LUNCHES MAKE ME CRINGE: The search for healthier lunches on a budget

By Becky Brownstein 

Becky Brownstein is a  wife, mother of five, cleaning lady, chef, program/trip organizer, taxi driver, blogger and all around great gal that lives in Kingston, Pennsylvania. Visit her website at http://spitsgiggles.blogspot.com where she shares all her experiences as a mother with the motto, "When all else fails, laugh!" 

LUNCHES MAKE ME CRINGE: 
The search for healthier lunches on a budget
(+ 4 lunch ideas you should try!)

Lunches. Uch... Just the word alone makes me cringe. It’s the last chore of the night (on a good night) and it’s the hardest. Especially when the cupboards are running low. As soon as you start chucking cereal in a bag, you know it’s time to go to the store.

Last school year I made it my own “Mother-Mission” to make healthier lunches without going over my food budget. I also wanted to get rid of the guilt of spending money on baggies that just get tossed out without a second glance. When I keep to a budget, I have to keep everything in mind. With my budget in mind and with the idea of not over-using baggies, I set out to look for a reusable container that would make that possible.

I found these sectioned ziploc containers.

They held up for a few months so I had to replace them in the middle of the year plus, they leaked. A lot. I spent a lot of time saran wrapping the apple sauce inside one of the sections. But it still didn’t cost as much as an actual apple sauce to go cup. Plus, it was one container to clean and it was durable. But the con’s outweighed the pro’s, so this school year I set out to spend a little more money and get something better.

I found this Rubbermaid lunchblox kit.

That blue thing in the middle is an ice pack. They are durable, easily washable, sparkle when they are clean and look really cute. The kids like them better since they can grab one container to take out to recess.  A few of the con’s are It’s easier for the kids to lose lids or misplace them.

The lids also have potential to get yucky stuff trapped so you have to make sure to clean those out well. I also have so many little containers to wash. But it beats saran wrapping. I fill up a sink tub with hot soapy water and either me or the kids will chuck the containers inside.

I mainly use the Lunchblox kit for the fresh fruit and vegetables. I use smaller ziploc containers for the carb snacks. I have 1 box of sandwich baggies for the times I must use them (usually for half a cucumber or tomato), or the times my kids ask for extra snacks, but other than those few times, I don’t use them.

When making lunches I try to think of healthy foods that I know my kids will like, not what I hope they’ll like. I usually ask them “will you guys eat green beans if they were in your lunch?” Either they will answer excitedly or look at me like I was insane and yell “no way!” I also try to keep things the same for everyone. If I know all the kids will eat grapes, I’ll put grapes. But if two kids don’t like bananas, I won’t put bananas at all. But if it’s only one kid who has an aversion to that specific food I’ll make an exception. If I had to make different things for everyone, it would make things really hard for me. Plus, there is a greater chance for mess ups.

One time my daughter came home with two full containers of applesauce and said to me “I don’t even like applesauce!” Shortly after, my husband came home and said “I would like to speak with your quality control department please.” He came home with one full container of grapes. He ate the other. So yeah, mess ups happen. Especially because it’s the last chore of the night. Don’t judge!

Now the fun part!

LUNCH #1

For the main dish I made flat bread (easiest and quickest to make when I didn’t have a chance to get bread) with a small cup of jelly for dipping. Next to that is homemade granola that the kids LOVED. Then it’s cut up baby carrots, applesauce and cut up watermelon.


LUNCH #2

The main dish is tomato, cucumber and lettuce sandwich with a a little bit of mayo. The sides are dried fruit and nuts, pickles, deviled eggs, pretzels and a clementine or half an apple.

LUNCH #3

The main dish is a pizza pocket. (I take frozen dinner rolls out while I make dinner and let them defrost/rise until I am ready to make lunches. I then shape them into round circles, add sauce, cheese and mushrooms or olives and bake.) The sides are edamame beans, applesauce, grapes and corn chips.


Lunch #4 

The main dish is a cream cheese sandwich. Not that exciting but the kids could eat those every day. The sides are sugar snap peas, cantaloupe (one is kiwi since my oldest hates cantaloupe) dried fruit and nuts and homemade date bars. (It was my first attempt at these whole wheat bars and I had to agree with my kids that they sucked. I will not be making those again.)

These are just a few examples. I juggle things around, switch around the vegetable options and try to pick things my kids will like. I am not a dietician or a crazy health nut. I just know my kids and know their reaction to overloads of sugar. They crash. Big time! Plus, if I give them sweets as snacks, they are hungry not even an hour later and come home with crazy stomach pains. I used to send them with store bought granola bars but they didn’t feel well after. 

After starting to make lunches like these, my kids have been coming home with empty containers and started requesting healthy snacks first when they are home without even realizing it. Because of that I don’t buy a lot of the snacks I used to. It’s a lot healthier and makes them a lot happier. Sugar treats have become just that, treats.

DIY Mitzvah Chart with Guest Blogger Rita from DesignMegilla.com!

Rita Milos Brownstein is the author of two books, Jewish Holiday Style and Jewish Weddings(Simon & Schuster) and speaks at events showing women how to beautify the Jewish holidays. She has worked as an art director for several well-known publications such as House Beautiful and Good Housekeeping magazine. She currently has a home decorating business in Connecticut and blogs at designmegillah.com. She divides her time working and playing with her very cute grandchildren Moussia and Yosef.

Do It Yourself: Mitzvah Chart! 

Hi everyone! My name is Rita—you can usually find me blogging over at designmegillah.com but today I am thrilled to be a guest blogger for LadyMama.

I would like to share a project I did for my grandchildren—a Mitzvah Chart. This chart lists the mitzvahs that the children are expected to do each day of the week. In what has become a nightly ritual that the children look forward to with excitement, my daughter Ariel reviews with them the mitzvahs they did that day. If they did the mitzvah, they get to put a magnetic button on the spot for that particular mitzvah. 

They love it when they fill an entire day with buttons, and of course, children LOVE magnets!

I designed this chart for young pre-schoolers who don’t know how to read, but if you have older kids you can replace the pictures with words. Add more or less for your needs.

Here are the supplies I purchased:

1. Colored scrapbooking paper (Michaels Crafts)

2. Package of colorful buttons (Michaels Crafts)

3. Magnetic Board (Michaels Crafts)

4. Both round and strip style magnets (Staples)

5. Large letter stickers (BoBunny Supersized Alphabet Stickers)

6. Press-On 1” white vinyl letters—Helvetica (Staples)

7. Martha Stewart Crafts 1 ½” circle craft punch (Michaels Crafts)

8. Decorative ribbon (Michael’s crafts) (optional)

Before sticking on the large letters that read “Mitzvah Chart” I taped a piece of green painters tape to use for a guide and get a nice straight line. If you don’t have painters tape you can use masking tape or you can draw a light pencil line with a ruler.

Next, I cut out my circles for the days of the week using my circle craft punch. Again, if you don’t have a circle punch you can cut squares out of the colored paper with scissors.

After I decided out how much space I needed for each day, I drew vertical lines with a sharpie marker.

The painters tape helped to keep the tops of the lines straight.

Here is a PDF of some icons to use if you are doing a chart for toddlers. You can add your own, too.

After mounting the icons on colored paper, I cut the magnet tape and applied to the back of the icons. This way, they can be changed as needed. I also added the white vinyl letters to the colored circles for the days of the week.

The buttons got a drop of glue from a glue gun to stick onto the round magnets. If you don’t have a glue gun, I suggest using goop glue, found at most hardware stores.

As a finishing touch, I glued a decorative ribbon around the board to create a bit of a frame.

Please visit me at www.designmegillah.com for more great ideas!

Still Crying It Out [Chana Lew's Follow Up]

By Chana Lew 
Chana Lew is a mother to 5 sons, 2 daughters and 1 husband - and working on growing up herself. Loves: self-respect, all things birth, informed choice & fresh, clean food. More at www.chanalew.com

"None of us “have an hour” to put our babies to sleep, but putting a baby to 

sleep is part of being a parent and sometimes it takes longer than we like."

STILL CRYING IT OUT

While I agree that there is more than one way to put a baby to sleep, I don’t believe in not responding to a baby’s attempt to communicate.   


Ignoring your child is wrong. Period.
I have ‘successfully’ ferberized some of my own, and I feel terrible about it. It goes against the grain of parental instincts. Why didn't I listen to my inner voice that said "pick your baby up!" I convinced myself that it was "for his own good." I believed that someone else knew better. I fell victim to a decision made out of desperation. Those children did sleep through the night earlier, but I believe there are long term ramifications.

Mom Shot #14: You CAN always get what you want

He was screaming "miiiiiiiilk, miiiiiiilk!" for quite some time, but I was determined to have him sit and eat the cheerios, too. 

But he was more determined. He actually handpicked every single cheerio out of the bowl and then downed the milk. Exactly what he wanted. 

Point taken, kid.

Listen up, parents. Our children are resilient and, as frustrating as that is (and I mean reeeaallly frustrating), acknowledge their inventiveness. They know exactly how to get what they want from life, and no one - not even mommy - will stand in the way. 

Cheerio! ;)

Crying It Out (Chana Lew's Personal Rant)

By Chana Lew 
Chana Lew is a mother to 5 sons, 2 daughters and 1 husband - and working on growing up herself. Loves: self-respect, all things birth, informed choice & fresh, clean food. More at www.chanalew.com

CRYING IT OUT

(MY PERSONAL RANT)

I'm continuously disturbed by parents who allow their children to 'cry it out'. For those not familiar, this is a method used for teaching babies to sleep. Baby is placed in the crib and kissed good night. Lights go out, doors are shut, baby screams. There are different variations that include parents coming back into the room after 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, 20 minutes, etc. Baby usually is asleep by the time they reach an hour. The second night takes 1/2 hour, the third night (or so) baby knows that crib means sleep and doesn't fight the process. Some parents actually stay in the room but will not take their babies out of the crib.

Mom Shot #9: The Scene of the Crime

Mimi Hecht's captured homemade moments: random photographs and 
musings from her life as a stay-at-home and work-from-home mom! 
[See previous Mom Shots here!]

As if it weren't obvious enough, my tot left some pretty conclusive evidence at the scene of "Operation Wreck Mommy's Drawer." Look closely...do you see it?

You gotta laugh when you discover the result of harmless toddler exploration! Be happy that your kid is active and curious. And then clean it up so they can start all over again!

The Sucky Disciplinarian

By Mimi Hecht

"As a new mother, I excelled at all the nurturing. Nursing, cradling, bathing – I can do that. 

I can love. I can cuddle. I can give. Call me Mother Theresa. Just don't make me say 'no.'"

The Sucky Disciplinarian

The first time I told my son “no,” even I didn't take myself seriously. I'm pretty sure I even said it with a slight laugh in my voice. Something like “Nooooooo” with the “O” sound extending into a “Oooooh you're so frikkin cute, come here.”

Since those first ineffective “no”s my sixteen-month old's habits have turned from unpreventable no-worthies like putting dangerous things in his mouth to more deliberate actions like throwing food off his high-chair and even scratching. I am slowly coming to the realization that I am failing as an authority figure to my little two-foot human.

You see, I'm just not cut out for this discipline stuff. Which isn't exactly surprising, considering my inability to consistently reprimand and administer warranted punishments always made me the best camp counselor and babysitter when I was younger. As a new mother, I excelled at all the nurturing. Nursing, cradling, bathing – I can do that. I can love. I can cuddle. I can give. Call me Mother Theresa. Just don't make me say “no.”

Why We Don't Do Family Dinner (babble.com)

Why We Don’t Do Family Dinner

Meal-planning in a house with little kids

by Bari Nan Cohen   |  November 22, 2010

“The kids need to eat at six,” she would say, “So I always tell Robert that if he isn’t in the door by the time we sit down, his plate will be in the microwave.”When I was growing up, my best friend’s mom used to roll her eyes a bit (good-naturedly, of course) at my family’s dinner habits. Why? Because we waited for my father to get home from work before we ate. My best friend’s mom, Mrs. T, like most parents, fed her kids at 6 p.m. on the dot.

To me, the child of a family whose dinner hour was as established as a pile of quicksand, this seemed like a great policy. My mother swears we didn’t start waiting for my dad to come home to start dinner until my sister and I were old enough to hold out until 7:30, so I’ll take her word for it. But when I had my own kids and started listening to other moms discuss the gyrations they put themselves (and their kids) through in order to have dinner at an hour when everyone (read: Dad) was home, it quite frankly made me question their sanity.

Finish reading article here.

Becky's Bottom Line: The Boy Chapter of the Terrible Twos

He does still need me, but his defiance is showing me that he wants to do it on his own. His very dangerous, not-so-thought-through, wild and crazy way of doing it on his own.

The Boy Chapter of the Terrible Twos

By Becky Brownstein

I recently went on a trip with my almost-two-year-old son to California. Superman – I mean my husband – took care of all the others. Granted, I did make to-do lists and schedules for him, but he's a natural. Even though he was a little hesitant at first, he pulled it off without a hitch. Or at least I hope so. He's smart enough not to tell me.

The reason for my trip was that my sister had a baby a few weeks ago and my internal family connection was pulling at my soul; it hurt so badly that I couldn't be with her. My husband saw my anguish and we made a joint decision that I should go to be with my family. That's when the superman cape came out and my husband said "Bring it on!"

BabyDiner to the rescue!

www.babydiner.net

Quote of the Day: Ignoring a baby's cry

What do YOU think of today's quote? 

“Ignoring a baby's cry is like using earplugs to stop the distressing noise of a smoke detector. The sound of a smoke detector is meant to alert us to a serious matter that requires a response - and so is the cry of a baby.” - Jan Hunt

An Angry Mom, the Heroic Flight Attendant

Last week, while one flight attendant was getting all the attention for his dramatic "not going to take this anymore" antics, a real in-flight hero went virtually ignored. Aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Dallas to Albuquerque, flight attendant Beverly Kay McCurley witnessed an agitated mother strike her crying thirteen-month-old baby on the face with an open hand. In an attempt to help the mother - and bring calm to an escalating situation that was disturbing other passengers - Beverly intervened by taking the baby and calming her, also enabling the father to leave his seat to comfort his child at the back of the plane. 

But Beverly cared more than simply for her passengers comfort; she could not rest after what she saw. She reported the mother's behavior to the head-crew, who arranged for law enforcement to meet the family when they landed. After a welfare check - during which police inquired about the baby's black eye which the parents pinned on a dog bite - the parents were allowed to go. The mother defended her actions, saying she "popped" her because "that's the only way I can get her to stop." As if it gave her all the freedom in the world, she added, "She’s my daughter." 

Shockingly, Beverly's actions spurred a debate about whether it was right to interfere in another mother's parenting. Shocking, because, quite simply, no one actually believes that hitting a baby - not a child, a baby - is an actual parenting method. Experts on both sides of the corporal punishment debate believe that it's wrong to hit a child that young. Most parents hear this story and think, "That’s awful." And yet, oddly, most parents would refrain from getting involved. 

But why? Where is the room for debate over Beverly's involvement? How can it possibly be argued that she should have let the mother continue "popping" her tired and upset baby? Mind your own business...at whose expense? 

I would posit that most parents are uncomfortable with the idea that our individual parenting can be subject to a stranger's scrutiny. So when it comes to other parents choices, we choose our involvement carefully. But is all this so-called sensitivity always appropriate? While some may be unwilling to accept interference over normative methods of parenting to which there are valid and healthy takes on both sides, no mother should be so confident to think that passersby will accept her out-of-control moments that may endanger her young. 

In my eyes, the world of motherhood can use a few more Beverlys. She didn't heed the voices saying "don't get involved." In stark contrast to our "to each his own" society, she jumped right in where she new she was needed. 

Every mother can be this kind of hero. Instead of turning your head out of embarrassment for a struggling and agitated mother, kindly offer your help. It will go a long way for a burdened parent, much further than our silent stares and teeming judgment. If more parents looked out for each other and stepped in when it was absolutely necessary, maybe there wouldn't be so many mothers who feel comfortable slapping their kids in the line at Target or dragging their two year olds by the ear to get them to leave the park. 

Thank you Beverly for reminding us that we are all each other's keepers. To the out of control mother who said, "She’s my daughter," you answered, "Yes, but right now she's my responsibility." Because of your heroism, there is one mother who has a lot to think about while vacationing in New Mexico. 

Becky's Bottom Line: Disaster Zone B

Becky's Bottom Line

By Becky Brownstien

DISASTER ZONE B

I have a rare condition. Yes, it was self diagnosed. My condition is, if I don’t see it, it doesn’t exist. I’m not talking about faith or religious thoughts or anything like that. I’m talking about messes. Huge, ginormous, larger than life disaster areas that make you stop breathing if you think about the act of cleaning it. Like, the basement/playroom, otherwise known as disaster zone B. (Disaster zone A is another post altogether)

In an act to regain control of the playroom, I did a major makeover in the basement. I painted, bought really cute shelving, made a chalkboard on the wall with a really cute boarder, organized the books and toys. I made it adorable!

The kids were so excited about it.

Becky's Bottom Line: Fun or Destruction?

Becky's Bottom Line

By Becky Brownstein

 "Walls are just mass expanses of mural space."

FUN OR DESTRUCTION?

Kids break things. Kids ruin things. Kids touch what they shouldn't. Kids use their imaginations and turn diaper changing table pads into stair sleds. They also create forts out of every single blanket that’s folded neatly in the linen closet. Panty liners are money. Toilet paper  is used for a new age Hansel and Gretel game. Books are for practicing scissor skills. Pencils are meant to be broken and then sharpened over and over again. Walls are just mass expanses of mural space.


As a parent, I get angry. These are the things that I have bought with my own money (that my husband worked so hard to make) and took the time to make nice. All my hard work and planning can get ruined in exactly three seconds. I want to make rule after rule after rule to get the kids to stop touching what they shoudn’t, but it would only make the planning that much greater. They want to discover. I want them to discover, but I also don’t want my things ruined.

It’s a tug of war I have in my head all the time.

Lessons Of A Smoking Toddler

Lessons From A Smoking Toddler

By Mimi Hecht

In his tiny hut in a town in Indonesia, Ardi Rizal has become somewhat of a tourist attraction. People watch him and snap pictures, excited to get a glimpse of a two-year-old who has taken up a rather adult habit; his obese toddler body sits aboard a red toy truck as he smokes cigarettes, one after the other. 

When a video of cigarette-addicted Ardi surfaced on YouTube over a week ago, it sparked horrified reactions all over the globe. Health officials are criticizing Indonesia’s tobacco problem (they’re one of the few countries that allow widespread cigarette advertising) while parent-bloggers curse Ardi’s parents for their inability to control their child. To say the least, Ardi’s bad baby habit has us all…well, fuming.   

But with an endless wave of reactions on every front, it seems the real caution inherent in Ardi’s tale has been covered in ash. Responses of horror and condemnation are warranted, but what is this chubby Indonesian toddler really teaching us? 

It’s not surprising to learn that little Ardi’s father is a heavy smoker. After all, the kid had to pick up a cigarette somewhere. How, then, is the world so aghast at this baby's adoption of a bad habit when he was exposed to it every single day? Could it be that the world believes that, because our babies can't walk or speak, they are somehow blind to our actions? 

The public is enamored by videos of Ardi’s smoking because he is a baby acting like an adult. But in Ardi’s defense, he couldn’t be acting more like a baby! After all, what is a baby if not a little vulnerable sponge, soaking up our every mood, word and – more obviously – action?

When our six-month-old copies something we do, we gawk. Clapping hands. Waving goodbye. Watching and learning is primary; parents are their only model of what it means to be a human. They’re developing brains are never going to be as reliant on our actions as they are in their infant and toddler years. We may not see it right away, but they eventually become what they have watched and heard ever since they were born. There’s no hiding. Like father, like son.

And yet, when our young assume so-called “adult habits,” we are astonished. “Did he just say the F-word?!” cry foul-mouthed parents. Or what about the popular video of the toddler dancing to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” in a diaper?  It may seem cute now, but when she turns four and starts dressing skimpy and actually mimicking the inappropriate dance moves, she’ll be on YouTube again. We’ll all be horrified – and somehow surprised.

Perhaps Ardi’s father thought he would stop smoking when his son was “old enough” to be impressionable. Perhaps he doesn’t realize – just like the rest of us often don’t – that “old enough” is actually a very young age.

Every parent needs to realize that our every action – both good deeds and bad habits – get collected by our young…by our very young. And it’s normal. This is what babies do. They don’t become susceptible overnight, but over time. There is not going to be a magical day in which your child alerts you by saying “Mom, Dad, I’m watching now!” So even though our newborns seem like out-of-touch blobs, they’re going to start picking up our shtick sooner than we think. We need to ditch our bad habits and realize that our responsibility to be positive role models starts before they can say, “Mama.” Sure, it’s easier said than done. That’s why if you’re child is still in utero - or even but a thought in G-d’s mind - there’s never been a better time to change.

Although smoking Ardi is an extreme example, he nevertheless makes the point. Through the national exposure his puffing has earned, perhaps the adult world will learn something about the impressions we make on our young. Thank you, little addicted Ardi. While you sit in Indonesia chain smoking, the world is getting a harsh lesson in parenting. Perhaps in that way, your blackening lungs won’t be entirely in vain.  

Want passionate kids?

Parents who want their children to discover a passion for music, sports, or other hobbies should follow a simple plan: Don't pressure them [msnbc.com]

Full article here.

Quirky Discipline Rules

[Is it time to try something else?]

Read this article about a mother's inventive discipline rules that worked!

Have you resorted to out-of-the-box self-made discipline rules for your kids? Were they successful? Share them with other moms! Tell us your "quirky discipline rules" and how they worked! Send submissions of any length to blog@ladymama.org.