the day before school started.) I've set up lunch accounts in the cafeteria for both girls so they purchase cold milk at school to drink.

For my 9 year old (yes, my oldest is NINE!) 4th grader, who prefers meatless meals most days, I packed 6 tortilla wedges with cream cheese filling, pumpkin seeds, a strawberry yogurt tube, organic white corn tortilla chips, red grapes, cheese cubes, grape tomatoes, and a dill pickle. 

The second day, each child got a ham and cheese sandwich on whole wheat with tomatoes and pickles, cheetos, and sunflower seeds. The 1st grader chose strawberry yogurt, grapes, and gummy bears as a treat. The 4th grader opted for cheese cubes, blueberries, and a mini chocolate bar for dessert.

I try to let them express their own personal likes when I'm packing for them. Instead of asking "what do you want for lunch?" I give them 1-3 options for each food group. I'll ask "Do you want grapes, apples, or blueberries?" Or "would you like yogurt or cheese cubes?" That way they get a healthy variety, and I don't spend an hour in the kitchen catering to my indecisive kids' every whim.

Today is the 3rd day of school, and the girls requested a similar lunch to these except opted for peanut butter sandwiches, which are (thankfully) still allowed at their school. They are required to sit away from kids with nut allergies, and wash their hands once they are done eating to avoid contamination. 

Tomorrow they will be getting a lunch tray from the cafeteria since they will be serving chicken nuggets, corn, and a wheat roll. It's not the most healthy meal, but always one of their favorites. I'll take the opportunity to make a short post about the lunch I prepare for my 2 year old, and how I get her to eat it!

I hope you've all had a great start to the new year! I'm glad to be back!