*Feed your family high quality, nutritional food challenge*

[jennyf917]

Oh, don't get me started on school lunches! Mercy, I could go on and on...and my son's school is less than a mile from two large CSA-type farms and within 5 miles of three large farm markets. And yet....lunch is nuggetized, fried, battered, whatever into total unrecognizability.

For his lunch, I'm planning on bento-style things. The school is a nut-free environment and I'm not interesting in buying lots of lunchmeat so there will likely be minimal sandwiches though the year. But things like fresh veggies and hummus for dipping are on the menu, along with apple slices, homemade biscuits and jam, soup in a thermos, stirfried veggies and either noodles or rice (don't need to be kept hot, but should still be warm at lunchtime), rice balls (sticky rice molded in the palm or in a special mold - I've seen stars and all kind of shapes - sometimes with meat or other filling inside) and soy sauce for dipping.

Lots of great lunch ideas at veganlunchbox.com (even if you're not vegan) and cookingcute.com - check 'em out!

Thanks for the great ideas! His school is not nut-free, but I definitely don't want him eating only pb&j all year long! He loves salami and swiss cheese, but won't eat them on a sandwich, so next week I may send them, just bread-free. He's allergic to milk, but if it is processed or cooked he can eat it. He can't do yogurt for some reason, it gives him nosebleeds, so that is out. I thought about just sending him fruit and veggies, since those are really his favorite. On top of the school lunches being nutrirional disasters, half of the stuff he won't eat. He will not touch a potato, he doesn't really like meat very much, and he prefers raw vegetables to cooked. Also, the only drink option is milk.

We are also on a budget, but I have learned how to shop for produce and healthy foods on sale and at farmers' markets. Usually everything is more expensive at Whole Foods, but their soy milk in individual sizes is much less expensive than other places, and a lot of times they have organic produce on sale for cheaper than traditional grocery stores, with the exception of celery and baby carrots at Meijer. I refuse to buy produce from Kroger--it seems like every time I do in a pinch I bring home fruit flies--eww!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

jenny, if your son doesn't like sandwiches, just roll the salami and cheese up, slice, and put the pinwheels in a baggie. Looks "fancy" for very little effort.

A bit OT, but for school lunches, this is what we do: Our kids get a weekly allowance that includes enough $ for one hot lunch a week. They can choose which lunch, or none, or more than one--but the $ comes from their allowance. Our school posts monthly menus, so they can plan ahead which days they want to buy. I started this with the thought of, "They need to learn that they have to pay for their choices", and planned to close my eyes to those choices. However, it turns out that DD12 prefers the salads or other healthier fare, and DS10 would rather pack a lunch and buy Yu-Gi-Oh cards with the savings. So I haven't even had to worry. Luckily, our school always offers a soup and sandwich choice, so on the extremely rare times when they must buy (like, I'm in labor sort of thing!), they can have something that they'll eat.

Back on thread, tonight's dinner will be marinated pork steaks--these were a manager's special, I got 2 pounds for $2.50. I'll make rice and run up to the farm stand for corn. You can't have too much corn this time of year!

 

[Nancyg56]

I've been on the What's for Dinner thread over on the Community Board for a couple of months now. Ya'll might want to take a look there....there's some yummy stuff and a recipe index that Lindsay keeps updated in post #1.

Some meatless, alot of fish, pasta. Not all completely healthy but easily tweaked!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1058064

I also post there but would love to have you all come and visit us too. I have been scouting on this board for some recipes and am happy to see some appearing on this thread.

Tonight is an easy night, burgers on the grill, onions,fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, French fries and left over Wacky cake or cut melon for dessert. All of our vegetables and melons are from our friends farm.

 

[LisaR]

Breakfast:
Homemade blueberry muffins made with white whole wheat flour, canola oil, and ground flax seed (best blueberry muffins I've ever made: http://coconutlime.blogspot.com/2007/08/virtuous-blueberry-muffins.html)

Thanks to everyone for all the great ideas so far.
Juliah,
DS (10) and I made these this afternoon. We made a few modifications due to his allergies but they turned out great! I am eating one as I type. Thanks!

Lisa

 

[LisaR]

DD (12) is in charge of dinner tonight. She wants to be a chef when she gets older. She gets to plan one dinner a week entirely on her own without any input from me (DS does have major food allergies so I do get to help her substitute ingredients when necessary). This is her plan for tonight:

Turkey Sloppy Joes from Rachel Ray's cookbook. She will serve it over whole wheat bread.

Watermelon

Fresh tomato slices

Marinated broccoli
This is the most awesome broccoli. My son wouldn't eat a piece of broccoli if I offered him $50. My DD found this recipe and now we can't get enough of it, including my son.

Recipe: Blanch broccoli in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes max.
Mix oil, balsamic vinegar, spicy mustard & minced garlic together and add the blanched broccoli. We have let it marinate all day or as little as 30 minutes. Huge hit!

 

[sk!mom]

A bit OT, but for school lunches, this is what we do: Our kids get a weekly allowance that includes enough $ for one hot lunch a week. They can choose which lunch, or none, or more than one--but the $ comes from their allowance.

We are planning something similar as DD11 starts middle school in a couple of weeks. She has always happily taken her lunch but in Middle School they have what is called the "snack line"- translate to mean food that is even junkier and less nutritious then the regular school lunches. It's apalling to me that some kids buy french fries and greasy pizza everyday yet we wonder why so many are overweight. Anyway, this line with the junky chioices is considered a "perk" to the middle school kids. To encourage DD to make good choices on her own and not feel that we are depriving her, we are increasing her allowance by enough to eat from this line once a week but if she chooses not to she can keep the extra money for herself. She's already planning what she will buy with her increased income and it isn't crappy lunches.

Sorry- back on topic-

Dinner tonight-

Chicken fajitas- chicken breasts marinated in fajita seasoning, 4 bell peppers from friend's garden, 1 onion grilled with pam- no extra oil.

Served with whole wheat tortillas

Cantaloupe and watermelon on the side

 

[hsmamato2]

Ok....I'm game,although it being a crazy busy summertime here,we're camping/traveling and eating WAY too much junkfood lately
But this a.m.(we have a Japanese exchange student visiting) I made soup for breakfast(previously made/frozen organic chick broth,all flavored w/ onions and spices,added some rice,and peas and corn) also we ate some sticky rice and seaweed suchi rolls on the side
I won't tell what/where we ate lunch doing errands) )
tonights menu is Burrito style night, I brown up organic ground beef, a TON of carmelized onions, chop garden tomatos,lettuce and shredded cheddar and some sour cream,roll into warm tortillas for a dinner everyone loves-

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

We are planning something similar as DD11 starts middle school in a couple of weeks. She has always happily taken her lunch but in Middle School they have what is called the "snack line"- translate to mean food that is even junkier and less nutritious then the regular school lunches. It's apalling to me that some kids buy french fries and greasy pizza everyday yet we wonder why so many are overweight. Anyway, this line with the junky chioices is considered a "perk" to the middle school kids. To encourage DD to make good choices on her own and not feel that we are depriving her, we are increasing her allowance by enough to eat from this line once a week but if she chooses not to she can keep the extra money for herself. She's already planning what she will buy with her increased income and it isn't crappy lunches.

Sorry- back on topic-

Dinner tonight-

Chicken fajitas- chicken breasts marinated in fajita seasoning, 4 bell peppers from friend's garden, 1 onion grilled with pam- no extra oil.

Served with whole wheat tortillas

Cantaloupe and watermelon on the side

I make those at least once a week and my kids love them it without the tortillas. I cut up free range chicken breasts.

 

[samanthacatangel]

I love this thread!

DD is 5, and could eat the same things every day. Not a big eater either, so I try to make her meals as nutritious as possible - sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don't. I consider getting her to even TRY new foods a success.

Breakfast
DD homemade whole grain waffles ("Pooh waffles" with our Pooh/Tigger waffle maker), almonds, Tropicana low-acid OJ (any other type gives her canker sores in her mouth - ouch!)
Recipe for waffles is here:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Whole-Grain-Waffles/Detail.aspx

Me Lowfat Stonyfield Farm vanilla yogurt with blueberries and Grape Nuts for crunch

Lunch
DD String cheese, feta cheese, triscuits, peach (1 bite, first time), low-fat chocolate milk

Me Salad with grilled chicken breast, low-fat Ken's Asian dressing, whole wheat roll

Snacks/Desserts
Annie's Organic Bunnies (cheese crackers)
Watermelon (me), grapes(DD)
Watermelon and Strawberry Ices (homemade)

Dinner
Mango Salsa chicken in crockpot
Multi grain tortillas
Fat free refried beans
Salad

DD Quesadilla (I sneak in refried beans, she doesn't notice) with cheddar on multi grain tortilla, browned in a little EVOO (organic from Costco), baby carrots, red pepper strips.


DD is just recently broadening her culinary horizons - and not by much. She LOVES cheese, hardly ever drinks milk (today was a strange exception) and just wondering how I could increase her protein consumption? Unfortunately she is not a "dipper" so would not try hummus.

Thanks for any suggestions - and I can't wait to try the blueberry muffin recipe and the oatmeal bread!

Samantha

 

[samanthacatangel]

Also wanted to add that Amazon is having a great sale (code) for Horizon Organic milk for lunchboxes - the code is ORGMILK2 and it takes off $20 if you spend $39. Look under Grocery.

Two 18-packs come to $44, then with the $20 off its $24 for 36 packs in total.

Silk Soymilk (chocolate) is included, too.

Samantha

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

We are trying to get away from milk. My physician refuses to drink it or recommend it to anyone. He thinks there will eventually be a link found between autism and milk.

Anyhow, yesterday was running late so stopped at Whole Foods and went with sushi made with brown rice.

Breakfast is a whole wheat tortilla, some natural peanut butter, some banana slices and a handful of granola, all wrapped up. Sooo tasty and really keeps the energy level up.

Dinner tonight is organic chicken from the farmers market (they kill it the night before and the taste is fabulous - I never realized how tasteless some chickens can be) dipped in egg substitute, and then dredged in a mixture of bread crumbs and asiago cheese. Cook at 325 until done.

Tomorrow - lemon orzo pasta with roasted asparagus for lunch.

 

[JennyMominRI]

Well,I'm thrilled with this thread..I can't contribute tonight as we are having steak subs from D'angelos..DS got a ceaser salad.. Tomorrow is lank steak pinwheels stuffed with spinach ,asiago and gorgonzola cheese.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

Also wanted to add that Amazon is having a great sale (code) for Horizon Organic milk for lunchboxes - the code is ORGMILK2 and it takes off $20 if you spend $39. Look under Grocery.

Two 18-packs come to $44, then with the $20 off its $24 for 36 packs in total.

Silk Soymilk (chocolate) is included, too.

Samantha

Thanks for that I just got the chocolate soy. My DS loves it

 

[Mono~rail]

I love the topic of this thread! Thanks to the OP and all participants!

One of my 2 year olds is on a banana kick right now so I go with what she will eat. She also doesn't like meat so I am fixing her lots of scrambled eggs and pb sandwiches. My other dd is 100% tube dependent, and she is on Pediasure with Fiber.

I do fix more frozen veggies than fresh (convenience factor).

Breaksfast:
banana and strawberry/banana yogurt

Lunch:
peanut butter and banana sandwiches with whole wheat bread

Snack: banana

Dinner:
spaghetti with tomato meat sauce
Green Giant brocolli, cauliflower, and carrot mix with cheese sauce
corn on the cob (one of dd's other favs right now)

 

[HayGan]

Also wanted to add that Amazon is having a great sale (code) for Horizon Organic milk for lunchboxes - the code is ORGMILK2 and it takes off $20 if you spend $39. Look under Grocery.

Two 18-packs come to $44, then with the $20 off its $24 for 36 packs in total.

Silk Soymilk (chocolate) is included, too.

Samantha

Thanks! These will be great for my boys lunches. I just hate giving them regular milk!

 

[Toby'sFriend]

We are trying to get away from milk. My physician refuses to drink it or recommend it to anyone.

our current pediatrician is very anti cows milk also. She says she alternates between a goat milk, rice milk, and soy for her children.

I worry about enough calcium for the kids though -- all my boys are very tall and in any given month one of them is sure to be in a growth spurt.

 

[feedindy]

I don't see how the two concepts are mutually exclusive. I feed my family high quality, nutritious food for around $10 per day. It is all about shopping smart and planning.

Breakfast:
cereal (some may argue this is not nutritious, but my kids are vitamin deficient and we rely on fortified cereal to combat the issue; all the low-no sugar varieties seem to be filled with our allergens.): $1.50 per box, lasts about 3 days so $.50
milk: $2/gallon, lasts about 7 days so $.29
Breakfast total: $.79

Lunch:
leftover chicken & steak: 0
yogurt (10-pack for $.88 after coupon): $.16
strawberries: $2.99 for 2-lbs, ate about 1/2-l so $.75
leftover corn & green beans: 0
water: 0
Lunch total: $.91

Snack:
watermelon: free (Dad in the business!)

Dinner:
Whole Ham (this will put me over budget, but I'll make 4 meals this week): $6.85
Potatoes: about 1/4 of a $3.99 10-lb bag so $1.00
Baked Beans: $.50
Sweet corn: $.80
Dinner total: $9.15
water: 0

Grand Total: $10.85

 

[GlennandAnn]

Mickeyfan2,
Greek potatoes are potatoes that you peel and cut into quarters. Take about 3/4 cup of water and dissolve a chicken buillion cube in it, pour over potatoes. Pour some olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary and thyme on the potatoes and bake at 350 for 1.5-2 hours. I like to squeeze more lemon juice on them when they come out of the oven.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I'm not a big "organic" person--nothing against those who are, and I'm sympathetic to those dealing with allergies--what a pain! It was bad enough nursing a lactose intolrant baby!

I do have to say, though, I'm totally, 100% hooked on Stonyfield Farms yogurt. I get the full fat for DS18mo, who needs every calorie we can shove in him, and he has the French Vanilla yogurt for breakfast every morning. It is SO GOOD! Not cheap, though, but the only type of full fat yogurt available in our area.

 

[MaMa3Princess]

This morning I made

Cinnamon roll bread in my bread machine

The kids had this with a side of blueberries and yogurt

Lunch

All natural PBJ and homemade strawberry jam on buttermilk maple syrup bread( I use my bread machine alot)

pretzels and grapes

Snack
Popped organic popcorn( I in bulk from my food co-op) in coconut oil

Dinner
Baked Ziti on Barilla Plus Penne Noodles
Mixed Salad

Chocolate chip cookies for dessert


I make alot of stuff from scratch and buy in bulk. It is cheaper all around for my family of 6.