Kids' Lunches

I know it is the end of the school year but that doesn't mean you have to stop thinking about what to pack for the kids' lunches.  There is always summer camp.

My kids have tiffin tins that I bought in China Town.  A tiffin tin is a stack of three (or two or four) round tins with one lid on the top and a clasp that locks them all together.  Just Google image "tiffin tin" for a picture.  They were about $25 each.  The kids also have steel water bottles and a Thermos each.

Having three different compartments helps me focus on areas of nutrition.  Lately, with all the new local fresh fruits and vegetables coming on the market I have devoted one compartment to fruit, one to vegetables and one to nuts, seeds and dried fruit.  For example I cut up an apple (half for each kid), an orange, a kiwi and throw in some strawberries and that is the fruit done.  In the vegetable compartment I put in a chunk of cucumber, cut up some carrots and green pepper and that is done.  For the nuts, seeds and dried fruit I use almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin, sunflower, dates, raisins, coconut, papaya and mango.

Some days I make hummus and put hummus and pita in a compartment.  I also add hummus to the vegetable compartment as a dip.  Tortilla chips and salsa is good as long as the salsa isn't too watery (if it is, it leaks).

I also make veggie wraps with sprouted grain tortilla shells.  I use hummus as a spread, or mayonnaise, then cut up cucumber and tomatoes, and add what my daughter refers to as "hairys" - alfalfa sprouts, and lettuce.

Sometimes I make a leftover compartment from dinner the night before.  Vegan pizza, Huevos Rancheros (Rebar cookbook), salads, soup (in the Thermos), pasta...  But don't forget to pack the utensils.  I've had lunches come home uneaten because of no utensils (they don't think to go to the staffroom and ask to borrow some).

When my daughter makes her lunch she likes to boil an egg.

And we do do the standard sandwiches every once and a while like almond butter and jam, but not often.

Finally, when you forget to go shopping and there is nothing in the house, it is always fun to show up at the school with sushi from the grocery store, or better yet, my daughter and I went out for lunch.  We bought Subway and sat in the park and ate it.  It was a great spontaneous thing to do and we both said we should do it again soon.

Hope this helps to spark your imagination.

Let me know what YOU do for lunches.