Summer vacations are over, Indian summer has arrived, the kids have new clothes and shoes and all of us moms are trying to figure out what to pack in our children’s lunch boxes.  It must be quick and easy, but also nutritious, and fun for the kids to eat!  Some of the ideas are gluten-free and most are kid tested by my four and six year old!

Lunches:
Applegate Farms Turkey/Ham rolled around dill pickle spears or string cheese
Natural peanut butter/ Smucker’s Low Sugar Grape/Strawberry Jam on Natural Oven’s Bread/Brown Rice Cakes
Applegate Farms Turkey/Ham on Natural Ovens Bread/Brown Rice Cakes
Hummus and Brown Rice Cakes

Snacks:
Archer Farms Individual Organic Applesauce cups
Dole Fruit Cups - light syrup, mandarin oranges and peaches are our favorites
Baby Carrots with Ranch dip
Celery and peanut/almond butter
Hummus and mini brown rice crackers
Hummus and vegetables
Veggie Booty (Trader Joe’s)
Terra Chips
Dried Vegetable Chips (easy recipes online)
Raw cauliflower and broccoli with Ranch - cut into kid-friendly pieces (my son (5) and daughter (7) year old loves it when its “their size”)

Hopefully, you can use these lists to create some new and fun lunches for your kids.  If you want kids to start eating healthy -  be the parent - don’t offer options. When my kids are really hungry, they will eat whatever I put in front of them. Also, just because they say they don’t like a particular food - keep trying - eventually they will like it or it may mean they don’t want it right now.  

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I'm not a fan of passing on email but this one was so full of common sense I wanted to share it...

Words of Wisdom

 21 Common Sense Practices 

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR. When you say, 'I love you,' mean it.

 FIVE.. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.

 SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

 SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.

 EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

 NINE.... Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

 ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.

TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.  

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it..

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice

TWENTY- ONE. Spend some time alone.