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Farm Kitchen:  Brown Bag Challenge  |
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StarMeadow
True Blue Farmgirl
940 Posts
T
MI
940 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 03 2008 : 08:24:52 AM
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I'd have to say that the Japanese have got it covered in the lunch box department. They are called "bento". Check out http://www.lunchinabox.net to get started. I've taken my lunch to work often. My boys are not that thrilled about brown bagging it at school. My high schooler would rather go hungry I think. Last year, on the two of them, having lunch almost daily and my little one throwing in for breakfast too, it was over $1000!!! AND I know, it was not as nutritious as I can make. This year will be MUCH different. Our school lunch program thinks that a cheese stuffed white flour pretzel is an entre! I have a recipe for a stuffed bagel that's to die for and if the kids want something "stuffed" that's what they are going to get but not at the school lunch price! OK...I'm settled down again now.... But really check out bento boxes. I don't have the time/nor the inclination to spend hours snipping carrot slices into "grass" substitutes or making faces with rice...but I do like to check out the photos. Look at lunchinabox's "lunch links" for more photos. Bento lunches are considered high art to some! It is amazing! You don't have to go overboard on all the bento stuff though. Here are some quick pics to get you started!
I am grateful. I have enough. |
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mikesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3659 Posts
Sherri
Elma
WA
USA
3659 Posts |
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carolbrigid
True Blue Farmgirl
263 Posts
Carol
Glen Burnie
Maryland
USA
263 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2008 : 2:09:02 PM
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I LOVE the bucket!! I want one!
Farmgirl Hugs,
Carol
Farmgirl Sister #222
Member, Crafty Bay Farmgirl Chapter |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2008 : 2:45:44 PM
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LOVE this topic. I always bring my luncd to work and am surprised by how many people are interested in what I have to bring. I never thought that I was that interesting until I started working where I do. It seemst to them that bringing their lunch means a processed-frozen-comes-in-a-box type of meal.
Me...well it depends on the day, but mostly, I bring 1/2 of an avacodo,with a few slices of tomato and lots of sprouts (which I make...Sooooo easy to do your own sprouts) on pumpernickel bread bought from my local farmers market. I usually have a couple of pieces of cheese not made by me, but made from milk from my cows, and a cup of tea. Oh and a piece of fruit.
"learn to watch snails" SARK |
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levisgrammy
True Blue Farmgirl
9324 Posts
Denise
Beavercreek
Ohio
USA
9324 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2008 : 5:01:34 PM
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I take my lunch to work sometimes in a bag sometime in a tote. My tote can hold 3 glass canning jars of water. I take my own as I prefer purified from home. I also can fit in there glass containers with things in to make salads and such. I love using glass as opposed to plastic. I think it is much healthier. I don't have to carry this tote much so it would probably not be a suitable option for anyone who has too. Sometimes I tuck in a book to read while I am eating. It can definitely hold alot. The nice thing about this tote bag is that it was free. That's always a plus.
Denise
farmgirl sister #43
"Take a lesson from the teakettle, though up to its
neck in hot water...it sings!"
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
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NadKnitBlog
True Blue Farmgirl
72 Posts
Nadine
Nalbach
Saarland
Germany
72 Posts |
Posted - Jul 11 2008 : 05:19:49 AM
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Not exactly related but I plan to buy some pretty oilcloth and sew reuseable lunch bags for my girlfriends for Christmas this year- filled with some Tupperware containers.... maybe some handwritten recipe cards to give them some ideas. :)
Nadine blogs at http://nadsknittingblog.blogspot.com/ and knits on Ravelry as Nadknitblog and on Plurk she is NadKnitBlog too! |
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keeperofthehome
True Blue Farmgirl
154 Posts
Suzanne
Atlanta
Georgia
USA
154 Posts |
Posted - Jul 11 2008 : 11:28:59 AM
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I'm new to this group, but I'd like to add that I pack my boys and my husband's lunch every day. My husband usually has leftovers. Today's was goulash, asparagus, cantaloupe, and homemade biscuits. I use glass containers for his lunch. The boys, ages 14 & 10, brown bag it at school. They usually get a sandwich or wrap, carrots/celery with dips, and a milk. My question is, how do you get kids to bring their reusable containers home? My kids throw away their wax paper wrappers and brown paper sacks.
Southern Belle always. |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2008 : 4:29:00 PM
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Good luck on that Farrah..... :) Boys will probably not bring home anything if they can help it! But good for you for packing their lunches!
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2008 : 12:12:48 AM
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Farah...I have found that if I use a lunchbox for my kids (instead of a brown bag) they will bring me home everything...banana peels, containers..everything....ewww...but if I use the bags they toss the whole thing..especially the boys. So we use soft side insulated type lunchboxes...and I get those containers back every time. My kids arn't picky eaters but they don't like the school's food one bit..it is easy for them to be excited about packed lunches.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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keeperofthehome
True Blue Farmgirl
154 Posts
Suzanne
Atlanta
Georgia
USA
154 Posts |
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keeperofthehome
True Blue Farmgirl
154 Posts
Suzanne
Atlanta
Georgia
USA
154 Posts |
Posted - Aug 01 2008 : 11:46:10 AM
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I just ordered Mary Jane's suggestion of Laptop Lunches for my son for school. Let's hope he remembers it! It was $35+ shipping.
Blessings!
~Farrah
www.homesteadblogger.com/keeperofthehome/
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City Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Deb
Chattanooga
TN
USA
1402 Posts |
Posted - Aug 06 2008 : 04:14:28 AM
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Farrah - please let me know how you like the laptop. I've heard good and bad things about them. The bad being the tops don't stay on after washing. Also, how old is your son? Are the tops easy for him to remove?
I have a 7 yo dd and when I send some gladware containers to school with dip in them - they come home without the lids attached and it makes for a very messy lunchbag. She just can't get the lids back on by herself.
I'd like to know how easy it is for kids to use. Thanks! I'd love to purchase one of them for each of my girls, but not if they're not easy to use or stand up to wear/tear.
http://www.xanga.com/My_Pondering_Place |
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Peg Graham
True Blue Farmgirl
281 Posts
Peg
Chesapeake
Virginia
USA
281 Posts |
Posted - Aug 07 2008 : 06:30:11 AM
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We bought LapTop Lunch boxes last year and my kids really like them...but you are right that they can get messy if the kids don't put a lid on the containers. One tip: My 7 and 10 yr old wash out their lunchboxes once home from school.
I also find myself sending them to school using Tupperware lunch containers....seals are easier to remove and reseal for them.
Here's some lunch ideas (forgot where I got these from):
Dipping Meals: (get some small containers at target for the dips and put other ingredients either in baggies or a square container. There are also containers with a center dipping ring and the items go around.
* Cheesy Ranch w/ Veggies - 1/2 cup cottage cheese with 2 Tbs Ranch dressing. Pack with carrot sticks, cucumber slices, red and yellow pepper slices, cherry tomates and breadsticks
* Nice & nutty (a fav in our house) - 1/4 cup peanut butter (for school I use cashew butter or almond butter or soy nut butter and just as yummy but peanut butter is the best), 1/4 cup apple juice or even water is ok. Mix until it makes a nice dip. Serve with celery sticks, apple slices, strawberry, multigrain crackers
* Portable pizza - 1/3 cup pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce. Service with cheese stick, whole grain crackers, pepperoni slices and broccoli florets
Hot lunches: get a nice soup thermos, these are also good for keeping items cold like fruit salads. Don't forget utensils
* Turkey Chili - serve with crackers, add veggies like carrots and red peppers to make it a complete meal
* Verry veggie mac and cheese - frozen mixed veggies with mac and cheese work great. I usually add the veggies in to cook with the noodles in the last few minutes
* soup - any soup - tomato soup and have a cheese sandwich for dipping, chicken and stars
Funky sandwiches: creativity tends to be the key here and can be done with any sandwich so all can be varied and done with whatever ingredients
* Stars, circles, hearts, cars - for some reason they are always better in silly shapes so get large cookie cutters. Also this is a great way to remove the crusts. =)
* Sushi sandwich - trim the crust from bread (should be a firmer bread). Place a cheese stick on the edge of the bread and roll up. Place two lunch meats on top of each other, if it is thicker you only need one. Then place bread roll on edge and roll up in the ham. Cut into 6 pieces.
* wacky waffle - put cheese and any other ingredients between 2 slices of bread, firmer better. Spray with cooking spray and place in waffle iron.
* fruit sandwiches - rather than jelly with pb (again for school the other nut butters) I will use fruit like cut up strawberries or bananas, a triple decker with bananas and strawberries with a dark whole-grain bread in between is cool.
* pinwheel sandwiches - wrap ingredients in flour tortillias, roll up and cut. I usually keep a bag of the pre-cooked chicken strips you can find with the lunch meats, they work great.
* cracker sandwiches - crackers with nut butter and jelly, or with lunch meat and cheese, cream cheese and avocado. About 5 made usually do it.
Make your own lunchables: take a look at them in the store and then make your own, generally including the following is a lunchable in itself. Keep seperate and kids can eat it how they want.
* crackers
* cheese slices - use smaller cookie cutters and make fun shapes
* chunkier slices of meat - ham, turkey, salami or get sausage sticks, etc
Treats:
* yogurt granola sundae - layer yogurt, granola and fruit pieces in tupperware
* banana treats - banana rolled in a nut butter of some variety and then rolled in granola, nut pieces or chopped fruit, put on a stick. - you can freeze it as well
* yogurt tubes - i place them in the freezer and then they stay really cold b/c they just start to melt
* trail mix - usually without peanuts
* freeze dried fruit - like the just tomatoes kind - like candy but not
miles of smiles~
Peg |
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keeperofthehome
True Blue Farmgirl
154 Posts
Suzanne
Atlanta
Georgia
USA
154 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2008 : 12:59:51 PM
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Peg,
Thank you so much for the ideas! We got the Laptop lunchbox today and it looks really neat. I haven't gotten the klean kanteen thermos, so hopefully that will come soon. I don't like him using a plastic water bottle, but oh well.
Blessings!
~Farrah
www.homesteadblogger.com/keeperofthehome/
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msjocee
True Blue Farmgirl
129 Posts
Josie
Canyon Country
CA
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - Aug 19 2008 : 3:29:27 PM
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I use to use the laptoplunches to. The lid on both cracked down the "hinge" after 4months of use on both (I have 2 Boys). The company was great they replaced them no promblem. After 2 years the fork finally broke! I was not inmpressed with the beverage thermos the lid never stayed on right and teneded to leak. I try to still use them but the 10 yr. does not like carrying it this year! I use the conatiners in there soft lunchboxes and freeze the juice bags. I also use a small thermos for hot foods. Like left overs or chicken nuggets or mac/cheese . It stays warm till lunch and my boys eat hot food better!
Mom to wild boys: Miah(10), and Jakie(6)
"Everything is Possible for They who believe." |
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prairie_princess
True Blue Farmgirl
613 Posts
Elizabeth
Carpenter
WY
USA
613 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2008 : 2:56:44 PM
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| i rarely eat lunch out anyway. but i know alot of people do. there are so many advantages to packing your own lunch. everytime i eat lunch at college, i notice all the processed foods the students come out of the cafateria with.... and the other half eats lunch out of a snack machine! every once and awhile i'll forget to bring a drink and have to resort to drink machines... i rarely find a good, healthy choice! so, i think this is a great idea... keep giving out new lunch ideas cause i need them! i get tired of sandwhiches... |
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jinia
True Blue Farmgirl
152 Posts
jinia
mo
USA
152 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2008 : 3:11:17 PM
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Okay kindacrunchymom I love the bucket!! Where did you get that? |
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dutchy
True Blue Farmgirl
4427 Posts
4427 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2008 : 11:45:49 AM
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It is kinda "normal" to bring your own lunch to work/school here. I remember when I went to school mom always gave me my lunch in a bread box, a small one.
And when I worked I also took my lunch with me. It is cheaper, better and you know what you get, lol. Instead of going to a burger place or whatever, bring your own.
Hugs from Marian/Dutchy, a farmgirl from the Netherlands :)
http://princess-of-pink-creations.blogspot.com/
my new BLOG.
I have added "new" creations, take a look :)
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barnagainkristin
True Blue Farmgirl
465 Posts
Kristin
Utah
USA
465 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2008 : 9:41:50 PM
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For all of you who want to know where Diane got her lunch container they can be found at reusablebags.com. My daughter bought me one a while back and I love it. We are hooked on taking our lunch in the stainless steel containers since they are the perfect size and so easy to clean. The web site has several options for brown baggers and the prices seem quite good. I was happy to see another farmgirl had found one of these cute and functional containers.
Happy Brown Bagging
barnagainkristin
"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." John Muir |
Edited by - barnagainkristin on Sep 27 2008 9:42:48 PM |
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keeperofthehome
True Blue Farmgirl
154 Posts
Suzanne
Atlanta
Georgia
USA
154 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2008 : 1:46:48 PM
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Thanks for sharing, Kristin. I just looked at them and am surprised how reasonably priced they are!
My son has been using the Laptop lunchbox for about 6 weeks now and so far so good. He's able to get the tops back on and off. However, I find that we are using the thermos more than anything. I have been packing some soup and leftovers with some fruit or celery with milk in the kleankanteen bottle. So far so good!
Thanks ladies for your help, recipes, and advice!
Blessings!
~Farrah
http://homesteadblogger.com/keeperofthehome/
http://oldfashionedhomekeeper.blogspot.com
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JoyIowa
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Joy
273 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 7:23:52 PM
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I have a 7 yo dd and when I send some gladware containers to school with dip in them - they come home without the lids attached and it makes for a very messy lunchbag. She just can't get the lids back on by herself.
I teach elementary kids. Believe me the BEST container for dips are the tupperware midgets. They are like tiny glasses with round lids. I believe they hold 2-4 tablespoons of dressing. They are the only container I have consistently seen kids be able to open without spilling , and close independently.
If it's not illegal, unsafe, or immoral, why not try anything once? Who knows? You may come back for a second helping! |
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K-Falls Farmgirl
Chapter Leader
2096 Posts
Cheryl
Klamath Falls
Oregon
USA
2096 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2008 : 8:01:43 PM
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My question is why are there no Brownbags in the produce section of the grocery store.. Sometimes I need to purchase from the store ... I hate those plastic things on a roll. We use our carry bag and fill it then unload it at the checkout when we cannot find brown paper bags in that dept.
http://www.k-fallsfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
Cheryl #309
Farm girl sister
Enjoy the little things in life....someday you'll look back and realize they were the big things. |
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City Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Deb
Chattanooga
TN
USA
1402 Posts |
Posted - Nov 17 2008 : 03:41:58 AM
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My girls both use a re-usable lunchbox (insulated) most days they take a thermos. Some days a sandwich. What can I use to put the sandwich in that is recyclable? I hate using the plastic. How about snacks? Pretzels & such?
I was looking at this site: http://www.reusablebags.com/store/lunch-bags-sandwich-snack-bags-c-4_13.html Does anyone use those?
I started putting snacks in reusable plastic containers, but once I have some apple sauce in the lunchbox, the sandwich a cold pack.... I start to run out of room. LOL! A bag works much better.
Any ideas?
http://www.xanga.com/My_Pondering_Place |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Nov 17 2008 : 05:13:14 AM
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Ok I seen the wrap n mats in Kiwi Magazine in the May/june issue, it seems like they had some cuter ones too that looked like lady bugs and things. But, my issue is in the car.
Also I have been using for years Wonder Bread's little plastic box for sandwiches. The only thing is....the sandwich really can't have much in it, or the lid won't fit.
So I was going to get some of the cute ones from Kiwi's mag soon. (I liked the lady bugs!)
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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Farm Kitchen: Brown Bag Challenge |
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Brown Bag Challenge
