How It All Began...

My daughter starting going to school full time in pre-kindergarten. I was pregnant with my little guy and working full time so I needed a system to stay on top of the whole lunch box thing. ​

The original LaLa Lunchbox
The original LaLa Lunchbox

Everything mattered, it seemed. She had very strong feelings about her lunchbox, her water bottle and of course, what she would and would not eat at school. As you can see, she's not the typical sandwich-eating girl, which I suppose is what helped me come up with this system in the first place. 

I designed this "menu" and laminated it for our fridge. While it's mainly all about the pictures, I labeled everything to help my gal with her emerging reading skills. We sat together every Saturday morning and she would rattle off what she wanted for the following week. Every day consisted of fruit, vegetables, protein and snack. I noticed that she built in variety to her week. Healthy habits were forming! Each week I took her choices to the grocery store and shopped accordingly. Mornings were a breeze - I just consulted the list and packed her lunch. We were both delighted. 

I figured that there had to be an easier (less paper-wasting) way. And thus, LaLa Lunchbox was born. I hope you enjoy using it and look forward to your feedback! 

Beets for Kids? You Bet!

beet soup 2.JPG

I love beets. Red ones. Golden ones. Candy striped ones. They're delicious and nutritious -- high in folic acid and potassium and said to be an antioxidant and super food. There was a while where I was roasting them for dinner almost every night but my husband gently let me know that he needed a bit of a break. ​

The break is over. Yesterday, my mom brought over some beet soup that she made recently. I almost gobbled the whole thing myself but my little guy wanted in on the action. What a hit! Turns out Beet Soup with Orange and Mint is a palette pleaser for all ages. ​

Click here for my mom's terrific recipe and enjoy! ​

Homemade Sushi - Easy and Delicious!

sushi1.JPG
sushi2.JPG

My daughter has spring recess from school this week and we just got home yesterday from a little excursion. Today's adventure in the kitchen was declared "one of the best things we've ever made together, Mama!" Wow. 

She requested sushi in her lunchbox next week so we decided to make a test run today just for fun. We used an egg and a perfectly ripe avocado and made a go of it. The process was fun and easy for my kindergartner and the outcome is really tasty for both of us. You can put a lot of different ingredients into a sushi roll - chicken egg, veggies, even fruit I suppose. My gal is so proud of the work she has done and she is too busy gobbling it up to pose for a picture! 

Here's how you can make your own sushi for your child's lunchbox:

  • 1 package of nori (toasted seaweed)
  • 2 TB rice vinegar
  • 1 cup sushi rice
  • avocado
  • 1 egg, scrambled

Prepare the sushi rice as directed -- we brought 1 cup of raw rice with 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. When done, we added 2 TB rice vinegar and stirred.

Lay a piece of nori on a mat and sprinkle lightly with water. spread the rice evenly on the nori, making sure to leave room on the edges (about 1/2 inch). Place the avocado slices and egg pieces along the bottom edge of the rice and roll up the nori like a burrito. Seal the edges with wet fingertips. Slice with a sharp knife and enjoy!

Note: these are best in a lunchbox when packed in tightly.