I've enjoyed reading about bento lunches and of course gazing at the many creations of my fellow moms around the world at the Kid Eats Pool. But let's be honest. I will not be forming tofu nor free-hand carving bread to create fun anime shapes in my children's lunchboxes. It's not me, it's not them, and I would much rather pick the strange, viscous skin off the bottoms of my feet (wha....? why? Is there a doctor in the house?).

However, I do enjoy packing my children's lunchboxes, and even enjoy their help (not always the case, see: cooking and crafts and iTunes playlist making). My daughter and son are fairly adventurous eaters, but they are different (he's more sweet, she's more savory) and have freaky caveats (no yogurt for him, no fruit for her) but because I feel like their lunches are downright Mollie Katzenesque in this age of Lunchables, I am willing to make some compromises.

This week's lunches included:

Girl:

Leftover whole wheat baked ziti in a ground turkey meat and tomato sauce with fresh basil and parm sprinkled on top (in the thermos), naturally sweetened blueberry applesauce, Stoneyfield farm banilla yogurt, small tossed salad with a tiny container of light ranch, Horizon organic vanilla milk

Boy:

Ham and muenster cheese sandwich on whole wheat, carrots and dip, raisins (snack), pear, cottage cheese, water in a reuseable bottle, Butterfinger (he thinks I don't know he's sneaking his Halloween candy in there, but I know. I know.)

Other things we like to put in lunchboxes include: organic mac and cheese and Progresso or homemade soup in the thermos, apples, cuke slices, bananas, Morningstar Farms "chicken" sandwich with whole wheat bun and PICKLES (my God the pickles this family eats! Two jars a week!), a small bag of Greek olives, whole wheat mini bagel with peanut butter and banana, hummous, or cream cheese, leftover pizza (causes fights; is delish), Amy's whole wheat frozen burrito, chips and salsa (only the kind with black beans and corn in it), Pirate Booty, and of course, Lorna Doones.

And that Buffalo Wing-flavor Goldfish, if any are left after Mommy and Daddy enjoy.

Here are some other lunchbox sites:

Tips from Family Fun

From the dearly departed Kiddley

The funny and honest Melissa Summers at Work It, Mom

Today I had a Lean Cuisine but that felt a bit light so I doused a bunch of blue cheese dressing on a huge mound of cherry tomatoes. My mouth is still too sore to eat lettuce. I wanted a beer to help wash it all down and soothe the pain, but I opted instead for a Reece's cup. Just in case you were wondering.