Back-to-School Series: Meal Planning [Breakfast & Lunch]

A BIG part of being organized for school is meal planning!

Today, I want to discuss ideas for breakfast & lunch.....

I don't know about you, but my kids are STARVING in the morning and want to eat as soon as they get up. They love sugary things like most kids do....cereal, poptarts, and waffles with lots of syrup. And while I don't have a problem giving them these things occasionally, with a side of fruit of course, I just know it won't "hold" them for long. (So an hour later, they're already hungry again.) This is especially true with my 8 year old son. I've really tried to teach him about protein and how important it is....to fill him up & keep him satisfied, and about it's health benefits. So, this school year, I decided to try something new and made some breakfast burritos. I've been making a batch of these about every 2 weeks and they have been a lifesaver! Quick & easy for me to reheat in the morning, and very filling & yummy for my kids. And I always serve them with a side of fruit....usually grapes, strawberries, or cantaloupe.

 

 I found a pretty simple recipe here, and just made a few tweaks to suit my family's needs:

 

Breakfast Burritos

1 lb. mild ground sausage

12 eggs

12 medium-sized tortillas

shredded cheese

salt & pepper

 

Brown sausage.

Mix s&p with eggs; cook.

Lay out 12 tortillas on 12 sheets of foil.

Layer onto each tortilla: 1/4 cup egg, 1/4 cup sausage, sprinkle of cheese.

Fold up burrito & cover with foil.

Freeze in gallon-size bags.

To reheat: take off foil, wrap in paper towel, and heat in microwave for 1.5 minutes!

 

Pretty simple! I really can't stress enough how important it is to try some "make-ahead" healthy meals. It's quick & easy to reheat something in the morning, and you can be happy knowing that your kids are eating something healthy. Here's another great choice, omelette cups!

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For more recipes on make-ahead & healthy breakfasts for your kids,

check out the 4 websites below...

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Now, onto packing those lunches!

 

This can be a source of stress for many moms. Are you packing healthy foods? Will your kids like their lunch? Should you pack their lunches at night or in the morning? Are your kids old enough to do it themselves? And ....in this day & age...... if you make the lunch creative enough, will your kids eat it?!  (More on that last one later....!)

 

I have a 5 & 8 year old. I am pretty sure I could get the 8 year old to pack his lunch well, but it's just not something I've tried yet. I don't mind packing the lunches; it only takes me about 10 minutes in the morning. I keep it pretty simple because my kids complain they always run out of time at lunch. (Which to me means that they are talking too much to their friends instead of eating!) 

 

On Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays, I pack my son a sandwich, fruit, and snack item. My daughter gets a half sandwich and fruit item. (She eats like a bird at lunch.)

 

And on Tuesdays/Thursdays, I pack my kids a fruit, as well as a hot item in their thermos like macaroni & cheese, leftovers from dinner, or soup. And they always get water. (They also take a bottle of water for snack time. If they come home and both waters are empty, they get a juice box for their afternoon snack.)

 

Now, I know there are a lot of moms out there that have their kids pack their own lunches. And I think that's great! Designate a few bins in your fridge & pantry with lunch-packing items, and then consult one of the many great printables out there to help guide your children in packing a healthy, well-balanced meal. Check out these options:

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And then there's the "Pinterest Moms," who always want to make cute & creative lunches. Whereas I'm not that mom, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. It just seems like it takes a lot of time & effort and uses a lot of creative brainpower, ha!

 

To each his own, though. Because if that's what makes you happy, and make your kids eat their lunch, then I say go for it. So, here are some adorable lunch packing ideas if you're interested:



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My poor kids, they're lucky if they get a note on their napkin with a smiley face on it :)

 

**Stay tuned for later in the week when I tackle Meal Planning for dinners....