Lunch on May 26, 2011 - Manamana doot doo doo doo doo

Today's lunch is a little uninspired because I had no time to plan it last night.  At the last minute our friends invited us to a Friends and Family screening of the new Muppets movie that will be released this coming winter.  As a lifelong Muppets fan, this was quite an offer, worth putting off lunch-packing for.  I'm not allowed to say anything about the movie but speaking generally, I hope they use the next few months of editing wisely. . .

Today's lunch is an egg salad sandwich, celery, half an avocado, and watermelon and cantaloupe:

 

I packed a lunch yesterday but I forgot to photograph it before I put everything in the lunchbox so I took this photo.  The lunch is striking similar to today's lunch.

 

As the days get warmer I think about keeping my packed lunches cold.  I noticed Pottery Barn Kids is having a sale on cute ice packs that are the perfect size for a child's lunch.  Pottery Barn Kids items are notoriously expensive so a sale isn't always that great of a deal but I have noticed that the lunchbox items we have from them (lunchbag and stainless steel utensils) have been holding up very well.  I saw these in person and picked up a green seashell and blue starfish.

Lunch on May 24, 2011 - CCC comes to school

You'll recall my daughter is obsessed with the California Chicken Cafe.  Some days she will still ask to go there after I pick her up from school and she's already had her "first lunch" of the day.

So, today I thought I would let her have a little bit of CCC at school.  I am not sure if this will taste as good cold but here is the school version of the CCC kid's meal:

 

Lunch is rice with carrots and scallions, chicken, squash, and watermelon with cantaloupe.  Whole wheat pita bread packed in a fabric snack bag is not shown.  I apologize for the poor photography today.  I was in a big rush and didn't realize the photo I snapped wasn't so great.

Everyone else's lunch

Today's lunch is almost identical to yesterday's lunch so I'm not going to repost it.

Instead, I wanted to highlight two things that were sent my way by some of you reading this blog (did I mention that it's really great hearing from you?!).

The first comes from my friend/former supervisor Robin in New York.  I don't think I've seen Robin in about 8 years or so but I absolutely love her Facebook status updates.  She is an incredibly talented observer and writer.  I often want to copy and paste her updates as my own to impress everyone I know but instead I just study her form and hope to create such brilliance myself.

Robin sent me a photo of a breakfast she made for her sons using these cute egg molds.  I think the result is fantastic (I also love her photography). 

Apparently only one son appreciated the breakfast fun (he got the star-shaped egg).  As for the heart shaped one, Robin explained "this valentine is headed to the doggie bowl:"

Too bad.  It looks both adorable and delicious!  Robin has inspired me to get more creative with breakfast.  Today's cereal and yogurt was pretty ordinary.

Another submission I received recently came from my friend Caroline who is also a former co-worker.  Caroline has four boys all under the age of four.  I am surprised she has any time to email, let alone write the best blog about Maternity Fashion you'll ever read.  But she did find the time to send me a photo of three of the 30 lunches (!!!) and snacks she packs a week.  Next fall that number will go up to 35 when her youngest son starts nursery school.  I feel the need to take a nap upon reading that, I can't imagine actually executing it.

 

Lastly, I wanted to respond to two comments I got asking questions about using snack bags.  Bren asked if any of the snack bags are insulated.  None of mine are but that is a really cool idea (no pun intended) to keep your sammies cold.  I just use a larger ice pack in the lunch to keep it cool.  And Bloom asked if the bags are hard to clean.  I don't find that they are, depending on what you use them for.  I usually turn each one inside out and wipe it clean with a cloth or paper towel.  If something particularly messy or wet went in them I will wash them in the washing machine but that's hardly ever necessary.  And if something like crackers went in one, you could probably just turn it inside out, shake out the crumbs and not need to clean it, it's up to you.  I don't find them particularly burdensome to clean but no, they do not match the ease of throwing them in the trash and grabbing a new one for the next time of plastic baggies.

Lunch on May 19, 2011 - eating out of fabric

Lunch today is housed in many fabric snack bags, all have been holding up pretty well since I purchased them not too long ago.

Today I am serving carrots, edamame, watermelon, and a pressed sandwich of egg salad.  Warning: if today's lunch bores you, you might not want to read what I pack tomorrow.  It will probably be much of the same!

Lunch on May 17, 2011 - She never met a starch she didn't like

Today's lunch is full of carbohydrates because as my dad likes to say, Juju never met a starch she didn't like.

Lunch is penne pasta with chicken in balsamic vinegar (inspired by a lunch my friend Amy made for me a few weeks ago - more on that below), corn on the cob (it is everywhere now and so delicious!) and dried seaweed (in a sushi themed fabric snack bag).

The pasta salad is completely inspired by (and merely a halfway decent copy of) a lunch my friend Amy made.  I need to ask her for the real recipe; I just went off what I remembered she told me was in hers.  She started with "balsamic chicken" from Trader Joe's which is, I assume, chicken marinated in balsamic vinegar and other spices.  It was delicious.  She added it to some rotini with chopped onion, red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, and more balsamic vinegar.  She added a sprig of rosemary for color (you know how I love presentation!) and served it with some crusty bread.  Yum!  (I, like Julian, never met a carbohydrate I didn't like).

I didn't have all those yummy ingredients but I still wanted to copy Amy for lunch so I improvised with what I had at home.  I took plain (already cooked) chicken breasts, (if you are a vegetarian I am sure you could substitute this for Gardein or some other veggie protein that takes the place of chicken), chopped them up and marinated the pieces in some balsamic vinegar overnight.  Be careful when marinating in vinegar - a little goes a long way.  Then, I cooked the only pasta I had, penne.  Penne is not a great pasta for this dish; it's hard to pick up and doesn't absorb much of the sauce/marinade but it's what I had.  I took the pasta off the heat and let it cool.  Next I chopped several cherry tomatoes in half and I minced a medium sized shallot (again, this is what I had in my fridge, feel free to experiment with what you have in yours).  I then tossed the chicken, pasta, tomatoes, and shallots in some more balsamic vinegar (just a little), a small amount of olive oil and salt and pepper.  And, voila: a pretty pasta salad with lots of leftovers for everyone else in the house!  My chicken wasn't quite as tasty as Amy's, nor did the entire dish compare to what she served (the penne really killed it) but it was still a very yummy result with very little effort and no need to run to the store for any special ingredients.

For those curious, the seaweed snack is from Trader Joe's.  A kid on the playground turned us on to the idea of snacking on seaweed about 18 months ago and Juju is still hooked.  In fact, at one point last year Trader Joe's ran out of their convenient seaweed snack packs (too many kids in LA got wind of this snack idea) and there was nearly a seaweed riot as lunatic moms (like me) went to all kinds of organic and Korean marts to find a suitable substitute.  Fortunately Trader Joe's came to their senses and got control of their inventory of seaweed in the fall.  When it first reappeared on shelves, in a move my husband still can't believe, I went out and bought a case of the stuff for fear I'd never see it again.  Many months later, Juju is finally on the last bag from the case!  For the record, I'm totally grossed out by dried seaweed (I tolerate it in sushi but that's about it) but I'm told it's got some great health benefits so I hold my nose and continue to serve it.

Lunch on Friday, May 13 - Pressed for ideas, I made a sandwich

Friday's lunch included a sandwich.  You may remember that I don't do sandwiches largely because Juju still can't figure out what to do when one is handed to her. 

Then, I had the idea to make her a sandwich "pocket," kind of like those disgusting (though oddly appealing) Smucker's Crustable things.  I found a really cool contraption at the Japanese Tokyo Outlet to help me and I am really excited about it.  Well, as excited as one can be about a lunch accessory.  By the way, I know it sounds like I spend my days shopping and lunching at the Japanese Village Plaza downtown but sadly I don't.  One of my vendors for my business is right there so whenever I am in the area for a meeting I take a quick walk over to see what's new.  I don't think I've ever spent more than $2.49 on an item there so it's a great place to go for cheap lunch inspiration.  

 If only I read Japanese I could tell you the name of this sandwich press or where to get it (other than in downtown LA) but I am sure they exist anywhere.  In the case of this one, you place a piece of bread on the press, add your "filling" (in this case I used hummus), place another piece of bread on top, and press down.  You are left with a sealed rounded square sandwich with no crust and no place for your "filling" to spill out.  (See photo below for the resulting sandwich).

I was concerned that my whole grain sandwich bread would be too stiff for the press but it worked fine.   You can see what remains behind after removing the sandwich from the press in the photo at left.  I am not quite sure why there is a heart on the top of the sandwich press since it does not make any indentation on the sandwich.  I can only surmise it's there because the Japanese needed to find some way to make even something like this look cute.

Yes I am aware that the press is plastic and we don't tend to like a lot of plastic around here.  All I can say is that the food is in the press for less than 30 seconds and I hand wash it.

Along with the hummus sandwich today's lunch included cottage cheese and cantaloupe with grapes.

Unfortunately, despite my efforts, much of this lunch went uneaten due to far more exciting things than a sandwich, I'm sure.  She has however eaten other pressed sandwiches since then and the result has been great and mess-free!

Lunch on May 12, 2011 - Leftovers for lunch

I had a great culinary experience tonight, sampling from various LA foodtrucks that I drove about 20 miles in rush hour traffic to eat from.  Yes, I know the LA Times has declared that food trucks are so over but after dinner I went shopping and tried on a top with shoulder pads so clearly I am reluctant to give up on things I actually like for the sake of being trendy.  Well, I am not sure I like all shoulder pads (or food trucks for that matter) but the ones I saw tonight worked.

Despite the fact that I ate well tonight (or perhaps because of it) Juju will be dining on leftovers tomorrow.

 

Lunch includes chicken and brown rice, cantaloupe and grapes, and roasted carrots with onion and shallots.  The dinner this lunch came from was really easy to make.  I am a big fan of Trader Joe's marinades.  Although some are loaded with sugar, there are a few that are really light and tasty and go very well with beef, chicken, fish, etc.  I like to have a bottle or two in the pantry for when I get lazy about dinner.  I can't remember which marinade this was, but it definitely had a lot of soy sauce in it with a hint of honey, or something sweet.  I marinated the chicken in it overnight and then just threw  the chicken pieces and marinade into the oven.  

I made the brown rice in a rice cooker and added some garlic and shallots to the rice and water (the shallots were left over from the mustard roasted fish I made on Monday).  The shallots totally disintegrated when the rice was finished cooking which I wasn't expecting.  The sauce from the chicken poured over the rice was out of this world.   

And just as I was throwing dinner together, The King of All Media noticed we had some leftover carrots in the fridge from when Juju visited a farm last week.  Some horse is pretty sad that she left without feeding these to him.  But I'm glad they were around because we have a little theory in our house and these carrots helped us test it.  We believe that if you throw some kosher salt, pepper, olive oil (and sometimes garlic and/or onion) on any vegetable and roast it at 425 degrees, it will taste fantastic no matter what it is (this is very similar to the theory that anything fried is good).  So, since these sad carrots had nowhere to go but up, we peeled them, chopped them, and threw them together with some onions, shallots, salt, pepper, and oil.  The result: delicious!  The onions got all brown and caramelized and you could really taste the sweetness of the carrots.  I don't know how the dish will taste in a cold school lunch but I figured I would send them and see what happens.

For Friday's lunch I'm going to make a sandwich.  But it's not what you think. . . 

Getting to the heart of it

This blog is really bad for me.  I have more than 700 emails in my inbox that I must delete, file, or respond to (my personal record pre-blog was only 500) and a bunch of other things calling me but this is just way more fun.

A few of you commented about the artichokes I've written about and asked how I make them so as promised, here is your post.

A warning, I am not a chef or even a proper cook.  I am a foodie by taste, not by training.  I learned to cook by watching my mom and an inordinate amount of Food Network in my early 20s.  This is mostly due to the fact that I could not afford cable and watched the only five channels that came in clearly when I plugged in my TV.  Food Network was one of them (New York 1 was another -- oh how I miss you Pat Kiernan and Roma Torre and the rest of the gang. . .).  I can only imagine what kind of training I would have picked up had the Discovery Channel or the Syfy Network been among the broadcasts that slipped through the cracks of Time Warner Cable's grip on my neighborhood.  All of this is to say that perhaps you should double-check anything you read here with an actual food or cooking blog. . .

Now, onto artichokes.  Until recently, I was doing a whole lot of work to prep my artichokes before cooking them.  This resulted in an artichoke that was very easy to eat and looked pretty when served to guests.  I got my technique from the Joy of Cooking (thank you Marc and Kathryn for what continues to be one of the most useful wedding gifts we got!).  I will explain it more in detail later.

But first, if you want to eat an artichoke and you're not worried about presentation, do it the easy way.  Boil a big pot of water and drop your artichoke/s in when you reach a roaring boil.  Cook for 45 minutes, remove, drain, eat.  You can pull the leaves off individually savoring the small doses of the delicious center.  When you get to the thinner, flimsier leaves in the middle, you are near the heart.  Since your artichoke is cooked, it is very easy to remove the choke that protects the center of the vegetable (its cupola as Pablo Neruda put it).  Pull whatever leaves out of the center you can, and then grab a knife to cut out the actual choke (the small fibers that look like hair). Take care not to cut out the actual heart when you are removing the "hairs," you don't want to lose any deliciousness to the trash can.  Once the extraneous parts are removed, sink your teeth into the soft, flavorful center.  It's like the dessert of the artichoke meal.  This way of eating the artichoke is messy but totally worth it.

Now if you're having dinner guests, you are going to want to go another route to spare everyone the embarrassment of trying to politely remove the heart in public (it simply can't be done).  In this case, you need your artichokes, a cutting board, a knife (I find a bread knife works best) and a lemon cut in half.

Place the artichoke on the cutting board and remove the stem (I am assuming you are buying conventional artichokes in which case the stem is not particulary tasty.  Artichokes sold with an extremely long stem are meant to be cooked with the stem intact and the stem should be eaten whole).  Once you lob off the stem, brush a piece of the lemon over it.  The lemon juice will help protect the bright green color of the artichoke (important if you care about presentation, not at all important if not).  You can also pull off the shorter leaves right around the stem, they generally don't have any tasty "meat" on them and the whole thing will look prettier if they are gone.

Next, lay the artichoke on it's side and cut off the top, about 1-1.5 inches down from the top, depending on the size of your choke.  Remember, all you actually eat in the artichoke is the heart and the small pieces from the heart that extend to the bottom of each leaf.  So, it's not a big deal to chop off half of the "head;" it's garbage whether you cook it or not.  I mentioned above that I like to use a bread knife for this task.  It works much better than the Santoku knife I use for everything else.  If you don't have a bread knife, use another serrated knife.

At this point, if your artichokes are fresh, like from the farmer's market, be on the lookout for one or two bugs that can crawl out at this stage in the process.  They live in the leaves and totally gross me out.  I love fresh food but I absolutely detest bugs.  Go figure.  Make sure to get rid of them lest they climb into anything else in your house.  Swipe the lemon over the top of the leaves that were just cut (again, to preserve their color).

Now comes the hard part.  You are going to have to cut and scoop out the choke.  This is much harder to do before the artichoke is cooked because it's very firm.  I cut a deep circle out of the center and then use a spoon to scoop out the "hairs."  Again, make sure not to cut too deep or scoop too far or you will be cutting away the precious heart.  If I had a grapefruit spoon, I think it would work great here to help scoop and scrape at the same time but alas I do not have one.  When you're done, squirt some of the lemon juice inside.

At this point you can throw the artichokes into boiling water immediately or, if you prefer, steam them.  I prefer steaming to boiling with most things and for the sake of presentation, I like to steam artichokes.  I think they stay together a bit better when steamed and they have a better chance of preserving their color.  To steam, place the artichokes in a steamer basket (I put them face down but I don't think it matters) over boiling water, cover, and let cook over medium to high heat for 45 minutes.  When they're done you'll be able to eat them and get to the heart without any major surgery.  Serve plain or with clarified butter or, if you like that sort of stuff, mayonnaise.

A few more notes about artichokes: when buying, try to buy the artichoke with the tightest leaves; that's how you know they are fresh.  Also, they bloom twice a year so if you fall in love with them now, you get to enjoy again in the fall!

If you do boil the chokes, you will find that when you empty your pot while cleaning up, the water turns a beautiful bright green.  I don't know anything about making vegetable dye but my guess is that it starts with something like this.  Maybe I'll look into what to do with leftover artichoke water. . .

Lunch on May 10, 2011 - All American (and a little bit Japanese)

Ok, I'll admit it.  I am officially bored with packing lunches and now find them a chore.  I can't decide if my commitment to chronicle the lunches I pack motivates me to make them better or if it just guilts me into packing something that is halfway photogenic.

When I run out of ideas of what to pack, I go to my old standby: sushi.  It's always a pleaser and is very easy to procure from the market down the street.  I was going there anyway to pick up some fish for dinner (more on that in a minute) and I couldn't resist. 

So, I started with the sushi and built around it.  Though Juju enjoys it, I've never actually sent raw fish to school.  This is California roll made with imitation crab (cooked), avocado, and cucumber.  I am sure Juju will one day turn into a normal toddler and decide that raw fish and seaweed are an absolutely disgusting combination but for now, I am getting as much mileage out of it as I can.

Joining the sushi is half an ear of corn.  We had corn for dinner.  Juju LOVED it and insisted on more.  I told her I had none left even though this piece remained.  I think she will enjoy the surprise in her lunch tomorrow.  I also included some cantaloupe and grapes.

Back to the fish we had for dinner.  It was a really easy recipe and since some of you have told me you have tried other recipes I have posted, here goes.  Sorry there are no pictures.

Tonight we had mustard roasted fish using red snapper.  When I saw that red snapper was on sale at the fish counter I immediately remembered an Ina Garten recipe I've made before for an unusual and delicious meal using only a few ingredients, many of which I already have at home.  I had a really busy day (forgive the cross-promoting/shameless plug here but Milkstars has a new pajama set out called The Nancy, it's been a lot of work but is really exciting!) so I was glad that all I needed to pick up was some creme fraiche (Trader Joe's has a nice brand at a great price) and some shallots.

The recipe is below.  A warning, the red snapper had a lot of bones in it which I wasn't expecting.  I don't know much about fish so I am not sure if that is normal.  If you are making this for a toddler (or anyone else who doesn't like bones) ask your fish monger, (or in my friend Annie's case your husband!), to make sure there are no bones.  Otherwise give yourself some time to pull them out before cooking.  Enjoy!

Mustard-Roasted Fish

Ingredients

• 4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces creme fraiche
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons drained capers

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish.) Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Combine the creme fraiche, 2 mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it's barely done. (The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it's done.) Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top.

Lunch on May 6, 2011 - devoid of color but not of flavor

Today's lunch isn't very pretty.  Even though it lacks color there is definitely some flavor in all this bland.

I am serving brown rice and chicken (with some soy sauce glaze), watermelon, and the heart of a large and DELICIOUS artichoke.  I simply can't get enough artichokes these days, they keep getting better and better.  Strawberries however have been consistently bad no matter where I get them.  What gives?

The King of All Media Contributes

I often call my husband the "King of All Media."  It's not because he reminds me of Howard Stern (thank goodness) but it's because he consumes an INSANE amount of print media.  Sometimes I think he is single-handedly keeping the magazine publishing industry alive.  He reads everything from the Wall Street Journal to the New Yorker to Wired to US Magazine*, to about 7 or 8 other daily or weekly publications. 

The King of All Media takes the subway to work, (no, you did not misread that, we live in LA and he takes the subway to work).  That, combined with a short bus ride and waiting time between both, gives him a considerable advantage over driving commuters or work-at-homers struggling to stay hip to what's going on in the world.

This is all to say that since I started this blog he is constantly bombarding me with articles of interest around packing a lunch for work or school.  I keep meaning to post them all here but I keep losing them and my scanner has been broken for months.  Alas the very thing that is killing print media, the Internet, allowed me to find two of the pieces he pulled for me.  One is a Wall Street Journal article about executives bringing their lunches to work in style: "The New Power Lunch: Strategies for Brown-Bagging at Your Desk, With Executive Image Intact."

The other was in the "Best Bets New Stuff" section of New York Magazine last week.  It's a cute little Bento Box available at Dean and DeLuca.

Stay turned for more contributions from the KOAM.

***I hope he is not mad that I outed him as an US reader - it's simply because I have a fashion business and we need to make sure we keep up with trends and also need to see if any celebrities are wearing our stuff ;)

What's for school lunch?

My awesome friend Maggie sent me a link to this which is really just a compilation of photos from the blog, What's For School Lunch.  It's photos of school lunches from around the world and I am loving comparing what kids are eating for lunch around the world.

I want to go to school in Chile, Brazil, France, Italy and Japan just for the lunches.  Totally worth checking out.

Lunch in Brazil:

 

Lunch in Japan:

 

Lunch in France:

Lunch on May 5, 2011 - Mushroom "sandwiches"

The theme of this week is sandwiches.  As I mentioned yesterday, today's lunch included a sandwich but as I expected, Juju didn't know what to do with it and as she pulled it apart, all the turkey fell on the ground.  Oy.  Some of it was able to be salvaged but the whole fiasco was a reminder that this kid just isn't ready for conventional sandwiches.  But, that doesn't stop me from sending another kind of sandwich tomorrow.

This evening we had some portabella mushroom ravioli for dinner (I went a little crazy in the fresh pasta section of Trader Joe's since the squash ravioli was so good and I am still trying to make up for all the carbs we couldn't eat during Passover).  I didn't think Juju would be into the ravioli (you'll recall she didn't go for the triangles I packed last week) but as it turns out, all we needed to do was cut the ravioli in half to show her the goodness inside and she was intrigued.  When we explained that the goodness inside was mushrooms, she was immediately hooked and asked for seconds and thirds.  At one point during the meal she picked up her ravioli and pronounced, "it looks like a sandwich!"  You can imagine the "ah ha" moment I had when I realized this is exactly the kind of sandwich I should be packing: self-contained, small, and brimming with mushrooms.

Naturally tomorrow's lunch is leftovers from tonight featuring "mushroom sandwiches!"

The "sandwiches" are sprinkled with some Parmesan cheese and are joined by a green salad (romaine lettuce, farmstand cabbage, crushed up whole grain pita chips and a light covering of Green Goddess salad dressing), farmstand strawberries, and farmstand watermelon (not shown).  The watermelon has black "nuts" as Juju calls them (seeds).  She likes to eat them.  Am I supposed to tell her that eating them will cause a watermelon to grow in her stomach or do I just let her enjoy the extra fiber?  Please let this be the hardest parenting dilemma I struggle with. . .

Lunch on May 4, 2011 - I made a sandwich!!

I get teased by a few of you who chide me for never making anything basic for Juju's lunch.  While I do enjoy that her lunches are sui generis when compared to what most people pack, I have avoided sandwiches thus far only because Juju doesn't really know what to do with them.  She doesn't really get how to hold both pieces of bread plus the middle and take a bite out of everything at once.  So, she usually picks the sandwich apart, eats what she wants, and leaves a considerable mess.

Still, I realize that sandwiches are practical, convienent, and arguably as tasty as anything I've packed so far.  One of the ReSnackIt bags I ordered was sandwich size so here goes:

Lunch tomorrow includes a turkey sandwich on La Brea bakery whole grain bread, carrots and hummus, a container of cucumber stars, pomegranate seeds and crimini mushrooms all chopped together, and a bowl of trail mix made of peanuts, almonds, dried raspberries and semi sweet chocolate chips.  I wish someone would make me a lunch like this everyday. 

I think this is the first time I am sending meat in a lunch.  I am not opposed to Juju eating meat, I just don't always like the idea of meat served cold (plus Juju's lunches are only cooled by ice packs and I wouldn't want a luke-warm meat dish on a hot day either).  But a turkey sandwich seems ok.  Also, when I was younger I went to a Jewish day school for three years and we could only bring dairy lunches so I think I am conditioned to think of sack lunches are vegetarian (well, pescetarian really).  Perhaps I should broaden my horizons.

Containerization - stoneware edition

There are so many more food containers, plates, and flatware I want to blog about.  In this post I will focus on some non-plastic, non-glass, non-stainless steel options.  What's left you ask?  Basically wood and ceramic or porcelain stoneware.

I don't use a lot of wood or bamboo around here.  When Juju was small I had a few forks and spoons made from bamboo but now that she is older, she finds them dissatisfying.  They are mostly handcarved and are pretty to look at but don't work so well to stab a strawberry or hold a reasonable amount of yogurt.

Wood bowls and plates are really expensive and annoying to clean as I don't know if they are all dishwasher safe.  We have a few wooden bowls from salad sets but since I only bring those out on special occasions with adults, I never think to use them on a daily basis with Juju.

Instead, we have been using a great dishware set I got at Ikea.  I think it's technically a "play" dish set but it's food safe and is the perfect size for Juju so why not?  I got the idea from a friend after Juju ate off of the plates at her house.  The set is called Duktig and includes 4 plates, 4 mini plates, and 4 bowls in pink, blue, yellow, and green for $9.99.  Here is a special dessert Juju had in one of the green dishes (it's moosetracks ice cream with chocolate covered sunflower seeds topping for those interested).

 

I started serving Juju on the Duktig plates at around 20 months when she was more responsible with her tableware and was no longer throwing things on the floor.  Well, she was probably still throwing some food on the floor but she was not bothering the dishes by that point.  I love how pretty the dishes are; they really dress up her table and make the food look appealing.  I also like that they bring some refinement to otherwise very unrefined meals.  The size of the plates are perfect for toddler-sized portions.   I am hoping using stoneware now will help with the transition to adult plates at some point.  The photo below is of the whole set but it doesn't really do them justice, the plates are pretty adorable.  You can see one of the larger blue plates in the breakfast I made here.  They are also dishwasher safe which is a huge plus (I try not to put plastic plates or bowls in the dishwasher but it's just too tempting. . .).

When Juju was older, I started serving her beverages in very small Ikea glass cups.  I can't find the exact set we have but here is another set of 6 for $2.99 (I actually think ours were 6 for $1.99 if you can believe it).  It's hard to trust a young toddler with glass so make sure yours is really ready before trying it out.  We also use the play flatware set (also called Duktig) which gives you 16 pieces of stainless steel flatware for $6.99 and comes with it's own drawer organizer (yes, I realize the organizer is plastic).  The pieces in the set are 4 forks, 4 knives, 4 large spoons and 4 tea spoons.  We only really use the spoons but they are worth buying the whole set for.  The larger spoons fit perfectly with creamy things served in the Duktig bowls and I like that they don't overwhelm Juju.  When she gets a little bigger, she can use her old dishes and flatware for her dolls.

While we're on the subject of porcelain, I should mention that our friends Dave and Michelle got us the cutest 3-piece Peter Rabbit Wedgwood dishware set when Juju was born.  We used it at Thanksgiving this year along with fancy china for everyone else and it was an adorable complement.  I am afraid to use the set regularly (it's not as easy to replace as the Ikea Duktig set) but I suppose it's not as much fun sitting on a shelf.  Wouldn't you like your morning Cheerios and coffee served in these?

Grandma

I kept meaning to post this when it appeared in the New York Times last week but forgot.  Since today is Holocaust Remembrance Day, I guess it's fitting.

My grandparents were both Holocaust survivors.  My Grandmother survived Auschwitz and one of her recipes (for chocolate chip cake) and a short story of her life is included in the book Recipes Remembered: A Celebration of Survival.  All of the proceeds from the sale of the book go to the Museum of Jewish Heritage a Living Memorial to the Holocaust.  Since this is a food blog I figured it made sense to mention this here.

Lunch on May 3 - Panda power

Tomorrow's lunch reminds me a lot of lunch on March 31 which was the photo that launched this blog.  It will also be eaten on my sister's birthday so, happy birthday Jolie!

Today I am serving California rolls with imitation crab (not homemade, these came from Gelson's), cucumber stars with pomegranate seeds, chopped up cremini mushrooms, and mango.  There is also a ReSnackIt filled with edamame pods that is not shown.

I used the piece of fake grass that came with the sushi to separate the mushrooms and mango and added a cute Panda-pic to the sushi for some fun.

One of you asked how I do the cucumber stars.  It's very easy.  I peel a cucumber, then cut both ends so I can stand the whole cucumber up on one end on a cutting board.  Then, I place a small star shaped cookie cutter on the top of the cucumber and press down to the bottom.  Then I chop up the cucumber into pieces and voila, stars.  You are left with five strands of cucumber (the white space from the star shape) which I either chop up and throw in or just eat myself.

Lunch on April 29 - Go with what you know

Tomorrow's lunch was pulled together in the three minutes I had tonight to get it done.  I actually used one minute to make the lunch and am using the remaining two right now to blog it.  I have been doing a ton of cooking for an event tomorrow night and I haven't really had much time (or room in the fridge) to devote to lunchmaking.

All that combined with the fact that today's ravioli triangles were rejected (well, I think one was eaten but as I suspected, they were mostly pushed to the side in search of mushrooms) made me put together a very uninspired lunch of old favorites.

Cantaloupe and grapes are joined by TJ's Greek honey yogurt with pomegranate seeds, half an avocado, and the rest of the mushroom and leek saute from yesterday.  There are some edamame pods in the ReSnackIt bag (which I have grown to love a lot) and two more SnackTaxi sacks filled with other familiar snacks (English peas and pita chips) not shown.  Yes I realize that this lunch is almost identical to today's lunch and yes I realize most of you only read this space for cute lunch accessories etc.  I guess I'm in a lunch rut since I have no time.  Here's hoping I get a second wind next week and start getting creative again!

Lunch on April 28 - Trying triangles today

For tomorrow's lunch we are trying something new.  Whenever I try something new I also offer extra stand-by foods in case the newcomer is rejected.

The new items are these triangle ravioli stuffed with butternut squash and a hint of brown sugar.  I find them absolutely delicious and hope Juju does too (I got them in the fresh pasta section at Trader Joe's).  I sauteed leeks and mushrooms in a small amount of butter and oil and layered them with the 5 ravioli (I just boiled them in water).  I also threw in some steamed broccoli and sprinkled a little parmesan cheese on top.  My guess is Juju will pick around the ravioli and only eat the veggies but maybe she'll figure out ravioli is really just dressed up pasta and she'll gobble them up (she never has any trouble eating pasta).  I am also including grapes and cantaloupe plus a small bowl of Greek honey yogurt with pomegranate seeds in case she doesn't dig the ravioli triangles.  And, my ReSnackIt bags came in the mail today (finally!) so I stuffed a few edamame pods inside.  The ReSnackIt bags are different from the SnackTaxis in that they feel more laminated and ready for food (like I am not worried about getting them wet) but there is still something slightly "homemade" about them.  I can't make a final ruling on which one I like better until Juju has had some more time with these.

This lunch is pretty healthy but lest you think I am a super-organic-no-pesticides-no-spray-health-food-only mom, let me clue you in to lunch today.  We ate at Johnny Rockets and Juju's lunch consisted of a mini hamburger bun dipped in ketchup, half of a mini hamburger patty (also used for lots of dipping in ketchup), 3 french fries, 2 pickles, and about 6 ounces of her first ever (I think) chocolate shake.  Sorry, no photo.  I'm definitely not winning mom of the year in the food category but I do think it's fun to shake things up a little bit (no pun intended).  She can't eat mushrooms for every meal. . .

ZOMG

Juju slept in today which reminded me that I started this blog about a month ago when she slept in and I had some extra time in front of the computer.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered today that I have had almost 1,500 pageviews since then!!!  Surely they can't all be me re-reading the posts to check the spelling. . .

I am truly amazed that Juju's lunches have reached so many people.  Thank you all for reading, commenting, and re-posting.  I'm really enjoying this little project and am so happy you do too!

Here is Juju today showing off the snailbox that started it all. . .

Lunch on April 26 - Riddle: Why can't we keep Juju in jail?

Today we have a lunch riddle.  Why can't we keep Juju in jail?  Answer at the bottom.

Today's lunch is the last Passover-friendly thing I have to pack this year.  Thank goodness.  If I had to make yet another frittata I think I would go crazy.  But alas there is one in this lunch.  I cut it with a heart shaped cookie cutter to make it more appealing and while I used the same recipe as last time I made sure to load this one with plenty of mushrooms.  I have no idea why Juju is so into mushrooms but I am not going to question it since I think they are a pretty good thing to eat.

Joining the frittata is lox with cream cheese on whole wheat matzah.  I am partial to egg matzah but we ran out and whole wheat was all we had left.  We got the smoked salmon this weekend at one of the fish stands at the Hollywood Farmer's Market.  They always have a really long line (and kind of high prices) so we usually skip it but this week there was no wait (ah the benefits of being a Jew on Easter) so we tried the lox people rave about.  It was pretty good.

Lastly we have farmers market strawberries and grapes and a Pucci-esque SnackTaxi filled with dark chocolate covered matzah.  I know I am not supposed to pack sweets for school but I'm hoping this classic Passover treat won't get us thrown out.

Two of the containers I am using came from the Thinkbaby set I mentioned in my last post.  I like the size of the rectangular container and you can't exactly tell from the photo but the bowl the fruit is in is a true bowl with low walls and easier for a toddler to eat from.

Ok, so back to my riddle: Why can't we keep Juju in jail?

Because she eats lox!  Yes, I know, super corny (yet kosher for Passover).  I apologize for the horrible jokes.  I should stick to packing lunches. . .

More containerization - stainless steel edition

I haven't blogged about the stainless steel containers I use yet because I have just so much to say about them that I wasn't sure where to start.  But I have to start somewhere.   Here are a few things in my rotation for lunch and home use.  I'm not someone who completely shies away from plastic, as we all know it's everywhere and there is no avoiding it.  I just wanted to try to find a way to avoid using it when I could, particularly when it came to food storage, and so I started using the following sets.  I actually don't think any one of them is the perfect solution but they are a great start.

The three compartment stainless steel lunch container I used to make this lunch is the trio from Lunchbots:


Pros: The entire thing is made of stainless steel, absolutely no plastic.  That is pretty cool.  It also allows me to keep foods separate (this encourages me to get creative with the size of food I pack).  Fairly easy to clean.

Cons: The container looks like it is cheaply made.  The first time I opened it, I noticed that one of the interior steel "separators" is bent.  This doesn't really effect the storing of food but it's poor quality control and it just irks me.  Every time I use it I try in vain to straighten it.  Also, the inside edges seem slightly unfinished.  I don't think Juju is going to cut herself on them but they just don't feel smooth.  Something about this set makes me think the factory does not pay a lot of attention to detail.  It also makes me think these containers were originally for another use and were just repurposed for school lunch containers without much thought to how toddlers and kids work.  Also I am not sure these are 100% leak proof.

Another set I use a lot and featured in this meal are this trio of stainless steel Kids Konserve containers:

I bought mine at Whole Foods for $26 which I thought was really expensive but I have to say, I like these containers a lot.

Pros: Very high quality.  Someone clearly thought about these when they were designed.  Three sizes which allow me to back various foods, portion sizes, etc.  When not in use the three bowls nest inside one another which make for easy storage and, because they are sold that way, means they weren't sold with a lot of wasteful packaging.  Very good for liquids, so far totally leak proof for us.

Cons: The colors.  I know that they now sell these in more colors but the standard set of three still comes in puke green, rusty old orange, and kind of cool neon green.  I wish they had more fun with the lids.  Also, the lids are made of plastic but since they usually don't touch the food, I am not too concerned.  My other problem with these bowls is that they are great for food storage, but when it comes to eating from them at the lunchtable, the size just isn't right.  I wish they were more like bowls you would eat from with a more round bottom and shallower walls.  I think it's hard for Juju to work a fork or spoon in these.

I don't have any recent photos of Juju's lunch using the Thinkbaby set but it's also part of our rotation.  We have this orange set:



Pros: The bowls are the kind of bowls you would normally eat out of but they also have lids for storing and transporting.  Juju loves the mug and when she drinks from it she likes to announce "this is my coffee."  Fun, kid friendly colors.  Definitely high design.  Made for babies which means you can transport your baby food in the appropriate size containers.  Washes very well.

Cons: The surfaces of all of the containers and mug are stainless steel but they do use plastic on the outside of everything.  This is either for insulation or for looks.  Either way it's a lot of plastic, even though it doesn't touch the food.  The lids for the bowls are also plastic and slightly flimsy but still functional.  The fork and spoon are made completely of plastic.  Designed for babies so the containers are a tad small for everyday use once your child grows up.

At home I try to use stainless steel plates and bowls but I don't have too many.  I use the Thinkbaby bowls above and I also have the Lunchbots Children's Stainless Steel Dish set:



Pros: First of all, I really like that this set exists at all.  I looked around and there are so few options for home feeding in stainless steel so bravo to Lunchbots for offering one.  This one is definitely made of higher quality than the lunch container above.  They are clearly using a different vendor for these and I wish they would move everything over to this factory.  The bowl is a great size and happens to be the same size as one of the Thinkbaby bowls so I can use the lid from that one for this one if I want since this set comes with no lids.  The mug is also a great size and shape for kids.  These are very easy to clean.

Cons: I do not like the shape of plate.  It seems like it can't decide if it is a bowl or a plate so it ends up being sort of like a shallow soup bowl and you can't fit much food on it.  I wish they just gave me a normal plate.  No lid for the bowl means you can't store food in this set unless you also have the Thinkbaby set.  Price.  I paid $19.99 for one set.  I wish I could find a set that would give me 4 bowls and 4 plates and 2 mugs for around $50 - $60.  That would be ideal.  I realize stainless steel costs more but I can't believe it's really this cost prohibitive.

I also use a set of stainless steel food prep bowls with lids I got at Target for around $5.  It came with three small bowls with three plastic lids.  The bowls are small so they are great for dips, sauces, or small amounts of food.  They are very easy to clean and fit nicely in nooks and crannies of a lunch box when it's otherwise stuffed with the above containers.

That's pretty much all I use around here in the stainless steel variety but I'll check my drawer later to make sure I'm not missing anything.  And, I have a few more stainless steel recommendations and things on my wish list which I'll post about soon.  I will also post about the ceramic and glass we use around here too. 

Another discount on fabric snack bags

Just wanted to alert you to another Earth Day sale on fabric snack bags. The Mini Social is having a sale now on Beneterre bags. I have never used these (I've never even heard of them) and they seem a little pricey to me but I think the bagel fabric is super cute. And I just think it's interesting that there are so many reusable snack bag options out there right now. Happy shopping.

Kids Konserve at a discount

I am working on a post (which means I have a note to myself to start it) about the Kids Konserve containers I use in Juju's lunch.  But, I just noticed that they are doing a Kids Konserve sale on Gilt Groupe in the children's section.  They aren't selling my favorite things but there are a few stainless steel or disposable plastic alternatives included so it's worth a look.



Happy shopping (and saving!).

Lunch on April 22 - Passover Provisions and a Pink Puppy

As I mentioned it's Spring Break so I only had to pack a lunch one day this week but in addition to Juju's lunch, I had to pack food for three adults as well.  And it's Passover so I had some extra limitations.  But, I think I made out pretty well.

I mentioned my friend Annie H. gave me a great baby frittata recipe perfect for kiddos.  I didn't follow her recipe exactly, I mostly used my own (this one features leeks, mushrooms, and spinach), but I did use her idea of baking in mini muffin tins.  I also baked some of the frittata in large muffin tins for the adults. 

I wanted to find a nice complement to the eggs, something that could easily take the place of bread.  I settled on a new Passover favorite: quinoa.  I realize some very observant people don't consider quinoa kosher for Passover but I am not one of those people; abstaining from bread and grains and a whole bunch of legumes and peanuts is plenty deprivation for me.

I haven't had time to shop for groceries for a few days since we've eaten out the last three nights so I made up a quinoa recipe with things I had around the house.  I'd give it a B, maybe a B+.  I was trying to replicate a sweeter quinoa salad that was served at my second seder but fell short.  This is good, just not exactly what I was going for.

Here's how I made it: I toasted 1 cup quinoa with 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pot on the stove. When the quinoa was toasted (but not burnt!) I added 2 cups of water, let it come to a boil, then simmered it  covered for about 15 minutes.  I usually cook quinoa with a clove of chopped garlic but since I was going for a sweeter taste, I left it out (but I did add some salt).  Once the quinoa was cooked and cooled, I threw it into a bowl and started mixing things into it.  I cut up some scallions and threw in a pack of dried raisins and cherries my friend Marla brought me from Seattle.  I also threw in some chopped walnuts since I wanted more of a crunch.  For the wet stuff I added some oil and vinegar.  With quinoa you can really add any oil: vegetable, sesame, olive, etc.  Then I squeezed the juice of a lemon Juju picked at a friend's house the other day and voila, quinoa salad!  I am hoping the flavors blend a bit more tonight so the salad is even more flavorful tomorrow.

Here is how the adults' lunches came out - everyone got two regular size muffin tin frittatas and the quinoa salad.  I like presenting things on lettuce for the color and it helps to keep the two dishes separate which I think makes them more appealing.  Since these lunches are for adults I packed them in glass, my favorite way to store food (but sadly not very kid friendly).  These are Snapware Glasslock containers that used to be really hard to find but are now everywhere like at Target and Bed Bath and Beyond.  I think the best prices for them are still at Costco which used to be the only place I could find them.

 

I gave Juju a small cup of the quinoa salad (not shown), four baby frittatas, mango, cantaloupe, and clementine segments, and three Passover macaroons.  The pink puppy is yet another Japanese style lunch "fascinator."

 

Only 4 more days of this holiday to go.  Then I'll focus on another eating challenge: we are considering going vegan for a week sometime in the near future.  Can you believe it?  I can not.  More on that later as I work up the courage to plan it out. . .

Snack Taxis

I can't sleep so I figured I'd do a follow-up post on the fabric snack bags I mentioned earlier.

Last week my new Snack Taxis arrived - no word on where my ReSnackIts from Zulily are.  According to my order history status they still have not shipped.  I hope I get them before the school year is over. . .

But back to the Snack Taxis (which arrived really quickly so are already ahead in my book) we have been breaking in since the weekend.

They are much stiffer than the one I already had from back when they were called Happy Sacks.  This is either because they have improved the product or, more likely, because they haven't been washed yet.  I'm digging the stiffer body and hope they don't get too soft with the first wash.

The folks at Snack Taxis make them available in a zillion designs but as you already know my credit cards are impervious to retail prices so naturally I picked from the ones that were on sale.  The sushi one is my favorite (Juju likes it too) and I wish I had also ordered it in red (sadly they are out of them now).

There is really no comparison with ziploc bags when it comes to the cute factor.  Plus, I love that when I hand Juju her snack bag she has no idea what's in it until she opens it up.  She seems to really enjoy the surprise each time (although lately, it's almost always granola).  I do too.

UPDATE: I just noticed on the Snack Taxi website that they are having an earth day sale and you can take 20% off your order (but not on sale merch) through April 22 with coupon code "earthday2011").  This could be your chance to try ditching ziplocs for a day.  Happy shopping!

Speaking of eggs. . .

I mentioned earlier that my husband always refers to Passover as the holiday of eggs since that is all we end up eating when we're forced to give up most carbs and other goodies.

I seem to be on egg overload, (you'll recall my recent attempts to mold eggs) because I saw the coolest thing on Manhattan Craft Room today that I just had to post.

She actually embroidered eggs!  Isn't this so cool?  I like to think of myself as pretty crafty but this kind of thing is way out of my league.  Click here to see how she did it.

Oh and if you liked the eggs, you will absolutely LOVE what she did with Jell-o here (and here and here).

Yes I realize this has nothing to do with stainless steel containers or packing a school lunch but I hope you enjoyed it anyway.

Spring break

Just a note to let you know that I have not given up on this blog.  I'ts just that we're on Spring Break this week so I'm not packing any lunches.

I am however cooking and eating a lot of eggs because as my husband likes to say, Passover is the holiday of eggs.

My friend Annie H. gave me a great recipe for mini egg frittatas, perfect for a school lunch.  I've made them at home but never packed them before.  I should give it a try.  Here is her recipe.  I generally add in leeks and mushrooms and broccoli to my frittatas but if you are using this recipe, make sure you chop up your veggies very very small because the "batter" has to fit in the small holes of a mini muffin tin.

I'll post more fun photos of food soon.  I realize they are way more fun to look at than words!

Baby Frittatas 

(Makes 12 Baby Frittatas)

4 Large Egg Whites

2 Large Eggs (whole)
2 Tbsp Milk
1/2 cup shredded Mexican Four-Cheese blend
1/4 Cup onion, diced

1/4 cup baby spinach, diced
Salt, pepper and garlic powder (to taste)

1. Preheat the oven 375 degrees.
2. Spray or grease mini muffin tins with oil or butter.
3. Whisk the eggs and milk together. Add the cheese, onions and spinach, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir to mix ingredients together.
4. Add a heaping tablespoon of egg/vegetable mixture to each muffin cup.
5. Bake for 14-17 minutes.
6. Cool and serve.

Lunch on April 15 - pasta, avocado, fruit

Today is an example of a lunch packed the morning of.  No frills, no fun accessories, just something thrown together from what is in the fridge.  Today I am serving leftover pasta with cheese sauce.  Despite my efforts to serve fresh, wholesome foods most of the time, this dish came from a box.  It's apparently "organic" but it's basically Trader Joe's fancy version of mac and cheese.  Juju usually eats mac and cheese when she has a babysitter and this is leftover from earlier in the week when we went out.  The shells and cheese are paired with half an avocado and a fruit medley of strawberries, grapes, and cantaloupe.  I also threw some granola in one of my new SnackTaxi sacks that arrived the other day.

Speaking of granola, I wanted to post a fantastic kosher for Passover recipe for granola since Pesach starts on Monday night.  Even if you aren't Jewish you will find this recipe delish.  It is courtesy of my friend Marla (it's actually her mother's recipe) and is a great breakfast alternative to the all too common matzah and butter:

Matzah granola

Ingredients:
2 cups matzo farfel (or just crush up regular matzah to fill 2 cups)

1 cup almonds (I use slivered, unpeeled)

1/2 cup shredded coconut (I usually omit this)

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup diced, dried apricots

1/2 cup pitted dates, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine farfel, almonds, coconut.
Add honey and oil to the bowl and mix well.

Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet and even it out.

Bake the granola for 20 minutes, stopping at 10 minutes to stir it up.
After 20 minutes, transfer the granola onto a platter, or just remove the foil from the baking sheet and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Pour the granola into bowl, add raisins, apricots, dates, mix well.

Enjoy!

Lunch on April 14, 2011 - with love from the farmer's market

I'm writing today's post quickly.  I took the morning off to hang out with Juju and I have a bunch of work to catch up on.  I apologize in advance for any typos.

This morning we headed to Santa Monica to walk around the farmer's market. I haven't been to that one in years and somehow remember it much bigger (maybe it's bigger on the weekend?).  But it was certainly big enough for our needs today.  And although her first choice was to go to the zoo, I think Juju was happy we went because she had her first taste of one of my favorite snacks, peas in the pod (or English peas if you prefer) and she is hooked!

I have fond memories of eating fresh peas as a very young child.  I remember at our old house in NY we had a vegetable garden out back (I think my Grandpa Leo who had a green thumb planted it for us) and we grew peas.  I loved running out there and eating the peas right off the stalk.  This reminds me I want to figure out a way to grow vegetables in our backyard.  We tried once with tomatoes but we live in a canyon and some of our animal neighbors kept harvesting everything for us before we could get to them.  I also want to compost since peas in the pod leave a good amount of waste.  I'll work on both of those ideas when I have some more time.

Juju wasn't interested in the peas at first but once I showed her how to eat them she was obsessed.  She ate the entire bag in about a block and a half so I had to go back and buy some more for tomorrow's lunch.  It was actually a great way to move around the farmer's market.  Her eyes and hands were so focused on not dropping any peas on the ground that she moved slowly and stuck by me stand after stand.  We also bought some beautiful strawberries.  They are finally starting to taste as they should which means summer will be here before I know it.  Time really does fly.

I made lunch ahead of time again; our mornings are just too crazy to make a fresh lunch and I certainly wouldn't have time to blog about lunch if I made it in the morning!  Joining the peas in the pod are clementine segments, strawberries, and cream cheese hearts.  I made the hearts by slathering a bunch of cream cheese on two pieces of whole grain bread and using one of my handy dandy Tokyo Japanese Outlet heart-shaped cookie cutters.  I've never given Juju a cream cheese sandwich before but my guess is she is going to love it.  I am concerned that the lunch might not have enough protein so I might throw something else in the snailbox like yogurt or hummus and carrots. 

 

When I asked Juju today what she wanted for lunch tomorrow she replied "carrots and ice."  Let's hope this is a welcome substitute.

Inspired by reading this piece on artichokes I bought some beauties at the farmer's market today.  I once had a fantastic raw artichoke salad.  Maybe I'll try making it but I'm guessing the taste will be a little too sophisticated for a toddler's lunch.

Containerization - the first in a series

I have to say, the response I've gotten since I started this blog is absolutely amazing, especially considering I've never officially launched it other than highlighting a few of the posts on Facebook.  My friend Caroline sent me photos of her sons' lunches (can you believe she packs 30 snacks and lunches per week and when her 4th son goes to school next year that number will be 35?!?!), my friend Jesse told me she made my pasta salad plus recipe for her whole family and people I haven't seen in years (but love!) have been telling me about the lunches they are making, the containers they are buying, and the foods their kids are eating.  Who knew so many of us had so much to say about lunch?  Thank you so much for reading and interacting with me.  Keep it coming!  And feel free to comment on the posts so others can see the great ideas you all have.

One question I keep getting is about what kinds of lunch bags, bowls, cutlery, and containers I use.  This is something I've been spending a lot of time thinking about lately and I'm happy to share what I use, what I don't use, and what's on my wish list.  I've seen a lot so I will likely break this topic up into a few posts.  I don't know if I'll ever find the perfect kid-friendly food storage options but I'm working on it.


Let's start with the basics, the lunchbox.  We have two in our house but so far we've only used one (the other just looks too clean to take to school).  The one we have been using is affectionately called "the snailbox" by Juju as it's in the shape of a snail and is quite possibly one of the cutest things I've ever seen.  I got it at the Gap but unfortunately it's no longer listed on their website.  The inside is completely insulated which makes keeping things cold easy and it holds a whole lot for a snail.

We have a Pottery Barn Kids Mackenzie Retro lunchbox sitting on a shelf that will probably see the lunch table some time next fall when I have to pack a lunch daily and may need to relieve the snail.  The Pottery Barn lunchbox was a gift and came with some snazzy green containers (alas they are plastic) and best of all a green and white cutlery set (stainless steel utensils - hooray) complete with a case to take them back home in a sanitary manner.  I had been sending Juju with loose utensils to school and it's a lot more pleasant to unpack her sack now.  Despite the plastic cutlery holder, I really endorse these.  The plastic isn't ever really touching the food so from what little I know about the dangers of plastic leaching into food, this seems to be ok.

My friend Jesse (the one who made the pasta salad!) introduced me to the world of reusable fabric snack bags about two years ago.  I have to say, I was really reluctant at first.  It seemed like a weird idea to hold food in fabric, and I wasn't really sure how I could possibly get them clean.  Plastic bags sounded way more sanitary.  But I tried the Snack Taxi (then called Happy Sacks) Jesse gave me and I actually really liked it.  It was easier for Juju to hold and open when she was younger and it certainly was prettier.  The inside is lined with nylon which is really easy to wipe out and you can also throw them in the wash.  I haven't put anything like a sandwich in mine yet (somehow that still feels weird) but it's great for holding pretzels, crackers, granola, etc.

I've tried a few other kinds because above all, I really like that they are reusable.  The few I bought on Etsy where homemade looking and I didn't realize when I was buying them that that were unlined (big mistake).   The sample sale site Zulily featured a company called ReSnackIt last week and I bought two bags from them.  I'll let you know what they're like when I get them.  I just noticed on their website that they also have some snack bags with double pouches which look really cool.  I also bought some more Snack Taxis yesterday (there are some on sale and it's hard for me to resist a sale!) because I am not yet the kind of blogger who gets free things sent to her to try out. . .though of course I am always open to such a scenario.

I feel the need to point out that I am really not the greenest person around.  I do plenty of things that probably waste a lot of energy and resources.  If you met me for the first time you would not mistake me for Al Gore.  I just feel good knowing that I am in some way working to cut down on waste and sparing my family some exposure to plastic in our food.  But if I am being totally, totally honest, I will admit that I am a sucker for cute accessories and lunch is no exception.  Fabric snack bags really are way cuter than ziplocs.  It's really a win-win.

This is pretty much all the fabric I pack with lunch.  Next time I'll focus on some more of the stainless steel I send to school.