A Whole Foods Market lunch...

Whole Foods Market....I LOVE Whole Foods. I walk in and I'm suddenly in a hypnotic food trance. I love the variety of interesting fruit choices. I love the unique fish and seafood selections. But, I ADORE their deli area with all the delicious different salad and prepared food choices. My lovely sister and I spent waaaay too much time there yesterday. The hubs always clutches his wallet with a death grip when he knows that I'm going. Going to Whole Foods is like going to Costco....it's impossible to leave without spending a bazonker amount of moolah. Am I right? Hence, I can only visit Whole Foods every couple of months or so. Much to my hubby's delight, though, my Whole Foods haul was quite modest this time. I'd like to share a few of the things that I bought:
Fresh squeezed orange juice- WF has a machine that squeezes the orange juice fresh on the spot. A-MA-ZING!!
Tequila Lime catfish fillets- delish!!
Nonni's Thinaddictives cranberry almond thins
Murcott honey mandarins
Sun dried tomato and salmon bisque- super yum!
California quinoa salad- This salad was so good that I'm going to make a copy-cat recipe.
Balsamic grilled chicken strips
Orange mashed yams with cranberries
Asian pears
Garlicky kale salad- This did not go over as well as the California quinoa salad.

So, today's lunch features some of the things from my Whole Foods shopping trip.

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.

• WF balsamic grilled chicken
• Rold Gold pretzels
• Babybel cheese
• Nonni's Thinaddictives cranberry almond thins
• WF quinoa salad- This salad was delicious! The quinoa was mixed with almond slices, red onion, raisins, mango, coconut flakes, edamame, and red pepper with a very light balsamic dressing. My little guy loves balsamic dressing, so I included a bit more in the froggy container.
• red seedless grapes and Murcott honey mandarin slices- These Murcott mandarins were so sweet and delicious.

Linked to: BentoLunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday

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

Ladybug Goodbyn Bynto

Eeeeeeek!! Isn't this a super cute lunchbox?! This is a Goodbyn Bynto. I have looked at this lunchbox a dozen times at my local Target and passed it up. I love my Easy Lunch Boxes and the Yumbox, but I have been looking for a lunchbox with a different interior design. So, on a whim, I decided to pick one up. WOW!! I love this lunchbox! As you can tell, it is very roomy, and I like having the 3 different sized compartments. There's a lot of room for creativity with the Goodbyn Bynto, too. At first, I thought it would be too big to fit flat in the lunchbags that I use for Z's lunches. But, to my surprise, it fits in every bag that I have for him. It fits well in the EasyLunchboxes Cooler Bag. I also have the Target Embark Personal lunchbag, and it fits great in this bag. The lid snaps on very easily, too, which is great for little hands. And, it comes in several fun colors...red, blue, green, and pink. Best of all, it can go in the dishwasher...and I LOVE that! So, I'm looking forward to making some super cute Goodbyn Bynto lunches.

This lunch is packed in the Goodbyn Bynto .

• Natural Selects ham sandwich cut into the shape of a ladybug- I cut a slice of cheddar cheese in the ladybug shape and placed it on top of the sandwich and added candy icing eyes.
• white cheddar cheese Nips
• baby carrots with ranch dressing in the green oval cup- I added a cute ladybug pick.
• red seedless grapes and strawberries in the ladybug cup
• rainbow popcorn- We picked this up when we were in Gatlinburg last week. It is delish! Each color is a different flavor. Not the healthiest choice, but oh, so gooood!

Linked to: Bentolunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday
                Beneficial Bento/ Fancy Sandwich Friday
                Eats Amazing/ Fun Food Friday



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

Happy Fall Y'all...

Happy fall y'all!!! WooHoo!! Fall has finally arrived in the M-town! I am one happy girl. Fall is my favorite time of the year. Bring on the fleece sweatshirts, fuzzy socks, chili, and the beautiful fall foliage. I have to admit, we really did not have a very harsh summer, but I am just so ready for the cool to set in. Fall break is right around the corner, too, and the Hubs, the kidlets, and I are headed to the mountains for a little R&R. And I am super ready for that!

So, this lunch is a little ode to fall. I have this tiny squirrel cutter that is super cute, but it doesn't get much use because it's really too small to make sandwiches. But, it just cried out to me today and said, "Cut the cheese with me please." So, not only did I cut the cheese, but I cut the bologna, too. My little guy would be giggling uncontrollably right about now if he was reading this. You know..."cut the cheese". Anyway, I thought my little squirrel meat and cheese would be perfect for a DIY Fall Lunchable. They are the perfect size to stack on top of a Ritz cracker.

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.

• Natural Selects bologna cut into the shape of a squirrel.....yes, that's supposed to be a squirrel
• Monterrey Jack cheese cut into the squirrel shape
• Ritz crackers
• green olives
• green and black seedless grapes
• baby carrots with ranch dressing for dipping in the green cup

I added a fun squirrel and acorn pick for additional cuteness.
Linked to: Bentolunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday


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

Bologna, Blueberries, and Brownie Brittle

Well, Mamas!! Today's the day!! Are you doing the happy dance yet? The kiddos are back in school. I can hear the sighs of relief now. I know most of you are like me and really do enjoy having your kids home for summer. But, there's just something about being able to go the grocery store without having to threaten your kids fifty-two times for saying, "Mom, I want this! Mom, I want that!" Am I right? So, now it's time to start on that To-Do list that you made back at the beginning of summer and promised yourself  that you were gonna do while the kids were home for summer break. All together now....Yay for back-to-school!!

My kids have been back to school now for a month. We've gotten into our school groove, and things are going pretty well. We've made it through Labor Day, so now it's time to start looking ahead to the cooler weather and fall break. I am soooooo ready for the cool!! Come on fall!!

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes

• Natural Selects bologna rolls
• Monterrey Jack cheese cubes
• Ritz crackers
• baby carrots
• strawberries
• Yoplait yogurt with a blueberry smiley face
• A small piece of brownie brittle is tucked in beside the yogurt.

Linked to: Bentolunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday
                 Eats Amazing/ Fun Food Friday


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

DIY Mini Pocket Sandwiches

Aren't these the cutest little pocket sandwiches? I pack sandwiches in Z's lunch pretty often, so I'm always trying to think up new fun and creative sandwich ideas. I love using cookie cutters or sandwich cutters, but I don't always want to make a sandwich that's shaped like an animal or something specific. These mini pocket sandwiches were a big hit. They're kind of like a mini version of the frozen Uncrustables pocket sandwiches that you can find at the grocery. Z is not a fan of bread crusts, so a pocket sandwich is ideal for him. They are also mess-free, easy for little hands to eat, and just plain fun. I have one of those Pampered Chef sealed sandwich gadget thingies, and it works great to make big round sammies. But all you need to make these mini pocket sandwiches are a round cutter and a fork. My only issue with these little sammies is that there is a lot of bread waste. Not a problem for me because every little scrap of bread, meat, cheese, fruit, or veggie gets reused in another fashion.....nothing goes to waste in my kitchen! So, go ahead and make some mini pocket sandwiches, and store your bread scraps in the freezer. Reuse them later in meatloaf or meatballs, or make bread scrap French toast muffins. Yummo!!

To make these mini pocket sandwiches, cut out 6 circles from your bread of choice (very fresh bread works best) using a small round cookie cutter (I used a round 2 1/2" cutter). Then, spread peanut butter on all 6 bread circles being careful to leave a thin edge of bread without peanut butter (this will allow the edges to seal). Then, place a small dollop (I love that word) of strawberry all-fruit spread (or spread of choice) in the center of the peanut butter ("small" being the key word here, or you will have filling squishing out the sides). Top this with the other 6 bread circles. Slowly crimp the edges of each sandwich with the tines of a fork (see below) to seal the bread.

Easy peasy lemon squeezey, huh? We love the mini pocket sammies, but you could also use the above technique on one large round sandwich...or square sandwich, or heart sandwich, or any shaped sandwich, really.

The filling possibilities are endless for these pocket sandwiches, too. Peanut butter and fruit spread are the fave in our house. But, imagine how delicious these would be with homemade preserves. Here are some other scrumptiously yummy filling ideas:

• almond, peanut, or cashew butter and honey
• egg, tuna, ham, or chicken salads
• deli meat and cheese
• pimento cheese and bacon
• Nutella and bananas or strawberries
• cucumber cream cheese

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.

*peanut butter and strawberry all-fruit spread mini pocket sandwiches

*Rold Gold mini pretzels

*Honeycrisp apple wedges

*green beans and Sunburst cherry tomatoes with Ranch dressing in the orange cup

*Yoplait vanilla yogurt with blueberries

*linked to: Beneficial Bento/ Fancy Sandwich Friday
                BentoLunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday


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

Be a Sharp Student

First week of school....DONE!! Well, the first week of school went off without a hitch. We've got our morning routine down, and both kids are happy with their classes and teachers. Mama's just about gotten adjusted to a quiet house again. First week success, I'd say. How about one more fun back-to-school lunch to get the second week started off right. I know many of your kidlets are headed back to school very soon.....hang in there, Mamas!!!! It's not long now!! The graphic below says it all, huh!

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.
*pencil shaped Natural Selects bologna and cheddar cheese sandwich- I free handed the pencil shape with a knife and added cheddar cheese and bologna on top to look like a pencil. The "2" is cut from a slice of fruit leather.
*white cheddar cheese Nips
*red seedless grapes
*carrot rounds and black olives with school themed pick
*natural applesauce in the blue cup with schoolhouse cupcake topper
There are few pieces of roasted chicken hiding under the napkin beneath the pencil sandwich.
*linked to: BentoLunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday



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

Lasagna cups...

Hi Friends! Happy Wednesday to you. Do any of you have these jumbo silicone cups? Do they sit up in your cabinet all lonely, collecting dust, anxiously awaiting the day you decide to make some of those Costco mammoth-sized muffins? Well, if you are like me, mammoth-sized muffins aren't typically on your baking radar. However, aside from the typical use of making jumbo muffins and cupcakes, these lonely little cups can do double duty in other ways in the kitchen. How, you ask?

My favorite way to use them is in the lunchbox. They are great for keeping foods separated, which is important for Z because he's funny about his food touching. They add color, cuteness, and function to a lunchbox, too. And, they fit perfectly in the Easy Lunch Boxes. I love that. I also use them to make individual servings. You guessed it....portion control. These Casabella jumbo cups that I have are 3/4 cup capacity and are very sturdy. They are free-standing so they are easy to fill. They're oven, microwave, and freezer safe and can be placed in the dishwasher. Have I piqued your interest? I like to make individual lasagna (today's lunch), shepherd's pie, and quiche in the jumbo cups. I put them on a cookie sheet and stick them straight in the oven to cook. They are great for desserts, too....again, portion control. I have made individual trifles, banana pudding, and strawberry shortcake. I make fruit salad cups for my kids all the time in them. Cover the cups with plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator or freezer. So, if you have these hidden jewels in your cabinets, why not get them out, wash them up, and see what creative uses for them you can think up!

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.
*lasagna cup with daisy flower pick- These jumbo cups actually hold a lot of food. Z only ate half of this cup. You can find the recipe for the lasagna cups HERE.
*garlic cheese bread flowers
*corn on the cob
*strawberries and blueberries
I added a few fun flower picks for some cuteness.
*linked to: Bentolunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday
                 Becoming a Bentoholic/Leftovers on Friday


Here are two more lunches that I made using the jumbo cups:


 Fun Bites Fun                                   Smiley face kids

              


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

Froggy Yumbox Panino

Woo!!Hoo!! Lookie what I got! So excited to be one of the first ones to get my hands on the new Yumbox Panino. We love the original Yumbox. You can see my review of it HERE. But, the new design of the Yumbox Panino rocks!! The new Panino has a tray that has been redesigned to hold a full sandwich and more. Z has a full sandwich (I cut the crusts off because Z prefers that), and there's still plenty of room for more food. That green pea pod silicone cup takes up a lot of space. But, if I had left it out, I could have fit half of another sandwich. The treat/dip well is larger, too, and so are the 2 smaller sections. Yumbox has also reinforced the hinge design of the lid. It feels a lot sturdier now. The previous design of the Yumbox is perfect for younger kidlets with smaller appetites. But, the new Panino is great for older kids and bigger appetites. Great job, Yumbox, great job!

������ Just a reminder....my Matkins reusable placemat giveaway is still open for entries. Click the giveaway graphic on the right sidebar at the top to go right to the giveaway post. ������-------CLOSED GIVEAWAY

This lunch is packed in the Yumbox Panino.
*Natural Selects ham and Colby-Jack cheese sandwich- I cut an additional piece of cheese with a frog shaped cutter and placed it on top of the sandwich. I gave him candy eyes and mouth.
*red seedless grapes in the silicone pea pod cup
*pizza flavored pretzel thins tucked in beside the sandwich
*green olives
*tomato salad- Z loves this salad. It is red and yellow cherry tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, Craisins, and croutons mixed with balsamic dressing. I put the dressing in the froggy container for Z to add on his own so that the salad won't become soggy before lunchtime. He loves adding the dressing on his own so Win-Win!
*Yoplait yogurt with a froggy gummy on top- I don't usually include a sweet goodie in Z's lunch. Believe me, he gets plenty of sweet treats when he's at Mimi's house. He's pretty happy with yogurt or natural applesauce. But, on occasion, I will include a fun treat. These little frog gummies were too cute to resist.
*linked to: Bentolunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday


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

Busy butterflies lunch

Do your kids like cheese? Z is not a fan of cheese in his lunch. He will eat different types of cheese if on a sandwich or if it's cooked in a dish like lasagna or pizza, but he will not eat cheese if I put cubes or a stick in his lunch. I know, I don't get it, either! I LOVE cheese!!! So, I recently decided to try him on the Babybel cheese, and I'm so happy to say that we have cheese eating success! He is fascinated with how you peel the cheese to eat it. He insists that he be the one to peel it. I like how you can cut different shapes out of the wax...an easy way to cutify (yeah, it's a word) a lunch. I've seen some other cute things done with them, too. So, I think we'll stick with the Babybel for a while.

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.
*butterfly shaped Natural Selects ham sandwich with sprinkle decorations and eye picks
*white cheddar cheese Nips
*Babybel cheese- I used a small butterfly shaped cutter on the wax.
*butterfly shaped carrots, black olives, red cherry tomatoes
*Bing cherries and peaches with butterfly cupcake ring
*linked to: Bentolunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday


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

Grilled cheese please...

Sometimes you've got to have a grilled cheese sandwich. Am I right? There's just something about all that ooey-gooey cheese and crunchy buttery bread......MMMMMMM!! So good and soooo comforting! My kids love grilled cheese, so it's kind of my go-to sammy in the summer since they are hard to pack in the lunchbox during school time. Z is a grilled cheese purist.....no ham, no turkey, no avocado, no condiment, just oozey cheese. My older son has a bit more of a sophisticated palate when it comes to grilled cheese. His favorite grilled cheese sandwich combo is cheese, ham, and a fried egg. Oh yeah!!! I said fried egg! Ok, so maybe not very sophisticated. But, serve it with a dill pickle spear (or 2 or 3).....super splendiferously yummy!!

Here is Z's simple (yet just as yummy) grilled cheese lunch.

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.
*grilled cheddar cheese and honey wheat bread sandwich
*green olives
*Nick's Sticks beef snack stick- These beef sticks are dye-free, nitrate-free, hormone-free, sugar-free,  antibiotic-free, and taste free. No no, no....I'm just kidding. They are actually very tasty.
*peaches and strawberries with a few sprinkles
*baby carrots with ranch dressing for dipping
*linked to : Bentolunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday


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

3 Tools 4 Lunches challenge

Hi Friends! I'm very excited about this post. Today, I have the awesome privilege of participating in a new series hosted by Wendy of Wendolonia called 3 Tools 4 Lunches. This is a great blogging series where 4 lunch packing moms use the same 3 tools to create a fabulously fun lunch. We all need some creative inspiration at times, and this lunch challenge will hopefully give you awesome lunch packing moms just that. And, this awesome challenge will help you to see the versatility of the tools that have been used. At the end of this post, I've included a link to this week's challenge on Wendolonia where you can see the 3 other terrific lunches. Thanks Wendy for letting me participate in this super fun series!

The tools for today's challenge are: Transportation cutter/stamp set, and edible food writers, Yumbox

I love the Yumbox (you can see my Yumbox review HERE). I wanted to use at least 2 of the transportation cutters for the challenge, but, because the box is very small, it was a challenge to figure out how to use 2 cutters. So, I decided to use the car cutter/mold for the sandwiches and the boat cutter/mold for a frozen yogurt boat, and put them in separate spaces. To make the frozen yogurt boat, I poured some tiny sprinkles into the grooved areas of the stamper part and then gently spooned vanilla yogurt on top. I then put the entire cutter in the freezer to allow the yogurt to freeze for a few hours. Once frozen, I ran a bit of hot water over the outside of the cutter, and the yogurt popped out.

I used the edible food writers for the bologna car accents and for the "vroom" on the Babybel cheese.

This lunch is packed in the Yumbox.
*car shaped Natural Selects bologna and cheddar cheese sandwich with bologna car on top- I used the edible food marker for the details.
*Ritz Bitz cheddar cheese crackers
*green olives
*Babybel cheese with "vroom" written on the cheese wax with edible food marker
*baby carrots and sugar snap peas
*strawberries and cherries
*frozen yogurt boat in blue yogurt water- I added a drop of blue food color to the vanilla yogurt. If you are sending a school lunch, the frozen yogurt will have thawed by lunchtime and can be eaten with the other yogurt. I like adding frozen yogurt shapes to Z's school lunch because it helps to keep the yogurt cold and is super cute.
*Craisins in the treat cup
*linked to:Bentolunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday


I added a few cute transportation themed picks for some additional fun.


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



 Click HERE to see the details of the 3 other fabulous lunches. Then, take some time and check out the Wendolonia blog. You will not be disappointed in Wendy's lunch making awesomeness.

Veggie dogs and mac

Dear Mother Nature,
       I understand that you have a responsibility to keep all the trees, flowers, grass, and lovely woodland creatures well hydrated. I agree this is very important job on your part. However, my children have been out of school for summer break for one week now, and you have seen fit to provide us with a healthy dose of rain every single day. My kidlets are ready for some pool time, park time, and zoo time. So, will you please move on to another part of the country?

Yes, I'm about ready to cut a deal with Mother Nature. We need some sun here in the M-town. It has rained 7 days straight, and again tomorrow, rain. We did, at least, get in an hour of pool time this morning before the downpour began. The only one happy with the weather lately is our Spoo, who loves the water, and rain is no exception. But, he's ready for some pool time, too. The hubs was quick to remind me that come the end of July, we will be begging Mother Nature for rain. I had to reluctantly agree. On the rainy agenda for tomorrow....Rio 2 and a big bucket of popcorn. What are some things you do with your kids on rainy days?

Lunch is simple today....veggie corn dogs and mac & cheese. Z polished this lunch off pretty quick.

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.
*macaroni and cheese
*Morningstar Farms veggie corn dogs with mustard for dipping
*red seedless grapes mixed with yogurt raisins
*four bean salad
*linked to:Bentolunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday
                 Eats Amazing/ Fun Food Friday


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

End of school...You're a Star lunch...

Well, the little guy has 3 days of school left. I can't believe how quickly this school year has passed. It seems like just yesterday we were buying all the new clothes and school supplies, anxiously awaiting that first day. And, now, here we are with 3 days left, and we have all lost our focus at this point. This is going to be a crazy busy week with school wrapping up, and everyday this week, the kids are having some type of fun event at school. Z has had a really good year in 1st grade, so I thought a star themed lunch seemed appropriate for my little star. I'm hoping to have time to make one more lunch before school lets out....a goodbye 1st grade lunch.

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.
*star shaped Applegate bologna and cheddar cheese sandwich- I used a smaller star cutter on the top piece of bread for a window effect.
*Rold Gold honey wheat pretzel sticks
*baby carrots with ranch dressing in the star container
*Granny Smith and Gala apples- I cut the centers of the apples out with a small star cutter.
*Craisins cranberries mixed in with the apples
*linked to: Bentolunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday


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

Heart grape kabobs...

What an absolutely gorgeous day this is!!! It's the middle of May and the high in the M-town today will only be 67*. And, it's gonna be like this for the next week or so. Woohoo!!! The kids and I all have end-of-the-school-year-itis, and we are sooo ready to be outside playing, riding bikes, swimming, and eating Popsicles. FIVE. MORE. DAYS!! We can do it, we can do it!!

Today's lunch is very easy and simple. I spent maybe 10 or 12 minutes on it. It took me longer to get a good photo of it than it did to make it. HA!! Cute sandwich cutters make all the difference, and they  so quick and easy. I love, love, love these extra long heart picks, too. There are so many ways to use them. They are super cute. I actually clipped the pointy end off a bit just to make them more school friendly. I also used the heart picks in my Heart and Arrow lunch and Hotdog on a Stick lunch.

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.
*double heart almond butter and fruit spread sandwiches
*cheddar cheese Ritz Bitz
*baby dill pickle
*red cherry tomatoes with ranch dressing in the green cup
*red seedless grape kabobs
*linked to: Bentolunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday



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


The cute extra long heart picks can be found HERE.

Bologna Heart and Arrow lunch...

Hi Friends! It's hump day! Yay!! I hope you all are having a good week. I've got a lot going on this week, so today's post is short, sweet, and to the point.  Get it?...arrow -- to the point. Ok, I'm no comedienne. Anyway, I really like how this lunch turned out. These long heart picks are so cute and have so many uses. You can see another lunch that I made with them HERE. I like how the arrow through the bologna heart adds a bit of cuteness to Z's otherwise boring sandwich. Little things really can add a big punch to the cute factor of a lunch.

This lunch is packed in Easy Lunch Boxes.
*Applegate bologna sandwich with cheddar cheese slice- I cut an additional slice of bologna into a heart shape and stacked it on top of the cheese. Then, I stuck the heart pick through the bologna and added a piece of red bell pepper that I cut into the barb shape.
*Rold Gold pretzel rods
*green beans with ranch dressing in the heart box- I found these little heart shaped boxes at my local Dollar Tree.
*strawberries- It's hard to tell in the picture, but the strawberries on top are cut into hearts.
*linked to: Eats Amazing/ Fun Food Friday
                  Bentolunch.net/ What's for lunch Wednesday


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


The cute heart picks/skewers can be found HERE.