Done avoiding it like me and finally starting to freak out over all of the things you’ve NOT done to get ready for back-to-school.
Maybe you’ve decided to finally make this the year that your kid isn’t the one with the cruddy shoes and the half used glue sticks.
Or, maybe, you’re feeling really bad because your kids already started and you still haven’t gotten yourself together completely?!
Don’t beat yourself up over your lack of back-to-school preparedness; we’ve all been there, or will be one day, or know someone who’s worse, or even if we don’t, are nice enough not to call you out at open house night, so it’s cool.
Procrastinators unite!
In an effort to ensure that my kids at least aren’t the ones opening up their lunch boxes to a can of Vienna sausages and a roll of Ritz Crackers every day, I’m partnering with some of my favorite and WAY more organized blogging mamas to take a creative lunch challenge!
We’re challenging each other to think outside the bologna for one whole month of healthy, happy, hip lunch ideas for me, for you, for the world!
Nothing too fancy, nothing labor intensive, and nothing that will break the bank or keep from Tweeting with my homies every night; you guys know how I roll.
Plus, all of the ideas I share with you will be Dude Approved (meaning at least one of them has been known to actually eat it) and Dumb Mom tested (meaning they will be easy and fast and, um, really easy).
And, to add to the madness, of picky eaters and peanut allergies (#3 has one), we’ve discovered that there is a chance that #2 has a gluten intolerance. So in addition to being creative, we will also be peanut (for #3) and gluten free (for #2) over here too.
Um, complicated! But, hopefully not for long.
I’m sitting down today and planning our back to school meals so I can get ready to rock the posts and feed my kids some edible awesomeness.
Want to follow along?
We’re so organized we even have a schedule so you can keep up with us, and maybe get inspired to up the awesome in your kids’ lunch boxes a little too.
Monday: Sharon.
Her kids: 6 (yes, SIX), ages 11, 10, 9, 8, 7 & 6
Her biggest lunch challenge: To find balanced and healthy choices that the kids will actually eat (and not bring home un-eaten!) And it has to be easy and fast to prepare too!
Her blog: Mom of 6. Great tips and tricks for being organized and keeping it all together for a family of 8. Creative, easy to do, tips to help every parent get renewed and inspired to tackle their busy lives!
Tuesday: Angie.
Her kids: 5 (I know, right?!), Ages 12, 10, 8 & 6yr old twins.
Her biggest lunch challenge: Making them healthy lunches with lots of variety. They hate the same old thing day after day.
Her blog: Seven Clown Circus. A fun and creative site filled with photos of her busy life with 5 kids. She loves words, hopes to write a book one day, and spends a ridiculous amount of time with her vacuum cleaner. Head to Seven Clown Circus for fun craft ideas and fun stories about big family life.
Wednesday: Nicole.
Her kids: 3, Ages 7 & 2.5 year old twins
Her biggest lunch challenge: Finding ways to add variety, especially when the kids can be particular (aka picky).
Her blog: Moments That Define Life. A military mama with twins plus one, Nicole’s blog is a tribute to life. Hers, her families, her kids’ , and her blog’s! She does an awesome job of helping other bloggers learn the insider tips and tricks for growing a successful community with her how-to-blog-better posts and power blogger interviews.
Thursday: Amanda, parenting BY dummies.
Her kids: 3, Ages 10, 7 & 4.
Her biggest lunch challenge: Not screaming, “PUT YOUR BLOODY SHOES ON ALREADY!” while making a new lunch as we rush out the door in the morning because no one wanted to eat the soggy sandwich I calmly prepared and refrigerated for them the night before.
Her blog: parenting BY dummies. Fun loving Dude Mom whose Mom Awesome lifestyle is what her humor blog is made of. Read, her blog is for entertainment purposes only. Any tips or tricks you find here should likely not be trusted until you put them to the test yourself. She does give amazing fashion advice (thanks to her TV makeover), runs her very own online book club, and knows how to work a camera like a boss.
Friday: Elaine.
Her kids: 3, Ages 8, 5 & 2
Her biggest lunch challenge: Giving the kids a variety of foods because they seem to like the same things over and over… Plus we cannot have peanut butter at our school, which I understand and we work around, but sometimes is also a challenge…
Her blog: The Miss Elaine-ous Life. A lifestyle blog about living a beautiful life. Elaine is a whiz with the camera, write heartfelt posts about her family life, and even dabbles in making her house pretty from the inside out. You never know exactly what miscellany you’re going to get, but you can be certain that it will be awesome.
You can follow along starting with Sharon on Monday!
This will be fun. I have the pickiest eater ever, so it’s usually a bologna lunchable, or a salami, cheese, and mustard sandwich. Some new ideas would be great.
Yay! Looking forward to teaming up and rocking this year’s lunches!
Oh, I CANNOT WAIT! Lunch is one of the biggest challenges for us because although my kids aren’t picky (although they aren’t big on sandwiches), it’s hard to put in a lunch box what I would normally make for actual lunch at home. I need all the tips I can get because if you come home one more time talking about your stomach is touching your back but your whole lunch has been uneaten, I will not be rushing to get dinner on the table faster than usual.
This is awesome. I want to send Cady with more made from home lunches this year and cut down on the stuff they feed her at school (what is that stuff anyway) even though she really likes to buy her lunch (yeah, I don’t get it either). I even purchases some fancy little reusable things for her lunch kit.
I’m really looking forward to this. Those lunches are the bane of my existence! 5 a day, including my husband. I can’t even bear to make one for myself. Last year it was PBJ almost every day for my picky eaters. We need to step it up!
What a great idea!! I’ll follow along… who knows… maybe I’ll find something that the teens will take to school and eat. My 10 yr old will take just about anything!
I cannot wait to get ideas (oh and give some too… ) ;-) YAY!
I be WAY excited for this. I hate making lunch.
Great! I am looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with.
I don’t make lunches. They make their own????? I’ll tell them about the series and see if they want to follow along. You’ll remind me, right?
I’m totally excited about this series. I really need the inspiration! Yay!!
I have a picky eater. Looking forward to some cool ideas.
Looking for healthy, un-boring lunches.
You think of everything!!! I’m not even embarassed to say we are related!! I’m so proud of you! xoxo