Meal Stretcher Monday - Pack a Lunch!

I've just returned to teaching after two years of being home with my kids. In addition to a whole lot of education reforms to get used to at work, I have a few new things to get used to at home. The last time I worked, I brought my then two year old son to a wonderful babysitter around the corner from my job. I didn't need to pack him anything, and only rarely bothered to pack a full lunch for myself.

Things have changed.

Now, I am packing two lunches at least.

My first born just started kindergarten and is clearly going for some sort of Picky Eater Award. Every day he needs a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread. This is, in his world, the ONLY acceptable food. I fill out his lunch bag by adding goldfish crackers (which I know he will eat), Wheat Thins (which I suspect he will eat), and some sort of fruit (which he is likely to gag at).

Since being home, I have gotten used to real food and refuse to return to the facsimile available in industrial cafeterias.

This is my lunch for tomorrow. Isn't it beautiful? What you are seeing is a piece of string cheese, two apples, a big container of lettuce and tomato salad, and a delicious banana muffin. This amount of food covers a morning snack, lunch, and an afternoon snack (possibly with something left over).

This also saves me from paying about $15-20 for low quality I shouldn't be eating anyway.

Now I am one step closer to mastering this whole working mom thing. Only seventy billion left to go.