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Kristie 4
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| Posted: June 25 2007 at 2:41pm | IP Logged
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This is the meal where I am often stuck: have two kids who dislike pb and I often go to cheese sandwhiches (or leftovers- but with our 12yos there are usually none now!!). We don't do cold meat and one of us fish or eggs (It sounds like my kids are very picky but they are actually fabulous eaters and will try many foods- it is just that my daughter detests eggs and fish!!)
Any ideas...what do you do for lunches??
Kristie (in the throws of menu planning!!)
A Walk in the Woods
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Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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Oney Jones
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| Posted: June 25 2007 at 2:50pm | IP Logged
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How about making some bean & cheese burritos ahead and freezing them. A few minutes before lunch time pop them in the oven (or microwave if you have one) to heat them.
Rich in protein, inexpensive, tasty, easy-at-hand.
Can you do "planned overs"  That's purposely making more of a dish (especially a family favorite!!) in order to have left overs aplenty for another meal.
What about a large pot of gazpacho soup? Great for summer, nutritious, easy to make and serve, no heating required.
Kind of out of the ordinary, but sometimes we'll have a bowl of cold cereal for lunch in the summer time. (I usually make a breakfast of sausage and eggs with toast, so I can get away with cereal for lunch!)
Are you opposed to frozen pizza? I enjoy a good quality frozen pizza once in a while and while I don't enjoy heating the oven in the summer time, I do like the ease of quick meal.
How about green salads? I made one today for our lunch with some leftover grilled steak in it. You don't have to have a lot of meat that way.
If I think of some more ideas I'll post them. I know all to well the feeling of looking at the clock, seeing it is a quarter 'til noon and in a panic about what to feed these people! 
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: June 26 2007 at 8:25am | IP Logged
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Hi Kristie,
Lunch is always the biggest problem around here. Breakfast is very simple - toast, PB&J, or, if we have them, waffles. I plan dinners for a month at a time when I do my shopping so that's not really a problem.
BUT, every day around 12:00 the kids start wandering into the kitchen asking "what's for lunch?". I have to admit, with much guilt, that I have resorted to some rather unhealthy choices, just to make life easier. We do Mac & Cheese (not homemade), hot dogs, and frozen pizza. On the healthier side, we also do tortillas with beans and cheese (actually a favorite for all but one child). We also do leftovers from dinner, or sometimes just plain pasta and maybe cheese cubes.
I hope you get some good ideas!
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Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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MaryatHome
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| Posted: June 26 2007 at 10:39am | IP Logged
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Cold pasta salads are a favorite at our house.
+ Spirals (whole grain or the pretty but not so nutritious tri-colors) with tuna, chopped fresh tomatoes, colored sweet peppers, mild onions, zucchini and yellow squash, tossed with vinagrette. This is best when made the evening before. Prep the ingredients while the pasta is cooking, and after draining the spirals well, toss it all together to chill overnight. (We will also eat it if made right then, though!)
+ Whole Wheat spaghetti (or real Japanese noodles if you can get them). Cook the noodles the night before, and toss with a little sesame oil and soy to refrigerate separately. Stir fry veggies (peppers, onions, green and yellow summer squash cut in long thin strips, shredded carrots, spinach, broccoli, chinese cabbage or bok choy--choose as you like) either the night before (refrigerate separately) or that day. Dress with a vinaigrette made with canola oil, a little sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar (maybe a little lemon to freshen it). Add in shredded chicken, chopped pork, or cubed marinated tofu for protein. Use chopsticks to eat. The key to this is chilling the noodles separately, I have found.
+ Tostadas are a nice twist, and easy to do for lunch. Use the flat tostada shells (like a flat taco shell). Spread with refried beans (we prefer the black beans), then top with the standard taco toppings (lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, onions, salsa, sour cream). If that's too much, just serve with regular tortilla chips for nachos.
+ I make shredded BBQ meat in the crockpot, either beef or pork. Freeze in standard size muffin tins, for one serving. Once frozen, store in a plastic bag, then just remove and thaw however many you need. This is good not only on buns, but on baked (even microwaved) potatoes. (This idea also works for sausage gravy for biscuits and gravy).
+ English Muffin pizzas are also good, and don't require much advance work, so long as you keep the muffins, jarred sauce, cheese, and toppings around.
+Quesadillas. The fillings are endless. Pizza ingredients work well, as do shredded chicken and cheese, cooked taco meat and cheese, sloppy joe and cheese, leftover meat spaghetti sauce and mozarella, or just plain cooked ground beef with onions and cheese. (We use whole wheat flour tortillas, and fry in just a tiny bit of oil, then serve cut into wedges)
+ Flatbread rolled sandwiches make regular sandwiches seem fancy. The only special ingredient I use is the jarred roasted red peppers.
+ Mini quiches, or crustless ones.
+ If you aren't opposed to some convenience foods, we also like potstickers and those frozen taquitos for a fast lunch around here.
Some of these ideas take some advance planning, but if you can keep them on hand in the freezer, they are quick to get on the table at the last minute.
Mary
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ann@home
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| Posted: June 26 2007 at 4:12pm | IP Logged
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We also like the english muffin pizzas-we use a bit of olive oil instead of sauce, cheese and pepperonis or whatever.
Tuna salad in a pita bread is one of my faves even though the kids won't eat it.
Flour tortillas with melted cheese, bit of broccoli and other veggies are easy and popular here.
We also do a bit of buffet style at lunch. I sit out bowls of almonds or cashews, grapes, apples slices or other fruit, cheese cubes, crackers or pita chips, and carrots. If I put each thing on their plate they complain, but if I let them choose they end up eating a little of everything anyway.
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mary
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| Posted: June 26 2007 at 5:01pm | IP Logged
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i got tired of never knowing what we were having from day to day or worse, asking the kids what they wanted. they could never agree. so, i made a menu:
pasta and pesto
pizza
ravioli
pbj or deviled eggs
sandwiches
all with seasonal fruit and/or veggie tray.
i recommend that you find 5 things that your kids (and you!) like and then assign them a day.
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: June 27 2007 at 10:58pm | IP Logged
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Thank you for all the great ideas! Between here and the food budget thread I feel rejuvinated 
Mary, what a great idea. I already do dinner menus often, and breakfeast is a no brainer here, so why not do a lunch menu?? Maybe (I will think this one over ) we could each pick a favourite (within the budget) as there are 5 of us at home for lunch (my husband is here sometimes but says he loves all my cooking  )
Good night from chilly Manitoba,
Kristie
A Walk in the Woods
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Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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Bella
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| Posted: June 27 2007 at 11:08pm | IP Logged
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This thread was a big help to me too! Thanks!
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Lunch ideas!!
