The first week of school always feels to me like a collage – new books, paperwork, school supplies, new friends, old routines, new routines… a little of everything all scattered across the week.

My thoughts have followed the same line, a little of everything scattered across the week. Which means my efforts have been on enjoying all the news while trying to instill some order.

I dusted off the dinner grid, which made meal planning for the first week back was easy. The family make their picks and – - Sha-zAMM – - dinners were all planned.

Even though it is still hotter than blazes here, soup was one of the picks.  I pulled out the carrot soup recipe and made a double batch. Good thing! It is easy, accommodates many diets, child-friendly, healthy, and a hit whenever I serve it. How many menu items can say that?! Left-overs would have been nice for lunch, had they made it past the midnight snack!

Lunches have been a breeze, too, thanks to freezing sandwiches. Hopefully you aren’t gasping in horror at the food faux-pas.  It thaws perfectly by lunch, and the deli items are still cold. (Here, there’s a good chance an icepack alone won’t keep them cold.)  Better still, it means less effort at 6:10 a.m.

Whenever I’m at the school for lunch, I see so many lunches traded off or thrown out untouched. So, I ask questions like, “what did you want more of in your lunch?” or “what did you have too much of?” to help me figure out what will be eaten, not wasted.

We’ve got many current fruit and vegetable favorites, but it took time to get there. Go on a Produce Quest. Explore the produce department and have your child try one new vegetable or fruit each week. Maybe ignore the price and purchase just a small portion to try. The point is to learn that you can find new favorites by trying new things…even if you aren’t going to buy a $5 melon every week!

We skip the individual packages, since it means more waste, more cost, and more processed food. Getting some fruit ready in the morning for lunches can help get more fruit in everyone’s breakfast, as well. And who says pea pods are just for lunch?!

  • Blanched frozen baby sweet corn or baby peas. They sit with boiling water briefly, and then are enjoyed cold. They’ve been a hit since kindergarten!
  • Edamame – because food you can play with is fun
  • Cherry or grape tomatoes
  • Carrots, celery,cucumbers
  • Pear or apple slices – add lemon juice to keep them looking fresh
  • Oranges or grapefruit- sliced so kids can make funny faces, of course
  • Grapes, berries, cherries
  • Cantaloupe, mango, or watermelon
  • Clementines
  • Raisins, “dried plums” (prunes), dried apricots, dried mango

You may be very surprised at what becomes the newest hit! Cycle back, too. I just got a request for marinated & baked tofu after not wanting any for several years.

I am excited about the new year and with this little bit of organization, I know we’re off to a smooth start.