Funny Face Lunches

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My Sweet baby girl starts 1st grade this year. How is that even possible? My tiny 6lb. 12oz baby girl who nuzzled my neck and still does at times, will be in school for the whole day this year from 8-3. Really, Father Time can you please slow down, cause my baby is getting too big and this heart can’t take it. What’s Hannah most excited about? Eating lunch at school.

She has her lunch box all picked out, we are almost done school shopping, and her first day outfit is all lined up, down to shoes and hair bows. She’s very excited to go back to school, and I love this time in her life, our life, I get to see her blossom before my very eyes into this little person. She truly has become this little person complete with her own personality and quirks. I have to learn this little person, I want to be her friend, but I am her parent first. She’s a cool kid. But hey I am a little biased.

I have tried very hard from the moment Hannah started eating solid food to teach her how to have a good relationship with food. We talk all the time about portions and moderation and balance. She can’t live her life and never have sugar again. It’s just not possible. But if she learns now that three packs of gummies a day isn’t good but one pack every so often is okay, then I call that a win. It can be hard to be the example of balance, I think that is the hardest part of all, leading by example.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8zUHaIv2OwPeW4zNDdhMl82dWM

I have worried about her eating lunch at school and making good choices. I know that all we can do is teach them good values, and how to make good choices but ultimately its up to them. I knew that day would come, but does it really have to start at 6? Lunch, yes I know its something small, but she’s my baby and no matter how hold she gets I will always see her that way. So thankfully I don’t have to worry too much about her lunch because she has emphatically decided that she wants to take her lunch. She is ecstatic about putting her lunch together and getting it all ready for school.

One of my most fond memories of taking my lunch to school is when my Mom would make it and leave little special notes in my lunch. I mean I know its every so cliché but it meant a lot, even if I did roll my eyes at the time. My little one loves art, she loves to draw and make pictures so I have decided that I would make pictures out of her lunches for the week.

Now in the effort to keep her meals balanced and healthy we went to Kroger and decided to check out the naturals selection. I wanted to see what tasty options that I could pick up for her to accompany her lunches while giving her balanced nutrition as well. I also wanted/needed them to be convenient and easy to put together in her lunch box. Right away Hannah stated she wanted cheese sticks, so we picked up Horizon Organic Sticks in Mozzarella, and she loves the individual milks with the cows on it, so we got some of those as well. We came across the Silk Brand products. Hannah chose Silk Very Vanilla Soy Milk, and the Silk blueberry yogurt. We bought some other items we needed for her lunches, different cheeses, fresh fruit and veggies and we were off to make these funny face lunches.

The first lunch we made was Hannah’s version of an elephant, complete with a cucumber nose, radish and olives for eyes, spinach leaves for ears and ham and cheese for a mouth. We paired carrots and cottage cheese with the Horizon Organic milk for a well balanced meal that is sure to keep her full and focused for her school day.

Hannah said she wanted her next funny face to have hair. I decided that we would use the tops of asparagus, (try it raw, it has a real nutty flavor) for the hair. we continued with the eyes made of radishes and olives, but this time paired it with apricots, and granola, and finishing it off with a favorite of Silk Almondmilk Dark Chocolate. It gives her a little bit of sweet, to enjoy her lunch, while giving her a good portion of the calcium she needs for the day.

The last one we made she said she wanted to give an expression. So we called this one our “Beary Wide Eyed” one. We used radishes for eyes, ears, and nose, olives for pupils, and asparagus for eyebrows. this one has to be one of my faves! So cute! We put the Silk blueberry yogurt, grapes and Horizon Organic milk in this lunch. I am sure she will have fun eating this tasty meal!

My baby may be growing and getting bigger, but I know that if I get her involved in the kitchen she is more likely to eat what we make together, and she will have skills to make good decisions out in the real world. I know because she had fun making these lunches that she will eat them, and I will have achieved a parent win in giving her a head start on her health by giving her good nutrition.