Abby doesn't want to buy hot lunches at school. "You only get like two THINGS!" she complains.  So, I've been packing her lunches every day and enjoying this opportunity to get a bit creative. 

The kids have 30 minutes to eat lunch, but Abby insists it's only 2 minutes, which is another reason she won't spend 5-10 of those precious minutes waiting in line to buy lunch and that is just fine with me. 

She has a hard time finishing everything, but I've found that if I make everything accessible and easy for her to grab and eat, she brings home fewer leftover bits.

These are samples of lunches from the past week.  Of course, I've also given her a cream cheese sandwich, jello cup, juice box, and banana when we are running late, but I try to make an effort otherwise.  Believe it or not, it's been surprisingly FUN and really not as time-consuming as I had feared!  The most time-consuming part is really grabbing all the different types of food to throw into the lunch boxes.

Smoked Turkey roll-ups, cheddar bunnies and bears, grapes, cherries, and Pirate's Booty cheddar puffs. Ritz crackers (for cheese and crackers) and fruit/veggie juice box packed separately.

Smoked Turkey roll-ups, carrot sticks, cheddar bunnies and butterflies, strawberry yogurt with Craisins, and green grapes.  Ritz crackers and fruit/veggie juice box packed separately.

Pandan Jam and cream cheese on cinnamon and raisin bagel thin (stacked halves), string cheese, apple slices, fruit gummies.  Water packed separately.

Smoked Turkey, cucumber, and cream cheese on whole grain Sandwich Thins, mangoes, and fruit gummies.  Fruit/veggie juice packed separately.