Lunch packing-resources, menu-planning, prep time, repertoire, stocked pantry

[Guest guest]

All,

 

It sounds like we are all on the same page. I have my resources in front of me

- Better than Peanut Butter and Jelly by Marty Mattare & Wendy Muldawer and

Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann. Let the inspiration begin!

 

My thought is that if we plan the menu ahead of time and we keep the pantry and

refrigerator stocked, we won't get into a rut until at least October

However, I find it a bit overwhelming planning and executing each meal for 5

people! We have also thought about taking time on the weekend to prep what we

can but life can get pretty crazy (and most days/evenings because of my

husband's work, I am in the one getting the evening bedtime rountine going to I

am pretty tired when I come back downstairs and lunch just gets thrown

together).

 

I hope that this year I will have a larger go-to selection, expand my tried and

true lunches to cover a more variety of food. However, who knows what the kids

will eat from one day to the next

 

I save leftovers for dinner meals since evenings are busy. I also save

breakfast extras (pancakes, muffins, scones, waffles) for breakfast. That is

not to say that I don't ever throw some of them into the kids' lunches.

 

So, here's the plan. Good resources (books mentioned). Plan the menu. Set

aside lunch prep time (evenings or weekends). Expand my repertoire. Keep the

pantry/fridge stocked. Get the kids involved. And get bento boxes (which are

used in the Vegan Lunch Box book).

 

We are fortunate that our children eat their lunches in their classrooms

(Montessori classes) and that they have access to a refrigerator and a

microwave. I think that by having lunch in the classroom there is less

socialization around school lunches, if you know what I mean (don't even get me

started about what is/isn't served at school!). Lunch is just one part of any

day; not a big fanfare of the lunch room experience. Lunches and who is eating

what tends to lead to the conversation of why we are vegetarian/vegans. My kids

are getting pretty good about explaining what we eat (as opposed to what we

don't eat and why).

 

Keep the ideas and the support coming!

Danielle

 

PS To add to the great resource you offer below on lunch supplies, Chef Tools

carries stainless steel straws.

 

 

, Heather Hossfeld <hlh4850 wrote:

>

> Hi -- I just got a newsletter with a link to this article about packing

> waste-free lunches, and it includes lots of links to sources for lunch

> boxes and other related products and information.

> http://www.newdream.org/marketplace/lunch.php

>

> Heather

>

[Guest guest]

I'm not sure if this has already been mentioned, but there's a new cookbook

out by Jennifer McCann called Vegan Lunch Boxes Around The World. It just

came out and is chock full of ideas and recipes.

 

Danielle, you definitely have a more challenging time of it than I do with

my wee family of three, but what I do for menu planning is set aside an hour

every Sunday, grab a bunch of cookbooks, spread them out on the dining room

table and write it all down by the day. Simultaneously, I write the grocery

list. I do not do this every week by a long stretch but this is what I do

when I am most efficient. I am not by nature a very organized person so this

helps tremendously. Could you try to carve out an hour to do something like

this?

 

Marla

 

> All,

>

> It sounds like we are all on the same page. I have my resources in front of

> me - Better than Peanut Butter and Jelly by Marty Mattare & Wendy Muldawer and

> Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann. Let the inspiration begin!

>

> My thought is that if we plan the menu ahead of time and we keep the pantry

> and refrigerator stocked, we won't get into a rut until at least October

> However, I find it a bit overwhelming planning and executing each meal for 5

> people! We have also thought about taking time on the weekend to prep what we

> can but life can get pretty crazy (and most days/evenings because of my

> husband's work, I am in the one getting the evening bedtime rountine going to

> I am pretty tired when I come back downstairs and lunch just gets thrown

> together).

>

> I hope that this year I will have a larger go-to selection, expand my tried

> and true lunches to cover a more variety of food. However, who knows what the

> kids will eat from one day to the next

>

> I save leftovers for dinner meals since evenings are busy. I also save

> breakfast extras (pancakes, muffins, scones, waffles) for breakfast. That is

> not to say that I don't ever throw some of them into the kids' lunches.

>

> So, here's the plan. Good resources (books mentioned). Plan the menu. Set

> aside lunch prep time (evenings or weekends). Expand my repertoire. Keep the

> pantry/fridge stocked. Get the kids involved. And get bento boxes (which are

> used in the Vegan Lunch Box book).

>

> We are fortunate that our children eat their lunches in their classrooms

> (Montessori classes) and that they have access to a refrigerator and a

> microwave. I think that by having lunch in the classroom there is less

> socialization around school lunches, if you know what I mean (don't even get

> me started about what is/isn't served at school!). Lunch is just one part of

> any day; not a big fanfare of the lunch room experience. Lunches and who is

> eating what tends to lead to the conversation of why we are vegetarian/vegans.

> My kids are getting pretty good about explaining what we eat (as opposed to

> what we don't eat and why).

>

> Keep the ideas and the support coming!

> Danielle

>

> PS To add to the great resource you offer below on lunch supplies, Chef Tools

> carries stainless steel straws.

>

>

> , Heather Hossfeld <hlh4850 wrote:

>>

>> Hi -- I just got a newsletter with a link to this article about packing

>> waste-free lunches, and it includes lots of links to sources for lunch

>> boxes and other related products and information.

>> http://www.newdream.org/marketplace/lunch.php

>>

>> Heather

>>

>

>

>

>

> ---

>

> For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at

> http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to

> http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to

> provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a

> qualified health professional.

>

> edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health

> professional.

>

>