PIZZADOGS for lunch...

Hi Friends! I hope you are all having a great summer! We sure are, and we have been super busy. The fam and I spent some time at the lake last week with our Squeasy Gear. (Learn more about Squeasy Gear HERE.) Look for a post all about our lake adventure very soon. And we're back on the road again next week. But, I thought I'd pop in for some quick blogging as this is a super post-worthy lunch. My kids are big fans of pizza (like that's a big surprise), and they love hotdogs (bigger surprise??!!). So, what do you get when you combine yummy pizza with a juicy hotdog? You guessed it....a super scrumptiously delicious taste explosion...the PIZZADOG. Yep, you heard right...Pizza + hotdog = PIZZADOG. I so wish I could take credit for this awesome culinary combo, but I ran across the recipe on Pinterest, and, of course, it immediately found its way to my food board.

So, I made a pizzadog for both of my kids for lunch today, and they demolished it beyond recognition. Yep, I was the cool lunch mom! So yeah, I can see this one happening at my house on a regular basis. I know, I know. The PIZZADOG is definitely not health food, but I healthified (hey...it's a word) the PIZZADOG the best I could. I used a King's Hawaiian hot dog bun (an ordinary hotdog bun would have been fine, but the King's Hawaiian bun just sent this over the edge!), Natural Selects nitrate-free hotdogs, Muir Glen organic pizza sauce, Applegate pepperoni, and fresh mozzarella/cheddar cheese. I threw in some black olives, carrots, Sunburst cherry tomatoes, and grapes. And, of course, packed in our favorite lunchbox, the Easylunchboxes, we have lunch success! Friends, these were sooooo good. I hope you will try them.

Here's a brief rundown of the PIZZADOG:

INGREDIENTS:

• Hotdog buns
• Hotdogs
• Pizza sauce
• Mozzarella and cheddar cheese
• Pepperoni
• Italian seasoning

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 400*.
2. Cook the hotdogs according to your preference. I used the microwave for convenience.
3. Place hotdog in a hotdog bun. Top each hotdog with the pizza sauce....the more, the better.
4. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning onto the pizza sauce.
5. Add the cheese on top of the pizza sauce....again, more is better.
6. Place pepperoni on top of the cheese.
7. Cook in the oven for appx. 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is oozey and melted and the bun is toasted.
8. Repeat, as you are going to want a second one.

These are easy, simple, and can be changed up for your family's taste. Add olives and mushrooms. Add your family's favorite pizza toppings. Change up the cheese. These will still be yummy. 

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

Peanut butter & jelly RITZwiches....

Well, my kidlets have been in school now for 3 weeks. I am still in disbelief that it's already back-to-school time again. We're finally getting back into the swing of things, though. The weather today here in the M-town is gorgeous!! It's the end of August in Memphis, and the high today is 82*. That is unbelievable. The norm is mid 90's. And, the temps are going to be like this for the next week or so. This morning, I could distinctly feel a bit of fall in the air.....it was a cool, brisk 58*. Yep...fall is just around the corner. It's my favorite time of the year....snuggly sweatshirts, yummy chili, football, and, of course, all things pumpkin. I'm so ready for......

Anyway, most kids love peanut butter, right? Z is no exception. Z loves it!!! He does not attend a school that bans it, so I serve PB up pretty often. I like to make PB&J rollups, wraps, sushi, and homemade Uncrustables. A favorite snack around here is peanut butter and Ritz crackers, and I make these for Z's snack quite often. Well, the other day, I got a hankering (I love that word) to change up the 'ol PB-Ritz cracker combo. Yes, the PB&J Ritzwich was born. Score one for mom!! (I'm sure this is not my original creation, but my kidlet doesn't know that. LOL) The salty buttery flavor of the Ritz, the creamy peanut butter combined with yummy sweet cherry bubblegum jelly......HOLY MOLEY!!!! That's some yummy goodness there, y'all.

Why, yes, I did say cherry bubblegum jelly. What!!!! You've never heard of cherry bubblegum jelly?? Well, neither had I until my friend recently bought me a jar and turned me on to it. Pioneer Valley makes this unusual jelly combo. It's made with premium ingredients, is sweetened with fresh fruit, and has no fillers, corn syrup, or preservatives. It's particularly popular with the under 10 crowd in my house. Me....I'm a strawberry fruit girl, so this has a somewhat interesting flavor to me. So, if you want to step outside the jelly box, and try something a little different, this cherry bubblegum jelly is just for you.

I included the peanut butter and cherry bubblegum RITZwiches in Z's lunch for today.

These little delights can be a bit messy, but you can cut down on the mess factor by making these with the mini Ritz crackers......delish AND cute!!! Just pop the whole thing in your mouth at once. You can also up the yumminess factor by adding a thin slice of banana. Peanut butter, jelly and banana RITZwiches.....Oh Yeah!!!!

This lunch is packed in EasyLunchboxes.

• RITZwiches- Ritz crackers, peanut butter, and Pioneer Valley cherry bubblegum jelly
• Sargento cheddar cheese cubes
• Natural Selects Bologna rolls
• baby carrots and Sungold cherry tomatoes
• Oikos Greek yogurt with strawberry heart
• golden raisins in the blue tube- This is an empty mint container....I can repurpose just about anything into a lunch accessory. LOL

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

Hello 3rd grade...

Hey Mamas!!!! It's time for the kidlets to go.......

Well, today is the first day of school here in the M-town (insert frowny face), and the little guy is starting 3rd grade. We had a blast this summer (insert happy face)...lots of pool time and a super fun vacation. Z was so excited this morning, bouncing around like Tigger. He couldn't hardly wait to get out the door. It was POURING down rain...I'm talking buckets and buckets, and that didn't squelch (I love that word) his enthusiasm one bit. However, back-to-school time always leaves me a bit melancholy. I know that Z has missed his friends, and I know that I should be overjoyed that he looks forward to school with such gusto. But, I love having my kidlets home with me. I just miss them when school starts. However, I'm pretty sure that the first kid-free grocery shopping trip and lunch with my bestie (insert enormously happy face) will cure me of the back-to-school blues, and I'll be back on track.

Here's our first lunch of the school year: 

This lunch is packed in Easylunchboxes.

• Natural Selects hotdog and Vermont Smoke and Cure pepperoni slices- Both are all-natural and are nitrate and additive free.
• Rold Gold pretzels
• Babybel cheese
• Lakeview Farms spinach/artichoke dip with Baby carrots- Sorry, Z's carrots were a bit dry....time for Mama to go to the grocery.
• red seedless grapes and mandarin orange slices
• Hershey's cookies and cream miniature bar

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

 

I think I can.....I think I can...

Yep! The title of this post says it all!!! I think I can!!! The end of the school year is finally here. FIVE. MORE. DAYS. I think I can! I feel like that little engine in the book The Little Engine That Could. The kids and I all have end-of-the-school-year-itis, and we are sooo ready to be outside playing, riding bikes, swimming, eating Popsicles, and of course, sleeping late. Our school focus is completely defunct and non-existent, and so is my lunch making mojo! But, we can do it....five more days. It's funny how every year we complain about how early school starts...usually the first week in August. But, the kidlets and I sure do love getting out in May. We're heading out on a family vacay next week so as to beat the summer heat, and the weather should be great! Whoohoo!!!!      

 We LOVE.......

So, lunchmaking this week will probably consist of "just throw it in a box" type lunches. But, any lunch looks cute when packed in a fun lunchbox like the Yumbox, Bento Kids, or the Goodbyn. Add a couple colorful silicone cups and you're all set. Today's lunch for the boy is packed in the Goodbyn Bynto, and it took me 10 minutes to make. Yep...I just "threw it in the box". Looks pretty fun and cute, huh?

This lunch is packed in the Goodbyn Bynto.

• King's Hawaiian dinner roll sandwich- Natural Selects ham and Swiss cheese
• Pirate's Booty puffed cheese snacks
• Sunburst cherry tomatoes
• Oikos strawberry Greek yogurt
• Pink Lady apple wedges
• mini shortbread cookie

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

Easy Lunchboxes are awesome...

Here at The Lucky Lunchbox, I get asked pretty often what my favorite lunchbox is. Like many of you, I have a cabinet FULL of lunch-making gear, lunch boxes, and bento boxes. I pack lunch for my son everyday, so I like to have a variety to choose from. I'm very fond of my all-in-one lunchboxes like the Yumbox and the Bentogo Kids, but the lunchboxes I find myself reaching for most often are the Easy Lunchboxes.

So, why are the Easy Lunchboxes my go-to lunchbox, you ask?? First of all, they are, well, EASY....easy for me and easy for my kidlet. I spend about 15 minutes a night making my little guy's lunch, and I love that the Easy Lunchboxes are one compact container. Whatever I'm packing for Z's lunch fits neatly into the 3 compartments.....I don't have to fuss with a multitude of zip-top baggies or separate plastic containers. Quick and EASY, right? As for Z, he can sit down at the lunch table, pop off the single lid, and before the other kiddies are done fighting with zip-top baggies full of crushed chips and searching for a teacher to remove difficult plastic container lids, he is happily noshing on his lunch. EASY, right?

Here are some of the other features that I love about the Easy Lunchboxes:

• ELB's are economical.  A pack of four boxes with colored lids is appx. $14. ELB's are budget friendly....a must for all the frugal mamas out there.
• ELB's are convenient. They nest together to save space and are dishwasher, freezer, and microwave approved.
• ELB's are eco-friendly. They are BPA, PVC, and phthalates free, and are waste free, so they are good for Mother Earth.
• ELB's are functional. They have three divided compartments of different sizes. So, sandwiches don't get mushy from fruit and chips don't get crushed. ELB's are NOT leakproof, however. 
• ELB's are kid friendly. They have easy open lids and are very lightweight, and ELB's are very durable.
• ELB's are fashionable. No, really! They come in three sets of fabulous colors: Classics, Brights, and Urbans....great colors to satisfy even the pickiest color connoisseur.
• ELB's are long lasting. I've been using my original set of Easy Lunchboxes for 19 months, and they still are in great shape with very little wear....not even a stain on them. 

So, let's sum it all up. Easy Lunchboxes are awesome!! They are staples in my lunch-packing arsenal.

Enough gushing.....now on to today's lunch!

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunchboxes.

• Natural Selects ham and pepperoni sandwich on whole wheat bread
• cheddar cheese slices
• Clif Kid organic Z bar- These are a new food like for Z. They are a great snack choice, too.
• strawberries 
• baby carrots and red cherry tomatoes with Ranch dressing in the green box 

Some of the things, or similar things, that  I used to make this lunch:

Sister Schuberts saves the day...

Ok...I admit it! My kids eat A LOT of sandwiches. They make for such an easy and simple lunch. It's a daily challenge to make a healthy and appealing lunch that kids will want to eat, isn't it? Now, my little guy doesn't mind sandwiches, and he is not too picky with them. But, regular white or wheat sandwich bread is definitely not his fave. He will eat these, but much prefers other breads. So, I often make him sandwiches on different types of bread. Some of his favorites are: King's Hawaiian dinner rolls, Sister Schubert's rolls, croissants, Oroweat flat sandwich rounds, bagels, English muffins, and pretzel bread. For today's lunch, I used a Sister Schubert's dinner roll to make Z a ham and cheese sandwich. These little rolls are the perfect size for a kid sandwich, and they are soooo good. If you have a kidlet that fusses over the regular white or wheat bread sammie, try using one of these other delicious breads for a sandwich. You very well may have sandwich-eating success!

This lunch is packed in the Goodbyn Bynto.

• Natural Selects nitrate free ham and Swiss cheese sandwich on a Sister Schubert's dinner roll
• Pepperidge Farm's gold fish crackers
• Sunburst cherry tomatoes with ranch dressing in the rainbow cup
• Yoplait dye-free yogurt
• Pink Lady Apple wedges
• Kit-Kat mini candy piece

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

Bentgo Kids and a bear....

Giving the Bentgo Kids lunchbox a go again today. So far, we really like this lunchbox. For those of you familiar with the Yumbox, it is comparable in size to it. The inner box layout varies some, but capacitywise, the Bentgo Kids box holds about the same as the Yumbox. We're still in the "testing" phase of this new lunchbox, so after my son has used it a few more times, I'll share with you my thoughts on it compared to the Yumbox. 

This lunch is packed in the Bentgo Kids lunchbox.

• Natural Selects bologna and mustard sandwich with cheddar cheese bear
• Rold Gold mini pretzels
• red seedless grapes
• carrot rounds and green olives
• Colby-Jack cheese cubes
• Brothers-All-Natural raspberry-Fuji apple fruit clusters mixed with Happy Times organic yogurt melts- My kids love the freeze dried fruit. The BAN fruit clusters are 100% fruit with nothing artificial added....a fun alternative to fresh fruit. The Happy Times yogurt melts are little yogurt bites that are freeze dried, as well. These make great snack choices, too.

Linked to: What's for lunch Wednesday


Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

Snowmageddon in the M-town....

Dear Mother Nature,
          I have two words for you......very funny!!! Yesterday, it was 66*, and I was wearing my flip flops. Today, it is 20*, and we have 8 inches of ice and snow on the ground. That is crazy!!! We are two weeks away from spring, so please, no more unexpected weather surprises! Whatever deal you made with the groundhog, please rethink it!

                                                                        Signed,
                                                                        Frustrated, snowed-in Mama

We finally got some snow in the M-town. We have wanted snow since winter began and now, two weeks away from spring, and we get hit with snowmageddon. Blerg! Well played, Mother Nature. The kidlets were, of course, overjoyed when they hopped out of bed this morning and were met with a winter wonderland. Schools are closed today and tomorrow, so that is only adding to their giddiness. They are outside with my husband right now happily frolicking in the fluffy white stuff. Me.....I'm sitting in front of a nice warm fire. I did venture out this morning before the kids stirred and all the peaceful, fluffy whiteness was disturbed and I took a few pictures....snow covered everything really is beautiful. I think I'll head to the kitchen now to make some hot chocolate. My fridged little snow bunnies should be coming in very soon. Enjoy your day, Friends.

Here is yesterday's lunch for the boy.

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.

• Hawaiian bread Natural Selects ham and mustard mini sandwiches
• cheddar cheese cubes
• red seedless grapes
• sweet peas
• Snack Factory pretzel thins with one Snack Factory chocolate covered pretzel thin

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

Bentgo Kids lunchbox

Hey, hey Y'all!! Lookie here. There's a new lunchbox in the house. This is a Bentgo Kids lunchbox, and isn't it super cute? I've been eying one of these for some time, and I finally was able to get my hands on one. If your're a regular reader of The Lucky Lunchbox, then you already know how much I love the all-in-one type bento lunchboxes.....lunchboxes with the lid attached and divided compartments for food. I love the all-in-one type lunchboxes because they allow my son to sit down at the lunch table and begin eating his lunch....no baggies to open, no difficult container lids to open, no looking for a teacher to open said difficult lid. He can spend his 25 valuable minutes of lunch eating his lunch. I have very high hopes for this Bentgo Kids lunchbox.

The Bentgo Kids box is designed with children in mind. The recommended ages for this box are 3 to 7. My little guy is 7, and it holds plenty of food for him. (He has a small to medium appetite.) This box is on the small side. However, the Bentgo Kids lunchbox can be strategically packed so that it holds quite a lot of food. I can see my son using it for a couple more years. It may not be sufficient for bigger-kid appetites, though. It comes in three fun, bright colors...green, blue, and purple...sure to please even the pickiest color connoisseur.

The Bentgo Kids lunchbox has five individual compartments; one large compartment which is perfect for a small salad or half of a sandwich, and 3 smaller compartments that are great for fruit, veggies, pretzels, yogurt, or snacks. The smallest compartment is just the right size for ketchup, ranch dressing, or a fun little treat. I really like that the 5 individual compartments are sealed and leakproof when the box is closed.....yep! The food stays where it should, which means no soggy sandwiches or pretzels from leaking applesauce. 

The front two clasps are easy to manipulate, which is great for small fingers. And the ultimate Mama-loving feature....the inner tray pops out and goes in the dishwasher. WooHoo!! (I would hand wash the outer box so as to preserve the leakproof seal.) The Bentgo Kids box has rubber coated edges and a sturdy drop-proof design, which is great for busy, on-the-go kids (or my little dropsy mopsy). It comes with an awesome 2-year warranty and is made with the highest quality food-grade materials, which means the box is free of BPA, PVC, Phthalates, lead, and vinyl. 

The Bentgo Kids lunchbox costs appx. $28, and this does not include a carrying bag. It is not insulated, so an ice pack needs to be included.

So far, I really like this lunchbox. It makes eating AND packing lunch fun! I look forward to more fun lunches in the Bentgo Kids lunchbox. 

I'm very pleased to share with you our very first Bentgo Kids lunch:

This lunch is packed in the Bentgo Kids lunchbox.
*  Natural Selects bologna roll ups
*  Monterrey Jack cheese wedge
*  Pepperidge Farms cheddar cheese gold fish
*  baby carrot sticks with Ranch dressing in the rainbow box
*  Yoplait  dye-free yogurt
*  Brothers-All-Natural raspberry-Fuji apple fruit clusters- My kids love the freeze dried fruit. These BAN fruit clusters are 100% fruit with nothing artificial added. They are a fun alternative to fresh fruit, and they make great snacks.
*  Mott's Natural fruit snacks


Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:
     

Healthy heart Yumbox...

Hi Friends! I cannot believe today is the last day of February. I have one more heart themed lunch to share with you to support February as the American Heart Association's healthy heart month. Better late than never, huh? The AHA promotes Heart Month to raise awareness about heart disease and how people can prevent it. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. So, please take care of your ticker, Friends! Lots of healthy foods to help my little guy's heart packed in the Yumbox today.

This lunch is packed in the Yumbox.

• triple-decker Natural Selects ham and cheddar cheese heart sandwich on whole grain bread
• sweet peas with 2 heart shaped carrots
• Rold Gold honey wheat pretzels
• Yoplait dye-free yogurt with strawberry heart center
• sliced strawberries
• heart shaped jelly beans

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

Ham croissantwich

Well, we are still in the deep freeze here. When it's this cold, I find it difficult to even leave my house. A cup of coffee and my warm, toasty heated blanket just calls my name. But, I did manage to throw on my parka and boots and do a little shopping at Costco with my mom yesterday. I love shopping at Costco with my mom. Most of the things we buy, we split....fruit, veggies, cheese, and meat especially. Yesterday, we bought and split these ginormous croissants. These things are HUGE! They were four inches thick. Z loves croissants, so today's lunch is a ham croissantwich. I actually cut the middle of the croissant out to make the sandwich smaller. It's still huge, and I fully expect that he won't eat all of it. Mom and I also bought the Costco chicken salad to split, and it is yummo on the croissants. Good eatin' yall!!

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.

• Natural Selects ham and Monterrey Jack cheese croissantwich
• Rold Gold honey wheat pretzel sticks
• Cuties clementine and red seedless grapes
• baby carrots and red seedless grapes with Ranch dressing for dipping

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

Baby, it's cold outside!!

Well, the title of this post says it all....Baby, it's COLD outside. The high this morning was 8* with a windchill of -10*. Yes, I know that there a lots of places with colder weather than this, but for the M-town, this is fridged. You know it's cold when my cold loving Spoo refuses to be outside for more than 5 minutes...even with his sweater on. (What!! Your dog doesn't have a winter sweater? Ok...I admit. He's pretty pampered.) The weather man is predicting some frozen precip on Sunday, so you bet I have some happy kids. Snow is a rarity around here, so I myself wouldn't be too disappointed by the fluffy white stuff. So, winter is the theme for today's lunch in our Goodbyn Bynto.

This lunch is packed in the Goodbyn Bynto.

• Natural Selects nitrate free hotdog and black olive mini skewers
• Honeycrisp apple wedges
• four bean salad with mittens pick
• Yoplait lemon yogurt with snowman shaped cupcake icing decoration 
• small square of brownie brittle
• Rold Gold cheddar cheese pretzels

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

Welcome 2015

Hi friends!! Welcome to 2015!! Seems like it's been forever since I made a blog post. The kiddos winter break sneaked up on me, and we were super duper busy from the first day they got out of school....no time for blogging. Today is their first day back to school, and it was HARD!! The little guy was up and raring to go....so ready to see his friends again. The 15 year old....not so much! Me....ummm, let's just say after 2 cups of coffee, I still had major "no homework, sleeping late, love having my babies home" back-to-school blues. (Insert frowny face here.) Lunch with my bestie cured that, though. (Insert smiley face here.) I hope you all had a great winter break and enjoyed lots of time with your kiddos. I'm looking forward to a great 2015 with lots more fun lunches, and I hope you will continue to tune in.

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.

• Natural Selects nitrate free hotdog slices
• baby carrots with Ranch dressing for dipping in the green cup
• Yoplait Trix yogurt- We love Trix yogurt! It has no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners.
• whale shaped cheese crackers
• strawberry slices
• cheddar cheese wedge

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

Welcome December...

Hi Friends! Welcome to December. I hope you all were able to spend some special time with your loved ones last week. The kidlets are back in school today. We enjoyed our Thanksgiving break very much. Now, we are ready to start that downhill slide to the end of the year and winter break. WooHoo!! We can't wait for winter break. December is the month that I like to make winter themed lunches, too. The cold weather has set in, and it's time for some fun snowman lunches. Today's lunch, though, is pretty simple. This lunch took me less than 15 minutes to make. Coming off the long holiday weekend, my lunch making mojo was pretty defunct, so simple was the name of the game last night. Look at these fun scalloped silicone cups. I bought them at TJ Maxx over the weekend, and I love them. They are really thick and sturdy and super cute, too. The same ones are available at Amazon, so I placed a link to them below. Have a great week everybody!!

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.

• Natural Selects turkey hotdog slices
• Monterrey Jack cheese cubes
• Pirate's Booty puffed cheese snacks
• sliced peaches and blueberries
• baby carrots and Ranch dressing for dipping in the green cup

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

Goodbyn Animal Friends

We are really enjoying our Goodbyn Bynto lunchbox. We've been using it for a few weeks now, and I can honestly say that this is a great lunchbox. The only "con" about the Bynto is that it is not leakproof. My little guy normally carries all of his lunchboxes flat so leaking is not a major concern for me most of the time. But, just to be cautious, I always put foods like yogurt and applesauce in a lidded container when using the Bynto. However, wouldn't a leakproof Bynto be ever so awesome? HELLO......Goodbyn Bynto  people....are you listening?? LOL  Well, we love the Bynto so much, we'll certainly keep on using it leakproof or not. It was just announced, too, that the Goodbyn Bento will be coming out in a purple color soon.....can't wait to see that!

This lunch is packed in the Goodbyn Bynto.

• Natural Selects Bologna roll ups 
• Rold Gold honey wheat pretzel sticks
• Babybel cheese
• baby carrot sticks and Sungold cherry tomatoes
• red seedless grapes
• natural applesauce in the yellow cup

I added a few cute animal picks for fun.

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch:

Cute can be quick...

Giving the Goodbyn Bynto a go again today. It was quite a hit the other day. The little guy really likes this lunchbox....he requested it today. I like that my jumbo silicone cups fit nicely in the Goodbyn, too. I love the jumbo cups....I can find so many great uses for them. I put this lunch together in about 15 minutes....no special tools or cutters needed. Just goes to show cute can be quick!

This lunch is packed in the Goodbyn Bynto .

• Natural Selects bologna spirals- I cut a round slice of bologna into three pieces and rolled each piece into a spiral. I then cut a stick of string cheese into thirds and placed the pieces between the bologna. 
• cantaloupe chunks
• Rold Gold mini pretzels
• Chobani yogurt
• Sungold cherry tomatoes with ranch dressing in the orange cup
• green olives
• Hershey's cookies and cream square

Linked to: Eats Amazing/ Fun Food Friday

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch: