Packin' up

Lunches. Lunches are the bain of my existence. Hubby's working-man lunch. Must be filling and contain no tofu.

Whee's daily school lunch.  Preferably contains tofu.  Must survive being stuffed in a already stuffy locker till noon, yet be cool and delicious when it's 106 outside. Oh no problem there.

(For some great lunch and food ideas check out Lisa Leake's blog at 100 days of real food. I really like the story about taking on the school's "approved" snack food list!!)

My lunch, which starts around 9:22 a.m. and ends at 2:46 p.m. (It wouldn't end then, except I have to start getting ready for dinner). May contain anything in the fridge or pantry.

Here's our lunch boxes. Can you tell who's is who's?

yep, mine is not the grungy one in the back. We all have criteria for our lunch containers.

Philoboy's lunch transport must:

• Be large enough he can find it when he leaves it lying in the back of the truck, in the garage, in the yard, at the shop, etc. etc., etc.
• Hold enough for breaks and lunch
• Be manly enough the other guys won't ridicule him
• Be grungy enough the other guys won't ridicule him
• Be tough enough the other guys won't ridicule him
• Be heavy enough to hurt the other guys when they ridicule him

Score 10 points for durability and re-usability. No style points are awarded in the men category.


The Whee's lunchbox must be:

• allow ample time for bonding with her friends. Thus, no foods requiring cooking, assembling, etc.
• disposable. After buying 37 lunchboxes last year, I ain't doin' that no more. Hence, the ulra-lightweight, disposable lunch sack. Customizable with cool artwork from Mom. At this point, if her cohorts make fun, it's the price you pay for being in junior high.

I just ooze sympathy, don't I?

Score: -5 for environmental irresponsibility.  +55 for saving Mom's sanity. Overall score: 50 points


My lunch box. The ultra-cool stainless steel model with spiffy magnet decor. Personalizable. Reusable. Durable. Works great except sometimes the latch comes open and my peanut butter nutella sandwich falls in the dirt. That hurts. And yes, it is perfectly OK to put peanut better and nutella on the same sandwich.  I save calories by not using any bread...

Score: minus 1 on style points for the rubber band I now put around it so I don't lose my nutella.  +10 for eco-greatness in every way. Overall score: 9.

Well, I'm off. If you try to call, I'm probably out to lunch...