Fruit Lover Veggie Hugger : Sister's Lunches

I take pride in waking up in the wee hours of the morning and making my sisters a healthy lunch so that they can take to school.

Mind you, I know that they are kids so are going to want to devour any "junk" food put in their path. But life is about balance and I want to teach them how to balance the good and the bad. They see what I eat and know I love Oreos. They know I don't eat them often, but they know I balance the treats with the non-treats.

This is just a page where you can see what they eat on a day to day basis. Typically its always a fruit, veggie, and protein/carb component. I try to give them things I KNOW they WILL eat. There is no point in giving them pure veggies and have them eat absolutely nothing. There goes many things to waste: time in making the food, money on the food, your kids get hungry, you have to make them something else, and most importantly your patience will be tested. Its not war, its food that we hope kids will love to eat.

First of all, my lovely mother bough my sisters new lunchboxes from Costco.

They are cute and durable and contain a little bento box which is what we use everyday!

First things first! We always drink a green smoothie. Its the easiest way to make sure they get some greens in their diet. I normally put spinach, celery, romaine and sometimes kale.

Along with greens, they get plenty of superfood as we also put:

Chia seeds, flax seeds and wheat bran/germ.

Sometimes we put carob or cocoa powder depending on the desired flavor. They aren't too sweet but they don't taste bitter.

Little smoothie for the youngest, The middle one is mine, and my other sister gets the last one. Funny thing, they all contain about the same amount of smoothie (the jars are all different shapes). Mind trick huh?

Muahaha I might drink it all

Or at least slurp up all the leftovers.

Hard boiled egg

lettuce

Jello

Homemade granola bar

watermelon, oranges, cucumbers

dried cereal

Pineapple, strawberries, watermelon

carrots, tuna salad (with corn), lettuce and cauliflower

crackers and homemade granola bar

salsa pace

tostada chips

homemade granola bar

carrots and cucumbers

watermelon and melon

string cheese

String cheese

watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe

cucumbers, lettuce, dressing

homemade granola bar

apple and almond butter bagel

yogurt with granola

melon and green peas

veggie sandwich made with cream cheese, american cheese, lettuce and cucumbers

Banana and PBJ

carrots and melon

cereal and homemade granola bar

Pasta salad made with corn, carrots, and cucumbers

grapes

mixed cereal (Cheat by mixing 1/2 sweet cereal like Captain Crunch with half healthy like Corn Bran)

and homemade granola bar (pictured below)

Veggie wraps: flour tortilla, cream cheese, american cheese, apple slices, cucumber slices, and lettuce

carrots and a homemade quinoa granola bar

strawberries, watermelon and grapes

cereal and granola bits

Strawberries

Cauliflower

Apple/Banana/Almond butter sandwiches

Homemade granola bar

Pineapple, oranges, peaches

PB pretzels + Homemade granola bar

Boiled egg, carrot sticks, cauliflower, pear and cream cheese wraps

Homemade "lunchable"

veggie crackers+cheese+carrot sticks+cucumber slices+Homemade granola bar

yogurt+granola+sunflower seeds

corn

oranges+apples+pears

Banana+PB+Jelly pita sandwiches+String Cheese

peaches+oranges+cucumbers+carrots+pears

Homemade granola bar+Fig newton

Yogurt Smoothie

Friday Special Day

"Fiesta lunchable"

Crackers+pretzels

Grapes+melon+pineapple

Cheese+carrots+salsa+lettuce+beans

Fruit+yogurt+granola

String cheese

Corn, celery, carrots and HM granola bar

Pita bread with Almond butter

Homemade bread with banana and almond butter and jelly+cheese+HM granola bar

Grapes+Pineapple

Sunflower seeds+carrots

Close up at the homemade bread sandwich

Veggie wrap (cucumbers, lettuce, cream cheese, american cheese, apples, tortilla)

homemade bread and apple "sandwiches" (apple with pb)

grapes, cucumbers, pineapple

yogurt

Macaroni and cheese

oranges, apples, peaches, pears, carrots, cucumbers, homemade granola bar

graham crackers with almond butter

(field trip)

Banana+almond butter+jam sandwich

homemade bread+cheese

homemade trail mix=chocolate covered pretzels, sunflower and pumpkin seeds+peanut butter pretzels

fruit bag=1/3 banana+apple+green apple+oranges+cucumber+carrots

To update, This is what has been in my sisters' lunches these past few days. Some look like repeats as I am starting to run out of ideas. I want to make them some warm food now that the days are getting colder so I probably am going to implement some soup or warm meals.

Granted, its not always the healthiest foods. Sometimes they tend to be a bit carb filled but our bodies run predominately on carbs so it doesn't worry me. Also, we have to remember they are elementary and middle school kids, they wont eat ALL the healthy stuff. I have to find things they like and go with it.