Days 11-14

The days are going by too fast.  Here's a recap for last week's lunches.

Monday: Labor Day, no school

Tuesday: hot lunch - mini cheeseburgers (success!)

Wednesday: Mac & cheese with peas & meatballs (always a favorite)

Thursday: fried rice (another fave)

Friday: hot lunch - bean & cheese burrito (success)

Tomorrow will be another hot lunch day - grilled cheese sandwich.  It's probably time to add more money to his lunch account.  I have to admit, hot lunch is awfully convenient!

Days 9&10

Day 9: hot lunch - teriyaki beef dippers, rice, strawberries, milk

Verdict: Success!

Day 10: TJ creamy tomato soup with meatballs, peas, & corn, garlic cheese bread (hot dog bun)

Verdict: success!  This was a last minute scramble but turned out to be quite good.

Days 6-8

Day 6: hot lunch

Cheese calzone, applesauce, celery, milk

- fail: did not like the cheese calzone or celery

Day 7: cold lunch

Hot dog with cheese & ketchup, 2 clementines, steamed carrots & cauliflower

- success: only a couple cauliflower florets and the end of the bun was left

Day 8: thermos

Fried rice

- success: less than a spoonful left

Day 4&5

Day 4 was leftover pasta from my one pot wonder (which A didn't eat the night before).  He didn't eat much, but everything else was gone.  It's hard for me to tell how much I'm packing in the thermos.  Maybe I should start measuring?

Day 5, I'm taking it easy.  Ham & cheese sandwich and fruit.  I'm betting the carrots come back but everything else will be gone.  Am I jinxing myself?

Update:  after... I have to say I'm a bit surprised!

Day 3

Bummer.  Forgot the photos.

Mac & cheese in the thermos.

Snack: cup of grapes and some veggie sticks & oat cereal

Verdict: success!  Everything was eaten. :)

Tonight's dinner was inspired by Damn Delicious' one pot wonders <http://damndelicious.net/2014/05/16/one-pot-pasta/>. It actually was quite tasty.  This picture, I realize, doesn't seem so.  :(

One pot wonder

1 lb ground beef

1/2 onion, diced

1 small eggplant, cubed

1 c carrots, diced

1 lb mushrooms, sliced

1 26 oz jar marinara or spaghetti sauce

1/2 lb pasta

1 1/2 c water

Brown ground beef.  Drain excess fat.  Add onions, cook until translucent.  Add veggies.  I used what I had on hand - eggplant, carrots, and mushrooms.  Add 1 jar of marinara or spaghetti sauce, 1/2 lb of pasta, and 1 1/2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until pasta is to desired softness.

Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Day 2

Chicken soup with square crackers (aka saltines), 6 tater tots, and a Pluto (no, pluot!  DYAC)

I even drew an arrow on the thermos to help A know which way to turn and open.  I thought that was pretty clever.

Verdict: Bust!  For snack, I sent a container of grapes, and stuck in the remainder of his breakfast, probably about a third of a whole wheat cinnamon roll with sunbutter.  I guess he ate all of that at 11:00 for snack so when lunch rolled around and 12:30, he wasn't all that hungry.  The soup was virtually untouched, the crackers had been added to the soup for a lovely congealed mess, but the tater tots were gone as well as half of the pluot.  Tragically, A did not close his thermos all the way so it leaked out all over his lunchbox and into his backpack.  Ugh.

So now I'm rethinking, maybe it is good to send a hearty snack and a lighter lunch.  I'll have to think about that.

Day 1

Lunch verdict:  All the meatballs & peas were gone and just a few pineapples left.  2 breadsticks was too much.  Next time, 1 will suffice.  Good lunch!