Breakfast and School Lunch Ideas

Oatmeal, cream of wheat w/ a little sugar, cinnamon and milk, and I make waffles and pancakes on the weekend and freeze them and then just pop into the toaster oven how many people want. I eat my oatmeal with brown sugar, flaxseed, wheat germ, and pecans mixed in :)

So... how long do you want to spend on making breakfast for everyone in the morning... and then getting ready and out the door on time?
Or have time for in the morning?
For me, that is the factor in it.

My kids, do not eat a lot in the mornings.
Their tummies are not fully awake in the mornings.
I try to get some protein in them.
Eggs, yogurt, milk.

Per lunch:
ONLY pack what you know your child will eat.
And in the portions the child will eat.
I have volunteered at my kid's schools... and MANY of the kids do not eat what their Mommy made them. At all. Even if they are hungry. Hence, they go all day without anything in their tummy since breakfast.
I have also seen, all the fancy/cute/thoughtfully put together home-lunches of all kinds, in all types of lunch-bags imaginable... and, the child will not eat... if it is what they don't like.
Thus, only pack for lunch what you KNOW your child, will eat.
Thereby, you will KNOW that your child IS having an eaten meal at school.

Kids also, eat even just half a sandwich.
Kids also don't mind having the same ol', if that is what they like.
It does not have to be a super variety of foods everyday nor a buffet in a box.
Just pack, what you KNOW your child will, eat.

At home, is where you can make sure you have more assortment across the food pyramid.

Also, pack a snack for your child, at school.
And a water bottle.
Label, all. With a sharpie.

My kids like banana pancakes, french toast, and fruit/yogurt parfaits. I also like to make breakfast burritos and sandwiches.

we do either oatmeal, cereal, or toast and sometimes it is oatmeal or cereal with a piece of wheat toast. Eggs are really good for their little brains but we never have time to do all that. You can do pancakes or waffles but do wheat and maybe some fruit on the side. Sometimes they get a pop tart but only if it is accompanied by a banana.

lunch I always give 3 things, a main and two sides.....anything from chips, crackers with peanut butter, granola bars, turkey or ham with cheese without bread is always a favorite, cheese stick, pb&j sandwich or pb and honey, or pb and marshmallow fluff is REALLY good. My kids love when I mix a bag of goodies like cheese nips and raisins and peanuts or pretzels and m&ms, or anything salty and sweet, crunchy and soft, etc applesauce, fruit cups, cottage cheese, yogurt in the sleeve like a push up....they will start to tell you what they want when they see their friends food. ;o)

I always try to get protein in for breakfast. Jimmy Dean makes a line called Jimmy D's for kids that are great (turkey sausage). I also do a lot of fruit/yogurt/granola or cottage cheese doubles (with fruit). If I do cereal, he always gets a Gogurt also. Breakfast burritos are good too with just eggs, cheese and turkey sausage. I actually pay for my son's lunch program because he gets great variety and will actually try new things that I don't normally make.

My kids new favorite is

Breakfast burritos - egg w/bacon or sausage w/cheese

Cinnamon Rolls from the dairy dept with some melon or bananas

Oatmeal with some fresh berries

I always struggle with breakfast ideas... Good Luck!!

maybe do shaped pancakes, fruit and yogurt, or smoothies for breakfast. as for lunch here is what i pack my preschooler- a water bottle (with some mio flavoring), sandwhich of her choice (pbj, balonga, turkey), and 2 sides- yogurt, applesauce, goldfish, fruit snack, carrots, celery etc.

We like oatmeal, cereal with fruit, toast with jam, eggs and toast, pancakes, french toast with a little powdered sugar. You could also do breakfast burritoes, omletes, smoothies, monkey bread (so yummy).

If she likes sandwhiches, you could use a big cookie cutter and make cute shapes. A jam sandwhich shaped like a heart would be sweet. I've also seen (and may do) little messages written on bananas :o)

I'm planning on sending my 5 year old with (any of) veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, yogurt, granola bar, pasta with parm, fruit, trail mix, sandwiches, wraps, or leftovers.

Omelets, waffles, breakfast casseroles. My daughter is pre-k and we have to pack her lunch...she's not big on sandwiches so it gets a little tough. Some of the things I pack for her:
hard-boiled eggs with a little salt and pepper on them
thermos with tomato soup
she LOVES wraps...tortilla with just cheese or add some deli meat. Today I made a wrap with turkey and cheese and then sliced it and she loved the little bite size pieces (ate it all)
Yesterday I made lunch kabobs...used pretzel sticks and put cubed cheese and turkey pepperoni on them. She thought that was fun
Cottage Cheese
Carrot sticks
Check out kraftfoods.com for some easy ideas