Healthy Eating Tactics for the New Year
Happy New Year!
I know we’re all done with gifts for the season. But one of the greatest gifts I think you can give for the new year, be it to your kids, your spouse or your significant other, is the empowerment to make healthy food choices for themselves. This is a gift you can even give yourself. Like new jeans. Totally the same thing.
I think it was about a midway through Christmas break that I decided we needed a new technique for empowerment in our house.
Yes, we could do worse. We still sit down to a healthy, family meal at the dinner table almost every night of the week. Hearty, nutritious favorites we all like, like Sloppy Josephines, Tempeh Chili or Chickpeas and Dumplings. Dinner I’ve got a handle on.
It’s breakfast, lunches and snacks where we’ve gotten a little lazy.
A piece of toast on the way out the door.
PB &J in the lunchbox. Again.
Pickles morning, noon and night.
I want us to step up our game, but I don’t want to become the food police. One thing I’ve learned as a parent, and really just a human being is that people, little or not, like choices. People also like control. It’s amazing what your kids will willingly do when you combine the two.
So, I came up with a way to give the power of choice to my family and consequently get them to make healthier eating choices for themselves.
You know how your mom would always say to you growing up, “This isn’t a restaurant!”?
Well, this kind of is. I made the girls charts for the options they always have available to them for breakfast, lunch and snacks.
The idea is to fill each list with:
1) foods your family will eat;
2) meals you are willing to make; and
3) foods you are able to keep stocked in your pantry and fridge at all times.
Whether you are wanting to eat healthier or go vegetarian or vegan (or semi-vegan, as Mark Bittman of the New York TImes suggests), I think the lists of options are great because instead of focusing on what you “can’t” eat, you’re putting the spotlight on what you can.
Take the things out of your pantry and fridge that aren’t on the lists as options, or at least stick them away for special treats. Then restock your cupboards and refrigerator with the foods that are offered on your lists.
While you may have time for other options for breakfasts, lunches and snacks on some days (you can find plenty on our recipe page and cookbook), for us, much of the time we have to be able to quickly put things together from the basics.
Here’s a quick list of veg-friendly pantry and fridge staples. Obviously you’ll want to adapt the list based on your own dietary needs, choices and tastes.
(click on image to print)
The girls were a little skeptical at first, but within a day or two, they were excited to choose their meals.
I was able to pick up some new divided plates for under a dollar each, which also made meal time feel a little more special and allowed them to “display” their choices.
Gigi’s whole wheat bagel & vegan cream cheese, carrot sticks and fruit leather
Lulu’s hummus, pickle and tomato sandwich on whole wheat, cheese stick and fruit leather
You can even have snack stations prepared in your fridge, as with this convenient idea I saw on Pinterest, originally found here.
The lists of meal-builders are also helpful for Pea Daddy, as he now has ideas for things he can choose for his own breakfasts and he knows what’s available for his packed lunches and snacks.
There will always be added variety, when I’ve baked healthy cookies or muffins or when we have dinner leftovers to use for lunches beyond the lists, and you can keep adding to the lists as you discover more healthy foods and options your family likes. But the beauty is, we’ll always have these staples to work off of, and they are all choices we all feel good about.
Plus, everyone thinks it’s their idea, as they fill their plates and their bodies with nutritious food, starting out a new year on the right foot.
Now who wants a pickle?
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Other Meal Planning resources:
Great idea!!
This is an awesome idea! It would help me sooo much when I go to pack my lunch for works. I think this might get added to a goal for me for 2012! Thank you!
I’m back to packing lunches tomorrow myself, so it will be nice to just take Gigi’s order
What a great suggestion! My kids are always looking for new ideas of what they can have for snacks and will be helpful for my hubby who is in charge of breakfast during the week. Thanks and Happy New Year!
Yup, Pea D is in charge of breakfast at our house too! And now we know that pickles and toast are not a good combo.
Fantastic idea! Now, if only I could zoom to read your breakfast/lunches/snacks lists….
Happy New Year to the Happy Peas!
Sasha, The lists are actually quite similar to those provided on the Pealightful Plan breakfasts, here:
http://peasandthankyou.com/2011/01/29/pealightful-plans-breakfasts/
And the snack options, here:
http://peasandthankyou.com/2011/01/29/pealightful-plans-snacks-and-treats/
The lunch options are merely different kinds of sandwiches (hummus & veggie, grilled cheese, PB & honey), veggie dogs, Trader Joe’s spaghetti O’s, quesadillas, pita pizzas, pasta w/sauce, etc. And then the sides are things like fruit, veggie crudites, pretzels, nuts, dried fruit, etc.
Hope that helps!
Thanks. i was wondering the same thing!
Thanks! I logged on to your site (from Google Reader) to see the comments, hoping that someone else had already asked as well!
Oh good! Happy to help!
Fabulous post! Even for my boyfriend and I, portioning snacks ahead of time will be really useful.
I always make the “this is not a restaurant” comment to Ave. This just might be the best idea I have heard this year :0 I love it!!!
Lu is choosing things that she never would have had I just said, “You are having THIS for lunch.” Happy New Year to you guys! Hope you had a nice Christmas!
LOVE it! I should do this for My Baby Sister and My Love!! Awesome Mama
It really is helpful for me too…keeps things fresh
Happy New Year, Ali!
Splendid idea!
This is a fabulous idea. I should have thought of it before because my husband is always asking me, “what are my choices?” when I ask him what he wants to eat. Lately, my kids have been repeating this to me as well. Thanks so much for giving me a great example of how to make it work! Now, I wonder if I can get my 11 year old to take inventory and then make a list of the things we need? (He’s a vegetarian who not really into junk food so I know I will approve the list) Got any tips on how to motivate a tween to do chores?………:)
It drives me nuts when Pea D says, “What are my choices?” And now I can just point to the list
Hmmm…tweens and chores…I find it helps if we put on some good music we all like and pitch in together at the same time. It goes quickly and we get to shake it a little bit too.
Love this. I’ve never considered our kitchen a restaurant per say but do provide options/choices and control for kid and hubs. But I like this list idea, to make it that much easier.
We are now at a point in my young man’s life where he makes all his own lunches, we do breakfast together and I do dinner most nights. But WHEN I do dinner, he has 3 choices that all compliment what I want to make for myself. So its a win/win. IF he doesn’t like any of the three, then he can opt to make himself anything he wants. Of course “Anything” consists of only the healthy options I keep in the house. So we really can’t go wrong. However, if I have a list on the wall, I’m positive that deciding process would go much more quickly.
Sounds like you’ve got a good deal on your hands! I’m sure there are craftier and cuter ways to do the list too, but I bet your guy doesn’t care about cute
Love this! And love the snack station
I’m sure Gigi already has a ridiculously cute lunch box, but (years from now) when she grows out of it, you should totally invest in a Bento Box (http://www.laptoplunches.com/)! I was reminded of mine, which I use to bring homemade vegan lunches (usually leftovers like your stuffed peppers or veggie burgers), when I saw those cute sectioned plates.
Thanks for yet another helpful post!
YES! I really want one of these for both of the girls. And maybe me too. Thanks for the suggestion!
Love this idea! There’s only two of us now but we are working on changing ways for when we have kids to set good examples. Could you take closer up images of what is on your lists to see? I severely lack in these departments with vegan ideas that I could easily go to and would love to see yours. Thanks!
The lists are actually quite similar to those provided on the Pealightful Plan breakfasts, here:
http://peasandthankyou.com/2011/01/29/pealightful-plans-breakfasts/
And the snack options, here:
http://peasandthankyou.com/2011/01/29/pealightful-plans-snacks-and-treats/
The lunch options are merely different kinds of sandwiches (hummus & veggie, grilled cheese, PB & honey), veggie dogs, Trader Joe’s spaghetti O’s, quesadillas, pita pizzas, pasta w/sauce, etc. And then the sides are things like fruit, veggie crudites, pretzels, nuts, dried fruit, etc.
Hope that helps!
Happy New Year! Cute Idea. I have a list similar to the way you set it up for meal planning too. I did a post a while back on how to menu plan for school lunches. I agree the plates and containers with the dividers really helps to make things interesting for the kids……and for adults too! I have my nutrition clients start off by eating on plates with dividers to help them get an idea of how much fruits/veggies they are actually eating.
I like divided plates too…but I’m kind of weird about having my food touching
Fantastic idea, especially for my ridiculously picky 5 year old! Your girls aren’t vegan, correct? Do they consume much dairy? I’m looking to lower the amount of dairy my two consume; I feel like they would eat cheese, yogurt, etc. at every opportunity… If I let them, ha!
I’m a relatively new reader; Love the book/blog!
Thanks, Britt. No, the only restriction we put on our girls’ diet is that they don’t eat meat and we try to limit the amount of packaged, processed things they eat. Gigi doesn’t really like cheese and could care less if she has soy/coconut yogurt or dairy yogurt. Lulu really likes cheese, but for example, she had cheese for lunch and wanted it again for a snack, so I read off a few other options until she decided a smoothie also sounded good. I make sure to buy quality dairy when I buy it for them. This is just the balance that works for us…each family has to come to their own! Good luck!
this is such a great idea. i think it might be a little much just for my husband and myself, but i can totally see how this would make things so much easier/consistent with kids around!
Ha ha…I can picture your husband submitting written requests
Happy New Year, Sarah and Pea family!
All fantastic ideas! I like the snack bin in the fridge. We have one on the counter with all snacky stuff; seeds, nuts, dried fruits, bars, etc. But the fridge is a good idea too. Dustin and I are doing something very similar this year too: We’re creating a menu of things for HIM to eat because he’s lost when he reaches the kitchen. I’m breaking it down meal-by-meal, just like your menu. He’s committed to becoming a pescetarian. I showed him a cute cow video last week and he hasn’t touched land meat since.
That’s awesome that he’s taken such and interest and kudos to you for being so organized and helpful in giving him options! Happy New Year to you both!
I’d like to have a piece of that toast with cream cheese all cut up cute on the diagonal. My mom cut things just horizontal but I think anything cute diagonal just tastes better
And more power to you for running the pseudo restaurant! The sentence about food you are *willing* to make…yeah. I feel as if I already spend a ridic amt of time in the kitchen each day and although choices are offered, I am sort of in the “this is what’s served. Eat it or starve” camp…not totally, but ya know.
Happy new year!
great idea for kids! i do something like this for the Boy too.
You are a natural
Amazing!!!
Love this idea! We don’t have anything quite as concrete, but the concept of “choose-your-own” is similar.
It works for us. I know some might feel it’s a loosey-goosey, but the girls really do feel empowered.
Ah this is completely my method, and one that I sadly abandoned when I moved. I was just thinking I needed to reinstate it. Having a list of good foods reminds me what’s easy to cook and grab, and reminds me of choices so I don’t fall in rut. It’s just me and Mike here, but it can still get boring pretty quickly and chips and salsa becoming mighty good looking after a long day at work! I like the detailed menu-style of writing to give more mouthwatering ideas. Sometimes “fruit” doesn’t inspire, but a “berry medley” or “apple with caramel drizzle” sounds far more enticing!
We definitely were in a rut over break. No more!
That is a wonderful idea. I love it. Will have to remember this when my little girl gets a little older. It is amazing, the simple act of giving choices, makes so much difference. I also find that when you let kids help you cook they are more likely to try new things.
I totally agree. The girls are never out of the kitchen for long.
This is a fantastic idea and really inspiring! My toddler isn’t quite ready for this but I am tucking it away for next year. Happy New Year! Alyssa
Thank you! It helps them work on reading too!
This is such a clever idea!
I think it’s a good idea for me, because I think I tend to get lazy with lunches. Definitely a good way for kids to be empowered to make their own healthy choices.
What a great idea! I really like focusing on what I can eat, instead of what I can’t.
one thing i’ve learned about men (and being married) is that they still like choices, even if they are not cooking. And even though they might want a hearty meal, it can still be healthy and lovely. You’ve inspired some great planning here, all delicious, comforting, and nourishing!
Cheers to good health for the whole family.
<3
Happy New Year to you too, Lindsay!
You are pretty amazing, you know that?
As a child, I would have *loved* having a menu selection in the kitchen. As an adult, I still love this concept and am impressed at your implementing it – I’ll look forward to hearing how it goes!
Happy New Year! What a brilliant way to start the year off! I love your idea it is going to be implemented in our house this week:) will help remind me what’s in our fridge each week too:) oh and I’m sure it will inspire my little one to learn to read ASAP- awesome work MP!
It’s also helpful for me to remember what to keep on hand in our fridge and pantry. Sometimes I get so focused on the ingredients I need for recipes that I tend to fall behind on the basics. Good luck!
Great idea! My kids are still a little young for this but I think I’ll try it out on my husband. He always wants me to set up a “diet” for him. I’d rather he learn to make his own healthy choices.
Also, where did you get the divided plates? Those are cute and very kid friendly. My 38 yr old “kid” would probably like one too since he doesn’t like his food touching. : )
I got them at Fred Meyer (which is also Kroger in some parts of the country). They were literally $.69 each! But I’ve seen similar things for a little more money at Target.
This is brilliant, woman, brilliant!
I’m pinning it right now!
How much fun is Pinterest? I’m all ready to go back home from our vacation and put into reality so many easy, cheap organization ideas. And now I have your idea to add to that list. I love this idea. With 3 little kids and constant, CONSTANT, food prep, this should revolutionize things for me. Thank you Mama Pea!
I love following your pins. You and I have very similar taste in food, clothes, organization etc. But I think we both already knew that
Oh my goodness, I used to do the exact same thing when my boys were much younger! (They’re 15 & 13 now) I made a menu using colored construction paper and it was called “Mommy’s Diner. In it were healthy sandwiches, sides, drinks & desserts that the boys could customize to make their own meals and actually eat it. It worked every time and they get to try different things without having it “forced” on them and if they didn’t care for it, at least they were willing to try it. This brings back such wonderful memories! Happy New Year to your lovely family, Mama Pea!
I really do think I should get a little more creative with our charts…I could even laminate the little menus and they could circle what they wanted with dry erase pens. Maybe my goal for the new year should be to be craftier
Happy New Year to you too!
My word! You are just too kind for taking all the work out of my job.
Now…can you come change Clara’s diaper?
Um, sure? (Is it weird I kind of miss doing that…for about five seconds?)
What a great idea!! Options really are important. I know that as soon as I tell myself that I have to eat something because it’s about to go bad, it becomes very unappealing. A girl wants to eat what she wants to eat!!
P.S. I’ll take a pickle?
I have plenty
Currently, my household consists of just me, but I kind of love this idea anyway. That way, I always know what I have on hand to choose from, but I’m not letting myself get stuck in a rut. Great idea, MP!
Exactly!
Such a great idea! Not only for the little ones….but it makes sense for me too! Its easier to get some variety in and being more organized!
It definitely has helped with variety. I think sometimes we forget all the options available to us and if you switch things up, you are liable to have an easier time staying on track.
Very clever! This year we’re not just planning ahead, but making ahead too. My daughter loves pickles too!
Who doesn’t?
This is awesome Mama Pea!! It’s so easy to get into food ruts and only cook the things we’re comfortable with making, but I love making charts like this that list all my options (even though I’m not vegan so my options aren’t as limited). I’m a bit of a meal planning nerd, so this type of thing gets me excited!
Well then enjoy!
Happy New Year to you and the family! 2012 is going to be amazing for you!
Love this idea, Mike is really wanting to eat healthier this year, so Im hoping he does! Im going to help him ; )
xoxo <3
If anyone knows healthy eating, it’s you!
Thank you! I am going to use this idea (and your grocery list) with my super picky 3 year old. We are definitely in a snack/lunch rut and is will help us
This is brilliant. What a beautiful way to set your family up for a lifetime of healthy eating, as well as molding their taste buds to enjoy veggies, fruits, and whole grains.
Working on this right now. Awesome!
And I received your cookbook for Christmas….can I just say that your hummus changed my life? It is totally, TOTALLY worth it to peel the chickpeas. Thank you!
I love it! Thank you!
A hummus, pickle and tomato sandwich sounds REALLY good to me right now!
Lunch is at 12!
Can I come have lunch at your house?
Sure, what are you picking off the list?
What a good idea!! Can I make lists for my 7 month old to choose from?!
Ha ha…probably a little early
These are great tips.
I will def be using them when I go back to school in a week. Eekkkkk!
genius…we are definitely getting into healthier habits and need help!
This is great! I got the “This isn’t a restaurant” line on a daily basis from my mother. I feel like if I had this option early on, it might have helped me develop habits to help me feel like I had more control over how I was eating. Way to go, mom!
I think we all do the best we can, and I definitely get the “This is not a restaurant” mentality. Still, I want to teach my girls to love and CHOOSE healthy foods for themselves…not because I forced them to.
LOVE this. So many good tips and ideas!
Love this! So when I first found your blog last April, my goal was to go vegan for Lent. 2011 went well and I really learned a lot! Now my goal for 2012 is to continue with veganism for myself and provide healthy options for my kids and husband. The kids are 4 year old twins and Baby is already 14 months! I realized that I don’t just want to make this a lifestyle for me but also to set the foundation for healthful eating for the kids while they are young and their habits are still forming. Spending a week at home for the holidays and watching all of the adults struggle with healthy food choices really sealed the deal that I want better for my kids.
Thanks for being a brilliant example Mama Pea! You have truly changed my life and I am grateful!
I’m so touched, Trina. It has been a joy getting to “know” you since April and I’m so glad you are enjoying your new lifestyle and sharing it with your family. I hope you have a wonderful 2012!
I LOVE posts like this. I’m always looking for ways to make meal planning easier and still have variety.
I’m glad you find them helpful! I’m always hesitant to write posts like these because of my lack of qualifications other than just being a mom. Plus it’s not as fun as telling stories, but as long as you guys find them useful, I’ll keep writing them!
Awesome idea!!!
I think overall we do well, but I have no control over what is served at my daughter’s daycare for lunch. And I only wish we could do a nightly dinner together. Lily and I get home around 5 whereas my hubby doesn’t roll in till 7 or so when we’ve already eaten. Oh well, there are always the weekends! One thing I would like to do is replace white flour with a healthier option but I’m not really sure what would be a good choice. Time to google it!
Have you tried whole wheat pastry flour? You can sub in at least half of the whole wheat pastry flour for regular and you won’t even know the difference! You can buy it at Trader Joe’s or in the bulk bins at Whole Foods or other health food stores. Even places like Kroger have it in their bins. Good luck! (Forget Google, I got you covered)
Those are great ideas! And I love the pictures of your girlies and their lunches. So cute.
Our grocery lists look very similar, except I buy half that amount since it’s just the hubby and I. But kiddos will be here before we know it!
Happy New Year, friend!
You too, Dana!
so so important. you are teaching them good eating for life!
if lulu misses pickles, i have an easy pickle idea that is much healthier than the salt store bought ones. just cut up a cucumber (peeling optional) and soak in vinegar (I use apple cider) with a little salt and dill if you have it. then soak in the fridge for a half hour or more. they taste like pickles but healthier.
I’ve been meaning to do this! Thank you for the suggestion!
I love it – this really takes organization to a new level! I like the idea of having already thought through it, so you don’t always have to think of a snack idea.
This is such a great idea! I try to meal plan each week, but having a list of “constant” choices is definitely something I’m going to start.
The meal plan is a wonderful thing too. I always plan our dinners!
Thanks for doing this post! My husband and I are both busy full-time grad students who also work crazy hours, and I think this is just the thing for us. We’re expecting our first baby in May, and while I already try to keep healthy things on hand and make healthy choices, I want to do better and be more organized as we start a family! After reading your post, I just sat at my computer and typed up Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snack options to keep on our refrigerator door so we can keep good meal options fresh in our minds.
Oh good! I’m so glad you found it helpful. Congrats on your pregnancy!!!
So on the packing lunch discussion…..the laptop lunches are adorable and in theory a great idea. However, I considered them for a while but just couldn’t get past the price. I started buying all sorts of small inexpensive bowls and containers so that weren’t using plastic baggies, but the kiddos often accidentally threw away lids, and there we would be with a bowl with no lid. After banging my head against the wall for about a year, I was very tempted to buy the laptop system! Then, lo and behold, one day while shopping at Target, I discovered that Ziploc has started making divided lunch containers with one lid that separates each container! They are big enough for a belly filling lunch and small enough to fit inside every lunchbox in our house. Here’s the link http://SCJohnson.links.channelintelligence.com/pages/prices.asp?sSKU=607105&nRGID=3005&sCT=DetailPage. The best part is that they are inexpensive so if they get lost or ruined, I’m not crying,
On another note, I recently made African Peanut Stew and Lemony Lentil soup and they were both wonderful!
Happy New Year!
Thank you for the link to the Ziploc containers…I will look for those! So glad you enjoyed both of the soups!
What a great idea!!!
Happy New Year!
Really love this idea! I am definitely going to use it with Sophie as she gets older. Am I the only one who was trying to read what was on the breakfast, lunch and snack lists?
Ah, I see in the comments above that I wasn’t the only one. hehe. Got the links, ta!
It’s definitely time to plan some more interesting meals again in our house. We haven’t been eating bad food, but a lot of the same, and I think we are all a bit bored… I’ve been re-reading some cookbooks ( including yours of course!), and I hope to make things a lot more interesting soon…
I love the divided plates and the snack station for the fridge. I’ll have to look for similar ones.
Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy 2012!
I make lists like this for my husband when I travel for work. Having them around all of the time would make life so much less stressful for me and him. Loved the recipes from Mark Bittman’s posting the other day. Have you tried any yet? I am still deciding which one I want to make first. And I LOVE the pink plates.
I saw the article, but didn’t thumb through the recipes yet. I’m hesitant to read too many other recipes right now because I’m up to my neck in the recipes I’m creating for my manuscript!
Wow, I love how organized you are! I don’t even have kids yet, and I want to make a snack station.
Great idea! Can I come over for breakfast please?
Pick from the list, girl.
you are such a good mom!! love this post
Happy New Year Mama Pea! xoxo
You too, lovely ladies!!!
Just proves that with a little planning anything is possible. I’m trying to encourage the family to eat less sugary snacks and more fruits and vegetables. I think I could actually do with a bit more junk in my diet….i feel like i eat waaaay too many vegetables!!!
Smart idea. It’s so easy to put the wrong ideas about unhealthy eating into girls’ heads. Great way to empower them with their food choices, but still make sure they’re eating what you approve of. Keep us posted on how they’re liking it.
So far so good! We just packed our first lunches for the school week using the new method and it made it so easy!
I actually really like the menu idea. Makes them feel like they have a say in what their eating, its healthy, and you dont have to come up with meal ideas daily.
Great ideas! I agree, it is much easier when some planning has been done in advance. Then I am less likely to be stuffing hummus dipped pita chips into my mouth and calling it “lunch.”
I absolutely love this idea! I get so many great ideas from your blog that I want to implement when I start my own family.
Happy New Year!
I absolutely love this idea. I am doing this at my house to save myself from crying when I have to prepare meals.
That’s a great idea, for adults as well as kids! It would also solve the moaning “There’s nothing to eat” ( by my husband).
Where did you find the plates that are divided into different compartments? I need some!!
Thanks.
Fred Meyer (aka Kroger)
Love this! You’re so savvy.
I LOVE this!! I want to print that grocery list for myself … we make healthy choices in our home, but things get very monotonous as I’m not so savvy when it comes to creating variety or even grocery shopping (shame on me
) This will make my life a lot easier!
I’m so glad! I’ll have some more ideas for you soon!
I’d say my New Year is off to a lucky start, thanks to your website! I got off track with my new healthy eating habits for the last several months (a husband returning from deployment, moving to a new house and then the holidays hitting all at once, eesh!), but am making a plan of action as I type! I made another go-around with your Reci’Peas and printed out another books worth (can’t WAIT until your second book comes out, I’ve well worn the first!
and am excited to get started with these delicious sounding recipes! Thanks for sharing your passion with us, you make eating healthy attainable and delicious!
Katie, I love it! Thank you so much for such a wonderful comment…you just made my day. I hope you are having a wonderful New Year with your hubby home. Thanks to you both for all of your sacrifices.
Can I click “Love” for this post? Maybe posting this and pointing to things will help get my kids reading too! (almost 3 and 1.5) Mostly I loved to see your list of foods to see what I’m not using out of it that I can use!
I’m so happy to help! I hope you do try this with your kiddos and it works!
Great suggestions. I do something similar on our white board with “things that need to be eaten” —that is, not pantry staples. So under EAT: it will list, for example, cashew queso, crock cheese, tamale pie (your recipe—yum!), roast cauliflower. After reading this, I may create a separate list for the foods that the rest of the family doesn’t seem to realize are always available. A nice little reminder. On another note, I recently made the energy bars (using cashew butter, raisins, and dates) from your book and they are outstanding. I am eager to make them again with modifications (PB and chocolate chips) so I’ll have a variety pack of bars stashed away.
Oooh, I love your idea too! Yesterday I went to heat up chili for dinner and then had to admit there wasn’t any. Only there was. It was sitting on the counter where I’d taken it out two minutes earlier. I need sleep. Or your list
Im really digging the black and white napkin with all the wonderful colors from the dish. Great job on that color scheme!!!
Thank you!
This is a great idea! I saw that honey is on your list. What’s the status on honey and a vegan diet?
Hi Shana, our family is not strictly vegan. Technically, honey is NOT vegan as it is produced by animals, but there are different vegans who do and don’t allow it. Hope that helps!
Thanks for your helping me locate this post- I’m a dork. I think the lunch list is a great idea and will put the power back in my daughter’s hands– she can pack her OWN lunch (she’s 12) and I can relax knowing she isn’t just eating plain noodles every day.
p.s. we love your pinto burgers, peanut butter pie and mmm sauce. You make healthy eating habits easier. Thank you.