This post by Jennifer Flaten
Summer is here, which means the kids are home for lunch, most days. During the school year I send them off to school with a bag lunch and it is much the same every day, sandwich, drink, fruit snacks, and a granola bar.
They don’t complain much about the sameness. I think that they like the familiarity, plus given how short a student’s lunch hour is these days (only about 20 min) I think they like the simplicity of what I pack (or at least that is what I tell myself).
During the summer, tho’ they can make whatever they want for lunch. They can also eat lunch more in line with when they are hungry instead of when the official lunch hour is, although I do have to keep them from eating lunch at 10am.
I’ve noticed that one food tends to be the “it” food of the summer. One year it was chicken patties on a bun. Sure, one kid at it with pickles, while one kid ate it with mayo, and don’t even get me started on the kid who insisted on eating it plain. For days upon days, it was chicken patties.
The next year it was Ramen noodles. Yes, those salt laden cup o noodles and yes, I know they aren’t terribly healthy, but they are easy for three kids to make and inexpensive.
This year, no clear favorite has emerged. Of course, it is only the first week.
Do you find yourself eating the same thing for lunch? I do, mostly because I am eating at my desk and need something that one end up squished between computer keys. On the days, I am home for lunch I will think, “Today is the day I eat something different for lunch” and then end up with a salad or that old stand by cereal.
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Interesting post, Jennifer. Resuscitates memories of my childhood, summers and school lunches. In the summertime between elementary grades in Rialto and Corona in Southern California, mom made lunch for my younger sister and me. Cold-cut sandwiches mostly. I loved her homemade sandwich spread and always looked forward to it. After a roast beef dinner, she’d get out the grinder and make the sandwich spread. During the school year, I’d mostly take a sack lunch. Maybe once a week, I’d get a hot lunch at the school… I think it was sloppy joes day. Lol.
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During school it’s almost invariably salad, cottage cheese, yogurt, apple. The only time it’s not that is if there’s no salad in the house. Then it’s leftovers from dinner most of the time. Failing that, it’s a trip across the street to Pizza Place. If you’re ever in Parkersburg, WV, you have to try Pizza Place. So amazing.
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Your post reminds me of a critique partner’s recent announcement that she had made her LAST sack lunch–next year all three children will go to a school that has a cafeteria. She was so excited, because now she’ll have an extra forty-five minutes every single day. You seem okay with making lunches, but maybe someday you’ll be pleased to have a few more non-lunch-prep minutes, too?
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I usually try to eat something different for lunch every day simply because I don’t want to get into a rut. This time of year, I like to eat in my back yard so I fix something that’s easy to carry outside.
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Because I’m on the go so much, my go to food of the moment are P3’s. They haev saved me many a time. Doris
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I often bring the same lunch to work everyday. We have a fridge so I usually cook five chicken thighs and bring a bag of salad. It’s the same and monotonous, but work is too so it keeps the theme consistent. (Breakfast is the same on work days as well.) It’s mostly fuel to get me through the day.
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I need variety and at times because of lack of time (I’m not as good of a planner of meals as I’d like to be) I grab frozen Healthy Choice or similar to use in the microwave at work. At home it’s usually leftovers … at work, it may be as well, depending on what is “left over” from home! LOL
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Enjoyed the post Jennifer. My kids wanted different lunches every day so we made them the night ahead of time with them helping. It was a fun time together and I can assure you, the lunches were very different! I prefer salad for lunch but often have cottage cheese and fruit because it’s my husband’s favorite. My other favorite lunch is crackers, cheese and an apple. Good old standby I used in my professional days when I had to eat lunch at my desk.
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Linda, you eat so healthy. Cher’ley
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