When I was in elementary school, I took
my lunch often. At the time, I loved
Holly Hobbie! She ruled my world and not
only was my room decorated with wall to wall Holly Hobbie, I also carried a
Holly Hobbie school bag and lunch box.
It wasn’t one of those new soft pack coolers of today. It was a hard core metal job complete with
thermos.
My
favorite treat to discover in my lunch box were Hostess Snow balls. They were cream-filled chocolate cakes
covered with marshmallow frosting and coconut flakes and they were the
BOMB! They came in packages of two. I ate them in steps, much like one eats an Oreo appreciating every single component.
If anything could bring on a food orgasm, one of those scrumptious cakes
of wonder could. First, I peeled off the
marshmallow coconut, flaked frosting, then I tore into the chocolate cake to
eat the cream, and then I devoured the cake.
I made a hell of a mess out of myself in the process, but I can tell you
there wasn’t a kid at my table that wasn’t watching me enjoy those snow
balls. There might have been indifferent
cool kids that acted like they couldn’t care less, but I knew they were sneaking
envious peeks. Really, any of those
Hostess treats made me equally happy: ding dongs, Twinkies, and cupcakes oh
my! Eat your heart out suckers!
Since the government has been regulating
school lunches with their idea of healthy, nutritious foods in microscopic
portions designed to curb childhood obesity, I have been packing my kids
lunches every day. Why you ask? Basically because I can’t see paying money
for crap that is going to end up at the bottom of an industrial size cafeteria
trash can instead of in my kid's tummy.
My kids threw out more than they
ate and came home starving. So, I pack my kids lunches daily with stuff they love: sandwiches, fruits,
crackers, meats, and salads.
The result is that money is no longer wasted
on stuff they refuse to eat. If they don’t
have time to eat everything, they bring it back home and eat it after school. It’s a win-win. 
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Interesting to read about your School/lunch experience
ReplyDeletePooja, I am so pleased you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by to read and for your comments!
DeleteThat cake sounds dreamy... what description Kathy! My kids never took to school food too even though we paid for it as part of the school fees. I ended up packing lunches for them every single day.
ReplyDeletetulika, it truly was a piece of heaven. I packed lunches every day last year and intend to do the same this year. Thanks so much for stopping by to read and for your sweet comments!
DeleteAh! I wouldn't mind having a packed lunch like the one you're giving the kids, Kathy. I love the healthy mix you've included.
ReplyDeleteCorinne, actually packing lunches has become kind of fun. I love coming up with creative choices for them. Thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments!
DeleteThat is a much better way to be then the school crap
ReplyDeletePat, It really is because at least the kids eat what I pack them and if they don't have time to eat it at school then they do when they get home. Thanks so much for stopping by to read and for your sweet comments!
DeleteAre you still working in the cafeteria? I took food to school only if I didn't like the one and only choice given in the cafeteria. When I worked at the school cafeteria as a sub I was shocked to see the variety that was offered. A whole salad bar, hot lunch, fruits, fruit cocktail, baby carrots with sunflower seed butter, sandwiches. Damn. I probably had a snowball or two when I was a kid but I preferred funny bones, ring dings, yodels and devil dogs.
ReplyDeleteJoJo, technically I am still on staff as a sub but they hardly ever call. So on the most part ...um no. They have quite a variety to choose from at the high school, but at the elementary school what you see is what you get. Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet comments!
DeleteYour kids lunch looks great! I have a hard time figuring out what to make for them and just send some cookies or something, I'm sure that when they start primary school I will have to figure out better lunches.
ReplyDeleteorana, you should ask google. That is basically what I did to get ideas and then I just let my creative mind take over. Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet comments!
DeleteThat's a yummy lunch! I agree, packed lunch saves money and fills tummy! :)
ReplyDeleteVinitha, it surely does! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments!
DeleteThat snowball cake sounds absolutely delightful! A homemade lunch is better than anything served outside. And that's a yummy lunchbox you got there!
ReplyDeletemukulokamusings, They were the bomb! I have to agree. Seems to me it is better to serve the kids something they will actually eat rather than something that is going to line the trash can. Thanks so much for stopping by and for the sweet comments!
DeleteI love that little lunchbox with the compartments. I wouldn't mind having something like that for my office lunches. I hate to admit it, but, sometimes, I resorted to - gulp - Lunchables with my son. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeletebookworm, my kids always begged for lunchables until I decided to make my own. Now they love the ones I make because they get more meats, cheeses, and crackers. Thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments!
DeleteKathy, only a mom knows what her kids like to eat. Your preparations look delicious and healthy, lucky kids :)
ReplyDeletesulekkha, very true. The best part of it is that they actually do eat their lunches. I hated paying out money for school lunches and having the kids walked away hungry because the food sucked. I was even more shocked to realize that the older my kids got the less food they were served, so even if they did eat it there simply wasn't enough to satisfy them. Thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments!
DeleteThat's a good mix of lunch you have in there! I do not have school lunchbox memories as I used to be back home by then. :)
ReplyDeleteShalzzz, wow that must have been cool to be home from school by lunch time. Lucky you! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind comments!
DeleteVery sensible to make your children's lunch yourself. Some of the guidelines have gone crazy.
ReplyDeleteFrancene, they really are. They have restricted so much at the schools that they barely feed the kids anything. Thanks so much for stopping by and for your comments!
DeleteHave always packed my son's lunch - and husband's too! Your description of the cake left me drooling and I am making do with a coffee to compensate, Kathy! Your kids' lunchbox looks great! I remember the variety I used to carry to school - rice/rotis/dosas/idlis - and it was more or less a formality - the box would be empty long before lunch. Then we'd buy fruits and eat.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, sent you a Facebook message to let you know I've tagged you in my last post for the 8 photos of happiness challenge. :) Would be great if you joined! Love, Vidya
Vidya, thanks so much for the invitation! I am looking forward to sharing some pictures. Thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments!
DeleteOh, I so remember Holly Hobby - We used to draw her ... Thanks for the reminder dear Kathy! And that school lunch box looks amazing - I agree 100% - I also used to make the ones for mine two... But now they r all grown up:-)
ReplyDeleteEli, I loved Holly Hobbie and loved drawing pictures of her and her friends as well! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments!
DeleteThat lunch box sure looks so yum. I can go back to school for that :D
ReplyDeleteParul, LOL I don't know if I would go that far. I would rather just buy the food and enjoy it than go back to school. :P LOL Thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments!
DeleteLoved the lunch box you pack for your kids... it has all the ingredients of a healthy diet! I have always packed lunch for sonny boy too, thought once in a fortnight he would eat the food at the school canteen!
ReplyDeleteShilpa, I am so pleased you liked it! Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet comments!
DeleteA nice healthy lunch My son has food allergies so it was always home packed lunches for him.
ReplyDeleteSuzy, the only thing either one of my kids is allergic to is shrimp of all things. The one time my son tried it he broke out in red welts and swelled up a bit. Thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥
DeleteMy parents always made me get cafeteria lunches. I did that with my kids too, until this year. Recently my younger son was put on an 'anti-inflammatory' diet which makes lunches a little more interesting (packing stuff that doesn't need heating or more refrigeration than a frozen apple sauce pouch will give, while avoiding processed foods, preservatives and lunch meats). I'm finding pasta salad with lots of veggies works pretty good. I have to say, that sandwich in your photo looks awesome... can you make me one? :)
ReplyDeletejannatwrites, I can definitely make you one of those! Lol. I pack my kids lunches every single day. My kids started out getting the cafeteria lunches but I discovered when I worked at their schools they didn't eat them, so I thought the money was best put into things they would eat. I am careful to change things up so it doesn't get monotonous and am always mindful to ask them what they will eat and what they actually want. It really helps. Thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥
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