Monday, September 19, 2011

Creative Lunches


So - I have a lot of creative juices.  I can't help it.  Now that I don't use up 99.9% of my mental energy in homeschooling, it has to go into other places.  Lately, it has gone into meal planning and food preparation (and ORGANIZING!)   The girls have just loved having silly things greet them in the morning at breakfast time (while hubby and teenager roll their eyes and secretly giggle), and finding fun things to eat in their lunch boxes.   I made the mistake of cutting the high schoolers PBJ into dolphin shapes one day.  She didn't appreciate it quite as much as the younger kids - but I did detect a slight grin.   These little tiny forks above have become a favorite - they are perfect for keeping germy fingers off the finger foods - and they also are just plain fun.  I found them HERE on Amazon.  You get 15 of them for $2.99 - what a deal.


And of course - all food around here gets to look at you before you eat it.   These little candy eyes are requested at practically every meal now. 


Another fun thing to do is to use tiny cookie cutters for cutting vegetables, lunch meats, just about anything! I found mine at the kitchen store, and I had bought a set years and years ago from The Pampered Chef.  I just love this little bento style lunch box  that Boo takes to school for snack time.  It has a top tray that goes over the one in the picture, and then a very easy on/off lid in the shape of a kitty cat that is very 5-year-old friendly!  Both in style and function. :)


Using silicone muffin cups is a great way to add a variety in the lunch box and keep everything separated - while at the same time staying a little green in the process without using up so many baggies.  The lunch box in the picture above is perfect for older kids - it's a little bit hard for little kids to open and close.  I love it because the lid has a built in ice pack so you don't need to throw an additional one in.  It even has a compartment in the lid for utensils, napkins, love notes, etc!



If your kids like to eat boiled eggs (which mine do NOT) - may I suggest these really fun egg molds?  You simply boil your egg, then peel and place in the molds and dip in a cup of cold water, and the egg will take on these shapes! How fun!  I just might have to get them for myself.   Happy lunch packing!

2 comments:

Hollie said...

Oh, this is so fun! I love how you are ministering to your family!! I am positive this is what my days would look like as well if we were no longer home schooling. Baking, organizing & planning. . .hmmm. . .

Love, love, LOVE all the little eyes on your food - my boys would get a tremendous kick out of this! I usually just draw funny faces for them using mustard for their sandwiches. These would be a total hoot!

schweigen.ist.silber said...

So sweet! And gorgeous photographs, too :)