Lunches

A colleague recently told me that she knew someone who spent Sunday nights making sandwiches (and yogurt) and freezing them to dispense over the week. I am not that organized. Plus my boys prefer hot lunches. So, I pack the fruits and veggies the night before, and make the hot food in the morning. Thankfully, with no access to a microwave, recent developments in food storage (all sold at the local supermarket) help me keep hot things hot, and cool things cool.

Drinks: The Thermos company has come a long way since I was a kid. Their FUNtainer bottles actually keep the milk cold without freezing beforehand. More importantly, because the bottles are made of stainless steel, the containers don't smell like spoiled milk. Washing is a breeze - no more overnight soaks in vinegar - especially with a minibrush to clean the straw.

Main course: The Thermos FUNtainer Food Jar maintains heat for up to five hours. It helps to fill it up with hot water beforehand: I just let the pasta water drain into the containers.

Fruit & vegetable: The GladWare Mini Rounds hold 1/2 cup each, perfect for chopped up fruits and veggies. The containers are not as sturdy as those of Rubbermaid, but they are cheaper, come 8 to a package, and stack up inside each other.

Utensil: I didn't like school hot lunches as a child, but sporks (spoon with pointed edge) are cool. So, I was thrilled to find these Lexan sporks on Amazon recently for 50 cents each. I bought a dozen for use in the car and plane. Nikita likes them, but Ivan prefers the stainless steel utensils from home. Thankfully, both boys are good about bringing them home.

Napkin: A while back, I bought a bunch of thin cotton napkins. They're great because I can handwash them and hang them up to dry for the next day. I don't remember where I bought them, but if I had to start all over, I would use bandanas for the same reason. I just wrap the utensil in the napkin, but if I ever had to keep the napkin clean as well, I'd put both in a Japanese pencil case.