Packin'

No, not that.

School lunch.

It's Sis and Bud's first year of school lunch. And it won't be coming from the hot food line (don't get me started on the quality of school lunches! Even if I loved them as a kid).

But they aren't really sandwich eaters or even much for cold lunches so we've been researching and brainstorming on what they will eat. Thanks to Feeding the Whole Family, I came up with a chart to organize what will go in their lunch, including categories for "growing food" (that's from the book, another name for protein sources), "foods that grow" (like fruits and vegetables), and then the utilitarian "other" category. I have lists of each that they like or would be willing to try, from old stand-by macaroni and cheese or ham and cheese roll-ups to new or new-at-school foods like broccoli noodle soup or corn chowder (if I figure out how to add a pdf here, I will soon; until then, see below.)

Yep, my secret for school lunch is a hot thermos. Special Clone Wars ones. Which means I can send warm leftovers, their favorite pastas, and other tasty things that will make lunch-line soggy pizza and limp chicken tenders look unappetizing. We've already got all of next week planned out, including fruits and "other"--I intend to make a celebratory batch of cookies to have on hand for next week (it also means I know some of what's for dinner, since a couple choices are leftovers).

And in case (or when) I run out of ideas and they run out of enthusiasm, there are these following resources for more ideas:

• Melissa Clark's take on sandwiches in the NYTimes
• Beauty That Moves "The Lunch Box Post"
• The Vegan Lunchbox
• Laptop Lunches--great safe-plastic bento boxes (pictured above) and recipe ideas
• Family Fun ideas and here
• Lunch in a Box
• ideas from Nava Atlas
• the handy chart and recipe round-up at Whole Life Nutrition
• Mothering recipes from "Peggy's Kitchen" and mymothering.com
• lots of ideas from Kiwi magazine
• EWG's lunch tips
• Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair, the book with the "growing food" concept
• Kid-friendly recipes (though not just for lunch): Laurie David's Family Dinner and Eat! Play! Move! (from Weight Watchers)

But the best part? I can't wait to be their special guest at lunchtime.

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“Growing Food” (Protein)

macaroni and cheese

pasta and meatballs

chicken and rice

cheese sandwich

chicken noodle soup

“Ponyo noodles”

fried rice

“Food that Grows” (Fruits, Vegetables)

vegetable soup

broccoli noodle soup

corn chowder

broccoli and soy sauce

baby carrots

apples

mandarin oranges

bananas

berries

pears

fruit leather

applesauce

Other

cookie

crackers/goldfish

corn chips

yogurt

cereal