A Week In The Bag!

Every day that my daughter has attended school, I have made her lunch. I love making it and it feels good to know what she is putting in her body for fuel each time she is at lunch. As a stay at home mom since she was born, I sheltered her from many of the snacks, treats and guilty pleasures of kids these days. I allow her to make her choices at the grocery store, while we are together so that we can discuss her wants and I can teach her right from wrong and how important nutrition is. These are things I wish schools provided for children in the cafeteria’s but that is a whole different blog altogether!

Trips to the store are fun and we always allow ANY item to go in the cart if it is in the produce area. For many trips we would choose a new produce item that she had not tried before. If she would bring an item home and at least give it a try, she would get rewarded. Not with sweets, but with stickers or extra books read before bed. It proved to be a great idea and now when we attend dinner out she will ask the waitress if they have asparagus as a side item or if there is broccoli in the “mixed vegetables”.

My hope is that my daughter will open her lunch each day and show her friends proudly. I try to add variety and an element of fun and balance to each lunch I make for her. I thought I would share with you a week in her lunch box to hopefully give inspiration to your families lunches and promoting healthy early childhood nutrition.

After the holiday season, I pick up bunches of cupcake liners in various sizes. Rather than using many plastic zip bags, I use a reusable plastic or tin container with cupcake liners separating food items. I swap back and forth with sending reusable drink containers or thermoses with recyclable drink pouches. Depending on how my Sunday looks, I try and get a few lunches made up for the first part of the week to avoid the morning confusion and make life a little bit easier.  

Monday- Boar’s Head EverRoast chicken sliced, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and organic blue corn chips, carrot stick, ½ pealed apple, and lemonade.

Tuesday- ½ Organic Peanut Butter & Jelly on whole wheat bread, almonds and cheddar rockets (trader joes), ½ of a packet of Annie’s Snack gummies, a slice of cantaloupe and apple juice.

Wednesday- Carrots and yogurt ranch dressing, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and organic blue corn chips, almonds, Yogurt squeeze, fruit leather and apple juice.

Thursday- ½ Organic Peanut Butter & Jelly on whole wheat bread, cantaloupe, honeydew and cantaloupe cubes and granola chunks, Annie’s Snack gummies, and grape juice.

Friday- Carrots and yogurt ranch dressing, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and organic blue corn chips, almonds, Yogurt squeeze, Annie’s Snack gummies, and grape juice.