{"id":440,"date":"2009-07-27T01:00:11","date_gmt":"2009-07-27T01:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/parentingzoo.com\/members\/?p=440"},"modified":"2009-07-21T01:30:33","modified_gmt":"2009-07-21T01:30:33","slug":"school-lunches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parentingzoo.com\/members\/?p=440","title":{"rendered":"School lunches"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image by chidorian<\/a> via Flickr<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

This is a great article about school lunches but don’t ignore it if you don’t have kids in school yet! Print off this list of lunch ideas and keep it for your home lunches too! Enjoy!<\/p>\n

School Lunches
\nby Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam of LivingonaDime.com<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s that wonderful time of year that lightens your heart and fills your soul with peace & tranquility. No, I\u2019m not talking about Christmas! I\u2019m talking about school starting!! Yes! Yes! Yes! It\u2019s a bitter sweet time for most moms. Bitter because you\u2019re back to hectic mornings, finding everyone\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019ve not known many moms that had the luxury of a bubble bath in the middle of the day but I can dream can\u2019t I? I can\u2019t 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 Dining On A Dime Cookbook to help out. <\/p>\n

*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.<\/p>\n

*Save the catsup and mustard packets and napkins you don\u2019t use from the fast food restaurants. Use them in lunch boxes.<\/p>\n

*Puddings – sprinkle with marshmallows, coconut, nuts, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips (for chocolate pudding) or berries (in vanilla pudding)<\/p>\n

*Banana, pumpkin or zucchini bread<\/p>\n

*Tuna, egg or chicken salad sandwich<\/p>\n

*Tuna salad and crackers<\/p>\n

*Sandwiches made from last night\u2019s dinner meat (ie. roast beef, chicken ,turkey)<\/p>\n

*Pickles<\/p>\n

*Ants on a log-celery with peanut butter inside and raisins on the peanut butter<\/p>\n

*Hot dogs<\/p>\n

*Canned fruit<\/p>\n

*Carrot sticks, celery sticks or radishes with Ranch dressing<\/p>\n

*Homemade granola bars<\/p>\n

Granola Bars<\/p>\n

1 cup brown sugar<\/p>\n

\u00bc cup sugar<\/p>\n

\u00bd cup butter or margarine, softened<\/p>\n

2 Tbsp. honey<\/p>\n

\u00bd tsp. vanilla<\/p>\n

1 egg<\/p>\n

1 cup flour<\/p>\n

1 tsp. cinnamon<\/p>\n

\u00bd tsp. baking soda<\/p>\n

\u00bc tsp. salt<\/p>\n

1 \u00bd cups rolled oats<\/p>\n

1 \u00bc cups crispy rice cereal<\/p>\n

\u00bd cup wheat germ (optional)<\/p>\n

1 cup chocolate chips*<\/p>\n

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 9×13 pan. Bake at 350< for 20-25 minutes.<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

*The following may be used in addition to or to replace chocolate chips<\/p>\n

1 cup coconut<\/p>\n

\u00bd cup creamy or chunky peanut butter<\/p>\n

\u00bd cup nuts<\/p>\n

\u00bd-1 cup raisins, dried apples, apricots<\/p>\n

\u00bd cup fruit preserves <\/p>\n

Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the authors of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt, by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit www.LivingOnADime.com<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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