Back to School Lunch Solution

This is my second in a series of back to school posts.  This time we're talking about packing school lunches.  Many times I have found myself sending the same thing over and over again because I just don't know what else to send.  I have seen things like this chart before, where you mix and match from various categories to create something.  I have seen it for making smoothies, building sandwiches, creating a skillet dinner using ground meat as the base, creating meatloafs etc.  I think I may have seen one to pack a lunch but I couldn't find it back.  Anyway, I created this chart to print out and hang on the refrigerator.  When you are planning your grocery shopping, pick a few items from each category for that week.  You may want to prep and portion out your fruits and veggies ahead of time ... you may even want to portion out other items like crackers, nuts, etc.  That way, when you are assembling the lunch, half of the work is already done.  Click on the image below to enlarge and then right click to save and print.

*Note:  If you are unsure of any of the items on the list, I can tell you that at least one of my children will eat everything listed and the other will eat almost everything.  Try it at home several times as part of your lunch or dinner.  If they just DO NOT want to eat it, mark through it on the list and add items that are their favorites.

Cucumber Salad

I made pickles today, and wouldn't you know I ran out of jars before I ran out of cucumbers!  Easy fix, I decided to make this cucumber salad to accompany our dinner tonight.  It is a very simple, fresh summer dish.

Gather Your Ingredients:

• 2 medium cucumbers, sliced
• 1 medium to large tomato, chopped
• 1 very small red onion or half of a medium, thinly sliced
• 1/4 to 1/2c. Italian Dressing, I like to mix up the Good Seasons brand
• Salt and Pepper to taste

There is one step after you have prepped the ingredients ... mix them together.  I don't think it can get any more simple than that!  Use just enough dressing to evenly coat all of the veggies, salt and pepper if desired.  Refrigerate for a couple of hours.  If you want, you can top it with some fresh parsley just before serving.

Back 2 School Is Almost Here!

August is here, that means that it's almost time for the kids to go back to school.  It's a little bittersweet for me, really.  I LOVE having my kids home for the summer and being able to spend time with them, but it can be exhausting keeping them entertained.

We have already hit the school supply aisles and purchased the items on their class lists, sigh ...  Why must it be so expensive?  Those back to school sales are vital in this household, and I make sure to buy extra while it's on sale!

Today I have some fun back to school printables to share with you!  Yay!  I love free printables!  The first one is a sheet of lunch box notes.  Cute little notes that you can cut apart, write a message and tuck in their lunch box.  You should be able to click the thumbnail to enlarge it then right click on the image to save it.

The second printable I have found to be a necessity!  Doesn't it feel like you are constantly sending money to school for something?  Lunch money, fundraisers, handbooks, field trips, year books etc.  The list goes on ...  I am always nervous about the money getting to the appropriate place or person.  This form makes it easy to clearly indicate the who, what, where and why of sending money to school.  Just cut it apart, fill it in and attach to the money.

I also made an alternate to the letter in the form of a size 10 envelope.