Back to school

Well, I realize that most people out there didn't have an "olympic break" like some of us here in Vancouver but the idea is the same......back to school.  I think I began to have anxiety about it two or three days in advance.  What to put in those lunches that they will eat and is good for them.  It's the never ending battle.

I'll admit there are times when I channel "super mom" and think that I will make a whole bunch of spectacular recipes from the latest vegetarian cook book and the kids will love it and I can be all proud of myself.  These moments are few and far between.  Most of the time, I am just grasping at straws to figure out what to feed the little tykes.  My hope is this blog will bring us together to share solutions that we have all found to work as well as the disasters that didn't work.  (Like the time I tried to make almond butter and jam roll ups with tortillas and the kids hated them, they were terribly messy because the jam squirted out and they were still quite dry.  In the end, I should have just made a sandwich).

The fact of the matter is that we are all trying to do our best and sometimes we'll do really great and like with all things, the balance of the universe will serve us with some disasters.  I think the important thing is to roll with the punches and keep laughing.  Fun is the most important thing.  Besides, the kids hardly eat anything at school anyway.  All they really want to do is go outside with their friends and play.

Here are a few tricks that help me:
1.  I bought the laptop lunch kits.  I know, they are expensive. But worth it.  The kids like all the little compartments so their food doesn't touch.  It saves bags.  They are easy to clean (I just pop them in the dishwasher).  Also, it helps me pack the lunches.  All I need to do is fill one little compartment at a time with something fairly nutritious that the kids like and move on to the next one.  I find it less daunting.  They even come with a little tiny one for sauce.  You know how kids like sauce.

2.  Keep it simple.  I have read so many cook books that give these elaborate examples of lunches and at first it seems a really good idea but on the day, with one cup of coffee in me, it can get overwhelming.

3.  On the days that the school is having "hot lunch day" I will send something a little special that is better than what they would get if I had spent the $5.00 for "hot lunch" which is usually not hot nor is it nutritious.

Please share tricks that you have found work with you.  This site is meant to be interactive!

Thanks for listening.

Kasandra

P.S.  It's my 40th birthday today as well.  sigh....it just keeps getting better.