Is it really necessary to feed my children?

Last school year, I found a great portion of energy and sanity sucked out of me every morning as I listened to my children complain and whine about having to gag down the school-provided lunch.

So this year, no school lunch for my poor, picked-on children.  

I've decided to not even go there, and instead only do home lunches.

This will spare me the headache of dealing with unhappy, school-fed people.

Now I get the headache of dealing with unhappy, home-fed people.

Awesome.

Because I'm obsessed with planning life out to the minute detail, and also hoping to curtail some of the anticipated complaining as well as an effort to manage portion control with our lunchbox food (yes, when left unsupervised, my pint-sized lunchmakers often find it necessary to pack themselves up to eight or nine items, just to ensure total engorging and overeating, depleting my well-stocked pantry in record-setting time!), I have written out a flexible Lunch Menu Rotation.  Hopefully this will aid in my grocery shopping, preparing lunches ahead of time, and rationing out food in a more budget-friendly and waistline-friendly rate!

I have fifteen lunches in the rotation, divided up into three weeks.  I plan on displaying "WEEK A" this first week on my pantry door, then next week displaying "WEEK B", etc.  In case anyone else might find this helpful, I thought I'd share it.  I'd also love to hear what makes packing lunches at your house whine-free, fast, and cost-effective!

WEEK A

Mon – PB&J, fresh fruit, Annie’s Crackers, Juice Box

Tues – Bagel & Cream Cheese, Celery & Apples w/P.B., Fruit Snacks, Chocolate Milk

Wed – Egg Salad Sandwich, Pudding, Chips, Gatorade

Thurs – Homemade Lunchables, Fruit Cup, 2 pieces of jerky, Juice Box

Fri – Rotisserie Chicken & BBQ Dipping Sauce, String Cheese, Graham Crackers, Chocolate Milk

WEEK B

Mon – PB&J, fresh fruit, Annie’s Crackers, Juice Box

Tues – Ham & Cheddar Wrap, Cucumber slices, Snack Box Selection, Chocolate Milk

Wed – Nachos w/salsa & Queso, Carrots w/ranch, Granola/Fiber One Bar, Gatorade

Thurs – Turkey Sandwich, Boiled Egg, Fruit Leather, Juice Box

Fri – Salad Kabobs w/Ranch, Celery & Apples w/P.B., Fruit Snacks, Chocolate Milk

WEEK C

Mon – PB&J, fresh fruit, Annie’s Crackers, Juice Box

Tues – Crescent Rollups (cream cheese & jam/ham & cheddar), Carrots w/ranch, Granola/Fiber One Bar, Chocolate Milk

Wed – Turkey Sandwich, Pudding, Chips, Gatorade

Thurs – Bagel & Cream Cheese,  String cheese, Graham Crackers, Juice Box

Fri –Pizzadillas, Cucumber slices, Danimals, Chocolate Milk

Bon Appetit!