The past two weeks have been weird. There have been odd days at work including report card pick-up day and a professional development day (that I took off). To keep things simple, I’m going to put two weeks worth of lunches up at once.

Also I’m posting my biggest lunch packing failure thus far. I have been packing my son’s lunch since September 2010 (after I saw Food, Inc) and I never struggled like I did almost two weeks ago. Why? It was a dreaded FIELD TRIP.

I had gotten myself all worked up about the fact that my three-year-old was going to be going on a bus for the first time and of course it would be the first time he has ever traveled by vehicle without one of us. My husband was totally not worried, but I kept thinking that something terrible would happen during the bus ride. Of course nothing did — thank god. I mean, many children who are age three take the bus to school so why was I so concerned? Because I’m like that.

Charlie’s lunches

BBQ sauce, chicken; boiled potatoes; applesauce; grapes; broccoli; crackers

Definitely a hit with Charlie. Child care menu: Cheesy chicken, diced parsley potatoes, broccoli, pear, wheat roll.

Pasta with sauce; roll; chicken; apple slices; carrots and pea pods

The roll came from Katz Gluten Free, a company my husband found online. Child care menu: BBQ turkey, rice, veggie blend, banana, rye bread.

 Mac and “cheese”; peas; hard-boiled eggs; sliced pear; crackers

Charlie’s teacher told me that I should not send two eggs because he only eats one. Note to self. Child care menu: Pasta and sauce, bean salad, cinnamon sliced pears, wheat bread.

Fragrant Basmati rice with cilantro; applesauce; antibiotic-free hot dog, ketchup; spinach and carrots; kiwi

I caved and gave him a hot dog like the other kids. Child care menu: Turkey hot dog, pasta, carrots with ranch dip, cinnamon applesauce, Italian bread.

Turkey wrap with daiya cheese over spinach; broccoli; apple slices; bar

Trying to match the other kids’ food again. Child care menu: Turkey and cheese wrap, mashed potatoes, corn, orange, rye bread.

“Party” rice with ground turkey, peas, red pepper, broccoli ; sliced grapes; carrots; pretzels; applesauce

I didn’t really do much matching that day. Child care menu: Turkey with gravy, stuffing, cucumber slices with dip, cranberry applesauce.

Field trip lunch: carrots; apple slices; chex; sunbutter sandwiches; muffin

The morning of the trip, I suddenly realized that due to the event they would be getting back to the facility after lunch. I thought that everything would have to be disposable so I started thinking about portable food that could be eaten quickly. The muffin came from Katz Gluten Free, a company that my husband recently discovered and ordered from. When I was just finishing up the sandwich, I decided that I should call my son’s child care and find out for sure when and where they were eating lunch. They told me that the kids would be having a late lunch back at school so no one to worry. I had already bagged most of the lunch so I left it as is. The sandwich is “sunbutter” — butter made from sunflower seeds (allergen free)! Child care menu: Chicken Alfredo, elbow pasta, veggie blend, pineapple chunks, wheat bun.

***

 My lunches

Turkey chili (with pinto beans and sweet potato); bread; mandarin orange

Chili is a perfect wintery lunch.

Chex cereal (leftover from Charlie’s lunches); Trader Joe’s gluten free French roll, roasted chicken, sweet potato, regular potato, broccoli; grapes

Simple roasted chicken is now a staple ’round here.

Mac and “cheese” with peas, two hard boiled eggs; apple slices

Generic, but satisfying.

Lamb and potato curry, fragrant Basmati rice with cilantro; apple; Larabar

My husband made that for dinner and I took some of the leftovers into work. Amazing.

Chicken sandwich with spinach, apple slices; Larabar

Simple, easy, delicious. (I’m getting into Larabars now)

“Party” rice with ground turkey, peas, raisins, broccoli, peppers; apple; Larabar

I tried to get my son to eat it by calling it “party” rice. It sort of worked. My husband and I thought it was great. No convincing necessary.