Like the rest of the world, I am doing my best to start the New Year right.  I have cleared out all the holiday treats and I’m back to trying to eat as cleanly as I can and encouraging the kids to do the same.  I am lucky because I have full control of one of their meals every day.  They are required to sit at their lunch table and eat.  I cannot get the same result at home sometimes!  This week, I am introducing smoked gouda and parsnips!  Girlie also got to try out a new lunchbox set that I received as a gift from my friend Shannon at BentoLunch.net.

Monday’s new foods included carrot chips (which were a huge hit) and a heart sandwich baked on bread from our new bread machine.  Girlie helped with both projects and I think that helped a lot with her wanting to eat the carrots in particular.  She also has sugar snap peas, tangerine, blueberries, and trail mix.

Tuesday’s lunch was packed in this adorable new bento set from Paperchase.  I included granola bites, tangerine and blueberries, vegetarian bacon and cheese crescent rollups, yellow bell pepper, carrots, and 2 small wedges of low-fat smoked gouda.   she also got a frozen smoothie, packed in a ball jar.  This was Girlie’s first taste of smoked gouda and she said her first reaction was “yuck,” but then “YUM” and ate the rest of it!  Now I am scared she will turn into an addict like me! She also loved her new boxes with their adorable and girlie design!

The lids have adorable girls in kimonos and the boxes came with a strap.  We used the smallest three boxes yesterday and here is how it all looked in her lunchbag, with the smoothie, cloth napkin, reusable spoon, and a straw.  I included a note to say “I love you my little cub!”  because this week’s word family is “-ub.”

Today’s lunch features a CuteZCute pig with two types of cheese on my homemade bread.  I also put some pinto beans that I cooked yesterday with the sandwich.  The other side of this kotobuki panda container has carrots and parsnips that I sauteed with a little bit of butter and cinnamon and then glazed with maple syrup.  Yeah, it was more like candy than vegetable, but it was her first time tasting a parsnip and she loved it!  I am excited to have given her two new foods already this week!  I also packed the largest of the Paperchase containers with strawberries and blueberries  and I included Chobani Champions.  I am a little jealous of her lunch today.

So, I am 3 for 3 on mixing up lunchboxes for the week and I’ve introduced 2 new foods and carrots prepared in two new ways.  I ran to the farm store by our house and picked up even more fruits and veggies for the rest of the week.  I am not sure what new food I will try next, but I know I am going to keep mixing up lunchboxes for the week and make sure she gets a different style each day. Any suggestions on a new food to try?

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