Quick Lunch Ideas for Busy Moms

I have said it before and I will say it again, I do not like lunch hour.  Seriously, if I ever sent my kids to public school, it could very well be for the sole reason that I would not have to fix lunch for them.

I really do not mind cooking usually, but there is just something about lunch time that fills this mom's heart with dread.  It is tedious, it is redundant, and quick frankly, it is not rewarding in the least.  Yes, they do not starve, but no one sings mom's praises for a lunch well made.

I used to stress about lunch.  Notice the past tense.  No more, my friends.  Luckily for us all, my kids have gotten old enough to work some magic in the kitchen by themselves and I have stopped trying to be supermom.  I am all about the getting food in their mouths and worrying less about what kind of food specifically.  I have come to peace with the fact that they will not suffer ill affects from not so perfect, not so lovely, and maybe even no so nutritious lunches.

There, I said it.  Some of my kids' lunches are not the most healthy.  They are also not themed and they don't come in cute little divided plates.  Gasp, I know!

So WHAT do my kids eat for lunches exactly?  To make life easier on me, and them since they usually fix it, I made a list for quick reference that hangs on our fridge.  It is not complete, but it gives them some ideas to get started.

• Left overs.  This is by far their least favorite thing, but the rules are if there are several leftovers in the fridge they must be eaten first.  Luckily for them their dad takes his lunch and we often do not have left overs, so you do not have to worry that they suffer often.

• Sandwiches- Also not a favorite in our house, but an occasional go to, especially if we are in a hurry.  We stopped eating lunch meat many years ago for health concerns, and only in the recent years have begun to have lunch meat around more often.  They would both prefer peanut butter and jelly if given a choice anyway.

• Mac and Cheese- Homemade or boxed- up to them.

• Pizza- I try to keep pizza, big ones and mini ones, in our freezer and do limit them to one a week or otherwise this would be there go to.  BOYS!  We also make homemade pizzas as well as hamburger bun pizzas.

• Stuffed baked potatoes

• Cheese melts on tortillas

• Soup- Usually chicken rice or chicken noodle using leftover chicken.

• Chicken nuggets- Yep, we do.

• Taquitoes- Sometimes homemade, but often frozen from a box.

• Cheese-steaks- Yes, I occasionally buy the kits for a fun treat.

• Hot dogs and chips- This is another food we walked away from years ago.  The girls did not miss them at all.  The boys thought I was deliberately torturing them, so we have slowly allowed them back into our lives on a limited basis.

• Fruit, cheese and meats- OK, admittedly this is one in my dreams.  I see parents of young children getting by with this, but I have to tell you when I have tried this in the past I have received looks like, cute, mom, where's the real food.

I am sure there are more, but you get the idea.

In our house we check off the lunch box and move on.  Rumbling tummies stop rumbling, mom is happier, and the day goes on!  I promise that our breakfasts and dinners are more nutritious and well thought out, but I also promise that now that the lunch stress is off me, I am a happier momma!

Score one for me and one for the kids!

Blessings,