Lunches, new foods and wheat free cake

I am really stuck on lunches.  How many days can the kids eat a cheese stick, a gogurt, an apple and a bag of rice cakes?  Eh... its going on a week and I am SICK OF PACKING lunches, but also sick of packing the SAME things.  My goal today is to find lunches that can be packed for them to bring to school.  I wish they had a microwave at school.  It would make my job SO much easier.

Anyone have any suggestions?

In other news...

I am so impressed that my kids are trying new foods.  These kids have been known to be quite picky.  It's not that they are ALL picky, but they all need to like what I serve.  When I prepare a meal, I shoot for 2 things that they all will definitely eat. Then I usually add 2 other things that are healthy, and they have to "try".

So lately, it's been snap peas, avocado, quinoa, among others (yeah, I can't remember right now! LOL)

Yesterday was J's birthday, so we HAD to have cake, right?  I purchased a Betty Crocker gluten-free cake mix - for just under $5.00.  I made chocolate frosting and J got to icing the cake.

Reviews?  "This is so good!"  "I think this is better than normal cake."   The cake is GONE.  :)

So, I would tell you that there are good options out there for those times when you still need to have processed grains, ie birthday cake.

The same day that I purchased the cake mix, I also picked up a baking mix that was wheat-free.  I decided to make a pizza crust with it.  I rolled it thin and the kids enjoyed it.  I rolled it thick for my pizza (which was mushroom, spinach and mozz cheese with no sauce.  My thicker crust was 'eh' and I felt like I ate a brick.  So, that'll need a little more work to be a success.

I've gotta tell you, the most important thing is to have foods you like on hand ALL THE TIME.  If there isn't anything you like, you'll get mad, then potentially you'll eat the wrong thing.

So buy MANY containers of yogurt, bigger amounts of fresh fruit, hard boil a dozen eggs ahead of time.  Then, when you need something quick, you have it.

Some of the thing we keep on hand?


This is one of my FAV's!!!                 Eggs. Enough said.                Great for parfaits!


So, get out of the center isles of the grocery store and find fresh fruits and veggies, dairy items and meats and cheeses.   Your body will thank you.