Laptop Lunchbox

Where to start . . . I suppose our most used lunch item would be as good a place as any . . ..

We LOVE our Laptop Lunchbox system:

We've been using it for a couple years now and have found it useful in SO many ways.

- The seperate compartments almost force balance.
It just 'fits' so well. A protien, a grain, a couple fruits/veggies, and maybe even a small treat. When I'm packing a lunch while still half-asleep, I can use all the help I can get.

- It encourages variety, for both of us.
The compartments keep me from over-packing any one thing, and make sure that I've got a few different types of foods (see: balance!). But, it also encourages my daughter to eat the variety too. There's not so much of any one thing as to be intimidating, and everything's all packaged in their own brightly colored spot. Don't ask me why, but I'll run with it as long as it's working!

- It's more environmentally sound.
No more baggies to throw away daily. No more tiny lunch sized portioned bags to buy. Thanks to our Fabkins, our lunches are often almost waste free. Important when you have a righteous elementary environmentalist in the house (do they all go through this phase?).

- It's dishwasher safe.
ALL of the components are top rack dishwasher safe. Have I mentioned yet that I'm lazy? You'll learn that. We've been running our sets through the dishwasher for a couple of years now, and their none the worse for the wear.

- It's unique.
At least around here it is. My daughter *loves* that she has a 'special' lunchbox, and often has others (students and teachers) inquiring about it (and what she's got packed in it on any given day). What can I say? The kid likes attention!

There are a few things that were less than perfect about it though:

- The water bottle's kind of a bummer.
It has always seemed to leak and it's just not all that easy to use (my daughter likes to try to pull the 'plug' to drink w/ her teeth, which can be treacherous when in the age of loose teeth!). The bag will however, hold a 12oz Kleen Kanteen (with a bit of bulge, but not too difficult for a child).

- The lack of lids.
Not all the sizes on our Laptop Lunchbox had lids. Only the largest, and the smallest (the little condiment cup). Most of the time, that's alright. Except when it's not. Like when she wants to take applesauce or cottage cheese. The large container is too big for that, the condiment cup is way too small. Press-n-Seal wrap works great, until she doesn't finish it all and can't *re*seal it. But, all that has changed now . . .

With the Laptop Lunch 2.0:

Other than that crummy water bottle, my gripes have been answered! Yes, I wrote them last year asking for a mid-size lidded container. No, I do not think that I can take any credit for the redesign, lol. But, I'm happy to benefit! (well, I will be, whenever I can bring myself to reinvest in a whole new set - seeing as we have several of the originals that are working alright for us now, it's tough to drop that chunk of change agian)

The other benefit with the new 2.0? Bento Buddies:

New container size options, making the whole system even MORE flexible! {swoon!}

So, I'll be saving my pennies for a new set soon (isn't that pink/black floral cute? Girly, but not too 'babyish' - meaning it'd carry us a good long while!)

Thanks to the folks at Laptop Lunches for the link/photo permissions. I'm not being paid for the plug, nor do they endorse my blog (my opinions are entirely my own . . . now if only I could always also make them my girls' . . .).

Trying not to miss the forest for the trees.

I recently came across a quote that really resonated with me:

"Parents are often so busy with the physical rearing of children that they miss the glory of parenthood,
just as the grandeur of the trees is lost when raking leaves."
- Marcelene Cox, US writer.

I know all too well (intimately) how easily the day-to-day (day-in, day-out) tasks can overtake the big picture. It's easy to get lost in the endless loads of laundry, the umpteenth homework sheet, the managing of their way-busier-than-my social calendar, and the never-ending string of meals.

Ah, meals. As if the menu planning, shopping, and preparation wasn't enough: there are logistical challenges (portability w/ lunches), and health concerns (so many magazine articles center on lunch to curb childhood obesity, but my girl's on the other end of the chart so nutrient density is higher on my priority list). And then there's the fact that my target audience is as changable as the wind. Seriously, I've got some fickle and finicky kids (and I don't think I'm alone).

So . . . here goes. My attempt at sharing what I've found to work for us. And not. I'll tell you now: I'm not Julia Child (consider yourself forewarned). I'm not writing my own cookbook here. A lot of what I'll likely be sharing are links to others that I've found helpful (products or recipes, etc). But, perhaps someone else will find my compilation and/or experience helpful. And so . . . here goes!