Hot and Cold Lunches!

We all face different temperature issues when packing lunches for our kiddos. Sometimes it's how to keep everything cool, other times we try to find ways for them to eat a hot, home-cooked lunch.

Hot lunches are a great way to avoid sandwich fatigue and repurpose leftovers so we aren't always making something new. Some schools, especially for the younger tots, will heat up packed lunches for them. But as our kids have gotten older, it's a bit more of a free-for-all! Our best solution so far has been using a thermos, but here are a couple of our lunch packing tips!

For keeping cold:

Freeze your bread! Freezing the sliced bread for sandwiches keeps it fresher longer, and also ensures that the sandwich filling (like chicken or egg salad) stays cooler longer. The bread will be perfectly defrosted by lunch time!

Freeze yogurt! Yogurt can last longer than you think without strong refrigeration because it's bacteria cultures fight off anything hazardous, but freezing a yogurt is an easy way to add an "ice pack" without taking up a lot of extra space in a lunch.

Freeze a water bottle! Even a small water bottle or juice pack will keep lunches nice and cool in a backpack until lunch time.

Freeze the thermos! In the morning while you're packing a lunch and mainlining coffee, fill the thermos with ice water and let it sit in the freezer for 10 minutes. Pour out the ice water, put in your cold items, and be amazed at how long they stay chilly! This is perfect for packing a smoothie or milkshake for their lunches!

For keeping warm: 

Boil the (wide mouthed) thermos! Simply boil a small pot of water and pour it directly into the empty thermos, screw on the lid, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Remove the water and put in your favorite hot lunch! We love everything from an omelet, to chili, to meatball or mac n cheese. Even potstickers or shepherds' pie make great options!

Separate! Put napkins with utensils, a pack of crackers, or a banana in between the hot thermos and any sort of cold food you might be packing.

What are your lunchbox hacks? And how in the world do you get your kids to bring home the ice packs and all the containers?! :)

Lunchbox Inspiration Snack Edition!

Lunchbox Inspiration Round 2!

We gave you some great protein ideas, and this week we’re giving you some snack options! Too often, the lunches we’re packing rely on cheese and yogurt for snacks, and while we happen to be raising omnivorous, we try to get a well rounded diet into our tots. Fruit and dairy are our default for grab-and-go, but we decided to challenge ourselves to come up with some other alternatives.

Here are a few general ideas, but you can always head over to Pinterest for more specific recipes!

  Polenta Fries

This recipe is easy to add veggies to – simply stir in some pumpkin or carrot puree for crispy fingers that will keep your tot going all afternoon.

 Corn Salad

Corn off-the-cob with some olive oil and basil or veggies makes for an easy dinner-to-lunch snack that’s great hot or cold.

Chickpea Nuggets

Also known as panisse, cooking up a big batch of chickpea flour and cooling it means you can cut it into an array of toddler-friendly shapes and bake them. Not to mention its another recipe into which veggies can be easily added.

 Carrot and Pepper Dippers

Sliced red pepper sticks or coins make carrot sticks a little more exciting, and add a bevy of nutrients.

Zucchini or Cucumber roll-ups

Sliced thin the long way into wide ribbons, spread with anything from hummus to pureed black beans, and roll them into pinwheels. Toothpick them in place if they get unruly.

Carrot Coins

Roasting carrot coins, either in with a little honey or a more savory olive oil version make this super healthy vegetable easier to eat for tots with fewer fully developed teeth, and provide a kick of sweetness in the afternoon.

 Mini Veggie Frittatas

It’s easy to skip the cheese in these, and cubes of sweet potato make them a little heartier so that the drive home isn’t a meltdown.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

There are a million recipes for these using everything from quinoa to banana, so use what you’ve got, make batch and freeze them for a grab-and-go snack that will defrost by the time they’re ready for a snack.

Crunchy Cauliflower

Dredge your florets in any kind of batter or panko or chopped up nut, roast ‘til crunchy, and pack them in a lunch with some tasty dip for kids who have mastered the dunk. 

Taquito Rollups

Fill a few small tortillas with some smashed beans and avocado and corn, roll ‘em tight, and bake.

No-Bake Carrot Balls

Figs or dates hold these together, loaded with shredded carrot (or parsnip or beet) and tossed in some unsweetened coconut for a tasty afternoon snack.

Veggie Skewers

Cubed up veggies like cucumber or naturally small ones like cherry tomatoes make vegetables fun! 

Roasted Veggie Chips

Zucchini, sweet potato, and beets all work well for crispy yummy veggie chips.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip 

Blend this up with a little avocado and real egg mayo instead of cream cheese for a savory spread on whole-wheat English muffins or cucumber slices.

Bumps on a Log

A classic for a reason!

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Most recipes for this are little more than some mashed avocado, cocoa powder, and a little sweetener! A great alternative to pudding for the tiny choco-feinds!

Roasted Tomato

Cherry or grape tomatoes go under the broiler for a few minutes to get them extra sweet and concentrated, then straight into a lunchbox.

Back to School Lunch Inspiration

Part 1: PROTEIN!

Lunchbox inspiration is always a tough one, especially when you’re just trying to get back into the routine! Fruit is the easy part, but a good protein can often be a struggle, so this week we’ve rounded up the best Peas Perspective ReciPEAs to help you beat the back-to-school burnout!

Keep checking back as we’ll be posting Lunchbox Inspiration posts all season to answer all your questions, like hot v. cold, what to pack when they’re wearing white ;), and alternatives to fruit and dairy burnout!

1.     Healthy Hotcakes

These heart-healthy hotcakes are great for lunches, and folding in some leftover cooked quinoa give them a heartier texture AND ups the protein content! They’re even great smeared with a little nut butter for an added boost of protein!

2.     Homeade Granola Bars

By making them at home, you can control the sugar content and eliminate additives to make these tasty bars totally customizable for lunchboxes. Nuts like almonds, pistachios, and sunflowers have the highest protein to lowest saturated fat ratios, so they’re perfect to add in to these healthy bars.

3.     Kamut Krispies

We all know sometimes our littlest eaters skip the good-for-you parts of their lovingly packed lunch and dive straight into the sweets. Nothing feels worse than seeing their sandwich sitting untouched in their lunchbox when they get home. A batch of these Kamut Krispies will ensure that even if they only eat dessert, they are still getting some iron and protein!

4.     Curried Tuna and Pesto Egg Salads

This blog post has some of our favorite ideas for getting extra protein into little lunches. The Curried Tuna Salad uses yogurt instead of mayo for a double dose of protein, and the Waldorf Chicken Salad is perfect for kids with a sweet tooth by adding in diced apple!

5.     Whole Grain Quinoa Bowl

Using quinoa instead of rice for this recipe means an easy family dinner can instantly double as lunch tomorrow!

6.     Sandwich Sushi with Chickpeas of the Sea

Chickpeas replace tuna for a perfect Meatless Monday lunch hack! Plus, the lettuce keeps everything from getting soggy in a lunchbox and the “sushi” pieces make toddler mealtime a breeze.