Lunch
Tips for School Days
By Tawra Kellam
It's that wonderful time of year that lightens
your heart and fills your soul with peace & tranquility. No, I'm not talking
about Christmas! I'm talking about school starting!! Yes! Yes! Yes! It's
a bitter sweet time for most moms. Bitter because
you're back to hectic mornings, finding
everyone's books and papers and trying
to get them out of the door on time...
because you now have 180 lunches to make
over the next 9 months if you have 1
child and 720 if you have 4 -- But hey,
who's counting?
It is sweet
because the peaceful quietness that penetrates
the
house is like gentle music to your
ears and you can take a lovely relaxing
bubble
bath without what sounds like the whole
US army trying to break down the bathroom
door. Well, now that I think
about it I've not known many moms
that had the luxury of a bubble bath
in the middle
of the day but I can dream can't I? I
can't help you find time for that bubble
bath but maybe I can help you with
those 720 lunches. Here
are a few lunch and snack ideas from
"Not Just Beans: 50 Years of Frugal Family
Favorites" that
will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.
*To keep drinks cold in lunch boxes,
pour a small amount in the bottom of
the container
(not glass) and then set the cap loosely
on top. Put it in the freezer
overnight. The next day fill with the
rest of the drink. The ice should slowly
melt
all day long, keeping the beverage cool.
*Save the catsup and mustard packets and napkins
you don't use from the fast food restaurants. Use them in lunch boxes.
*Puddings - sprinkle with marshmallows, coconut,
nuts, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips (for chocolate
pudding) or berries (in vanilla pudding)
*Banana, pumpkin or zucchini bread
*Tuna, egg or chicken salad sandwich
*Tuna salad and crackers
*Sandwiches made from last night's dinner meat
(ie. roast beef, chicken ,turkey)
*Pickles
*Ants on a log-celery with peanut butter inside
and raisins on the peanut butter
*Carrot sticks, celery sticks or radishes with
Ranch dressing
*Homemade granola bars
Granola Bars
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/4 cups crispy rice cereal
1/2 cup wheat germ (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips*
In a large bowl, cream sugars and butter until fluffy. Add honey, vanilla
and egg. Mix well. Blend in flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Press
firmly into the bottom of a greased
9x13
pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. To microwave: Press ingredients
into a microwave safe dish. Microwave on medium power for 7-9 minutes. Rotate
dish every three minutes. Bars will firm as they stand. Cool and cut
into bars. Save the crumbs for yogurt or ice cream topping. Makes 24 bars
*The following may be used in addition to or
to replace chocolate chips
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup nuts
1/2-1 cup raisins, dried apples, apricots
1/2 cup fruit preserves
Tawra Kellam is the author of "Not
Just Beans: 50 Years of Frugal Family Favorites" Not Just Beans is
a frugal cookbook which
has over 540 recipes and 400 tips. More
free tips, recipes and/or to purchase book