What's for Lunch?

YES, YES, YES lunch is a HUGE topic for Work at Home Moms (WAHM) and homeschooling families for the simple fact we eat just about all of our meals at our homes for a good portion of the year. These idea are also helpful for all families for the weekends, stay-cations and the summer months when kids are home. Remember, the menu is just not about ideas, but about planning. It's really about both.

Lunch monotony drove us to expand our menu!  Here are some ideas:

• Freeze lunch portions of dinner. It is great to have a  hearty, home cooked meal.
• Buy fresh tamales and freeze them (you can safely do so for up to 90 days!)
• Canned croissant rolls are a big hit in our house. You can roll just about anything in a croissant! Lay them flat and join several together to make a bigger portion. Some ideas include ~~> Generic Stromboli with spaghetti gravy, cheese, fresh spinach, pepperoni, sausage and/or ham.  ~~> Turkey and cheese.  ~~> Scrambled eggs and bacon.  ~~> Pappas con huevo.  Serve with raw carrots with ranch dip.
• ANYTHING we can roll in a tortilla is fair game.Tortillas with pepperoni or turkey pepperoni,  black olives and tomato sauce is very good. I love peanut butter in a rolled cool tortilla!
• I buy the baked tostado shells and top it with cooked ground beef or cooked chicken and black beans. Top it with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, picante sauce and avocado slices.. Warm the shells in the oven while the meat and beans warm.
• Baked potatoes are easy and you can top them with so many different things: chili, left over chicken or stew, ham, cottage cheese, cheese or bacon.
• Homemade pot pies are fun because they are delicious made with leftover cooked meats and veggies!  Store bought organic pot pies cost a little more but worth it in a pinch.
• Ramen noodle soup becomes more like a meal when you add an egg or meat. You can simply boil the ramen soup and while it's boiling, crack eggs into it and stir.  Add any other ingredients in the same manner. There is NO getting away from the ridiculously high sodium content so be sure this is not a weekly choice!
• Hot sandwiches, quesadillas or good ole stuffed pita bread. Who can resist grilled cheese and tomato soup? We like using Monterrey Jack cheese in our sandwiches. Or, get creative with your grilled cheese!
• We keep leftover cooked meat in the frig (I always try to make a bit extra) so we can make quick tacos.
• Chicken or tuna salad is a hit. You can also mix and serve with grapes and can eat with crackers instead of bread. Or, add raw veggies or apples and nuts and eat it like a salad.
• Egg Salad sandwiches on toast with canned pears are a great combination.  Topping the pears with mixed cream cheese and cherries  is DELICIOUS!
• Pasta salad is a huge hit, too. It doesn't take long to boil macaroni and add ingredients that your family likes.  Fancier Pasta Salad ideas 
• Also, click on over to  Bentos Boxes for some more ideas

SOURCE: Tina Robertson
Most of these ideas are Tina's (New Beginnings Homeschool Leader). I simply tweaked to add my 2 cents.
Thanks, Tina!