Just because I have boys, doesn't mean I can't still have fun with lunch. Aaron has been having a series of funky mornings. And when I say funky, I mean he's IN a funk, mostly due to the fact that he gets up waaaay too early and is tired and whiney until after his post-lunch nap. Today, I put him in his high chair for lunch and he starts crying, whining "NO HUNGRY, NO HUNGRY!"I told him whining is unacceptable, and that when mommy says it is lunch time, it is lunch time. And then I presented him with a plate of crackers topped with bologna & cheese cut with some fun little Pampered Chef cookie cutters, (thank you, wedding gift-er!) and voila! Suddenly, the child is very hungry. I even got a tiny smile.
Yes, I know, bologna is disgusting and gross. It is not healthy, not even close. But sometimes, a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do. It was buy one, get two free awhile back, and I'm using up my freezer at the moment. The applesauce is Mott's Healthy Harvest, no sugar added, and I used whole wheat crackers, so that should count for something.
How do you make lunch fun at your house?
8 comments:
That is too cute and a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Sometimes to get my Aaron to eat we call things a different name. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. We call Mac and Cheese "tunnels". I'll also just go weird with it and call whatever it is we're having "alligator tails" or "lizards toes" or "turtle teeth" just to get him to eat it. Crazy how many tricks you have to use to get our children to do certain things.
We do the cookie cutter thing too:). Sometimes, I have an indoor picnic at Michael's little picnic table. It's fun to change things up a bit now and then. You are a fun and creative mom:).
WOW! He can even study his shapes while having lunch, too!...Your GOOD, Mom!!!
We have 'orange smiles', orange slices cut in half to make a smile. 'Pancake animal faces' are always fun too. (I use a spoon to dot the face features on the pan first, the after a minute or so pour on the 'face' adding puppy, kitty, or other ears.)
Alex was into making a 'Stinky Cheese Man' for a while after reading that VERY funny spoof on the Gingerbread Man by Jon Scieszka.
He cut up cheese and ham, bologna or hot dogs, and stuck them together with toothpicks to make a stick man. (Probably not a good idea for a 2-year old but maybe fun later.)
Hang in there, Aaron. These dark days would put anyone in a funk, including your Great-great Aunt Rosemary. Spring WILL some, with its nice sunny warm days when you can play fresbee outside.
Ah, don't sweat it about the bologna. My weakness is salami - loaded with fat, nitrites, and sodium. I get reduced fat salami to appease my health conscience.
We do shapes too but lately we've been talking about healthy meals and getting all the food groups into lunch and dinner (kind of hard with breakfast). We put each one in it's own little bowl so we have a finger food lots of bowls lunch. I guess that doesn't sound very fun but Chloe gets a kick out of it. Dipping things is always a winner too. PB, low-fat ranch dressing, hummus, etc.
I am into Bento Boxes these days. My kids love all the crazy things I come up with. www.ichibankanusa.com Has low cost stuff, but shipping is pricey so I try not to order too often. Do a google search on bento for some inspiration. Noah takes his bento box to school everyday as it has two tiers and he has two snacks. I think I have only used two ziploc bags this school year so it saves money and our planet!
-Keri
I let my kids help me make their lunch. One time Carmen wanted to put all the condiments on bread and she called it a "birdard" sandwich. She ate it and never made it again. But she loved helping in the kitchen. We would make PBJ sandwiches and use cookie cutters. To switch it up add raisins or bananas.
If dental hygiene didn't work out for me I would sell pampered Chef. I love it THAT much!!!
Well, today we did oatmeal choc/chip cookies that we spent the morning making, dipped in milk, of course! Thankfully, we don't do that every day - but I've given up worrying about it.
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