September is quickly rounding the bend; and, like most parents, my Facebook page is starting to explode with back to school pictures, dress code grumblings, bus schedule angst…and, the eternal crowd sourcing plea, “what should I pack for my child’s lunch?!” Since we homeschool (and I only have one child!), our lunchtime routine has been pretty mundane – I dig through the depths of my refrigerator and we partake in whatever leftovers I unearth. But, with our second baby due smack dab in the middle of our Fall semester, I started to realize that I need to streamline as many of our household processes as possible. Since a full-time chef doesn’t seem to be in our future anytime soon, we’re thinking of easy lunches to stick in the refrigerator that Miss A can easily access without any help from me!
Somewhere in the midst of my mental ponderings, Whole Foods Market Northern Virginia delivered several huge bags of their 365 Everyday Value Organic groceries to fill my cupboards with all their back to school essentials. It was an early Christmas for this exhausted, pregnant mama!
Over the past few years, as our budget allowed, we’ve been making more of an effort to eat organic. But, let’s face it: it’s difficult when the heavily sprayed, GMO-filled vegetables are beckoning you at an 1/8 of the price. Thankfully, Whole Foods Market has made great strides in making organic foods affordable for those of us with tighter budgets. Their 365 Everyday Value Organic line is substantially cheaper than name brand organic companies; and, in my opinion, is one of the best store brands out there. Plus, if you’re willing to stock up, they will offer you a quantity discount on cases of food (I’m looking at you, tuna!) and bulk food purchases (no better way to get your staples!). I’m also addicted to their app (if you haven’t downloaded it yet, do it now!). It’s an easy way to keep abreast of your local store’s sales and coupons; and it always saves me money when I shop.
Back to my lunch dilemma, we’ll be implementing several ideas (with the help of Whole Foods 365!) that I thought I’d share with you:
:: Give them choices!
When you’re 8 years old, there is nothing that screams happiness more than being given options. My mom started the trend by doing a dessert “buffet” whenever we visit; and Miss A thinks nothing is cooler than being handed a bowl to painstakingly select which fruits she wants with her ice cream. So, we’re carrying on this tradition by allowing her to choose the fruits and vegetables she wants with her lunch. We have a bin in the refrigerator dedicated to whatever delicious produce is on sale that week; and while she knows she’ll eventually have to eat that banana, she can delay it as long as the grapes hold out. Surprisingly, this has eradicated most of the complaints! 🙂
:: Dips go a long way!
Ask any parent – children will eat pretty much anything as long as they can dip it in something they love! For some, it’s ketchup. For others, it’s ranch. For us, hummus is our best friend. It really helps that Whole Foods Market has a huge selection of them; and, my daughter gravitates towards the garlic hummus…every time! Carrots, celery, broccoli, grape tomatoes – hummus pairs perfectly with them all. I have tiny plastic containers (thank you, IKEA!) and we divvy up the hummus for everyone’s lunches.
:: Freezer Almond & Jelly Sandwiches
With everyone’s allergies, peanut butter is out of the question these days – but, almond butter is in vogue. Whole Foods Market has some amazing options – from their 365 shelf brand almond butter to our favorite grind-it-in-front-of-you butters, you really can’t go wrong. To ease the lunch making process, make your almond butter and jelly sandwiches on the weekend, wrap them in wax paper (followed by plastic wrap), and stick them in the freezer. When you’re under a time crunch, throw one in your child’s lunch box, and it will be nicely defrosted by lunch time. Whole Foods Market also has a whole variety of butters you can experiment with: cashew (one of our favorites!), sunflower, tahini, hazelnut, and more!
I put together a printable sample menu for those of you who might be stuck in a lunch planning rut like me! And, if you have any go-to lunches, I’d love to hear them.
For more inspiration, follow #WholeFoodsBTS on Twitter and Instagram.
Whole Foods Market has several locations in Northern Virginia including Fair Lakes, Vienna, Ashburn, Springfield, Arlington, Old Town Alexandria and Pentagon City. To find the location closest to you, please visit their website.
{Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Whole Foods Northern Virginia. All thoughts and ideas are my own, and were not influenced in any way.}
