Seriously – where did the summer go?!  It was SUCH a good one.  I’m sad to turn my calendar over to ‘September’ and say farewell to our summer fun.  I think of all the great things that we did as a family this summer, the Fourth of July race + kids’ race with our friends was my favorite!

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Seeing Henry dash forward with such determination and grit will definitely rank high up there in my 2015 memories.

 

And… now it’s time for back-to-school!  And that means back to packing lots and lots of lunches.  Here are some ideas for mix-and-match meals that Henry loves.  Every now and then, I throw in a special surprise like cinnamon applesauce, trail mix, or chocolate-dipped apricots.  These fun new Del Monte Fruit & Veggie Fusions, which are bits of fruit packed with real vegetable + fruit juice, are also a fun choice.  <—More on those, plus an awesome giveaway, below!

 

Don’t you love our new stainless steel bento boxes?  It’s so great, and I love using it instead of plastic!

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Raspberries, crackers, green beans, white beans, and a cheese wheel.

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Crackers, nuts+ cherries, broccoli, Apple, Pear + Watermelon Fruit & Veggie Fusion, edamame with tahini sauce.

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Fun flavors, huh?!  These are a huge hit with the kiddo.

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Strawberries, tomatoes, edamame, pizza.

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Tomatoes, blueberries, cashews, crackers, and cheese.

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Blueberries, raspberries, chickpeas, cucumbers, and cereal.

 

Some thoughts on packed lunches:  I try to pack a variety of stuff because it’s SO hit or miss. That’s one of the reason that I like the bento box – it encourages me to put a little bit of a lot of stuff in there.  One day, he will eat raw broccoli and tomatoes with gusto and the next day, he will eat nothing but crackers.  You know?  But I figure, the more often I put food on his plate and the more he sees it, the more likely he is to eventually eat it.  Also, at his school, nuts are okay in most classrooms, which I’m thankful for because we eat a lot of nuts.  I make his lunches a little small because he has a healthy snack an hour or so before.  And although it’s fun to get creative, we also do a lot of peanut butter sandwiches – a lot! 

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To celebrate the Fruit Fusions, Del Monte is giving away some SUPER prizes.  Fellow parents – Tweet or Instagram a picture of your super kid with the hashtag #ShareTheSuper.  You could win weekly prizes, including a grand prize of $2000, a custom backpack, and more!  You can learn more about it at ShareTheSuper.com.

 

What was the most super part of your kids’ summer?

 

This post is sponsored by Del Monte.  Thanks, as always, for reading sponsored posts. I appreciate it a lot.

{ 9 comments }

 

  • Hannah September 1, 2015, 9:12 am

    This is my first comment that isn’t for a giveaway. Just curious, are you raising your kids to eat vegetarian as well?

    • Leatitia September 1, 2015, 11:24 am

      I’ll let her reply, but I remember reading they’re vegeterian at home, but she will not stop them from eating meat at functions or at friends’ house. Basically, she offers them a vegeterian menu but doesn’t restrict outside her house. Am I right Caitlin? 🙂

      • Caitlin September 1, 2015, 11:39 am

        Haha yup, that’s it. 🙂 Henry has had meat now because of this and I don’t mind. If he wants to be vegetarian, I would be very happy but it’s really up to him and I don’t want to force the decision on him. I also don’t want to shame the idea of eating meat because, although it is not for me, I am also of the opinion that even people who still eat meat but just eat less and try to get many vegetarian meals make a huge impact on the environment and the animals. I know that other vegetarians feel differently about it but vegetarianism has been a long process for me (I went on and off several times since I was 8) and I would like him to come to his own conclusions about it. Claire too, obviously. I also have gone back and forth about a lot of my opinions and ideals about vegetarianism over the course of the blog – I used to say that I would never buy meat for houseguests, for example, but I’ve really relaxed my views about it. I’m pretty firm in my personal beliefs about it for myself, but I think as I get older, I feel less and less compelled to make my ideals apply to others in any way. Does that make sense?

  • Amanda September 1, 2015, 9:36 am

    No kiddos here yet, but the best part of my summer was definitely going bungee jumping!

  • Cassie September 1, 2015, 10:15 am

    I’m obsessed with peanut butter!

  • Kelly September 1, 2015, 10:58 am

    My favorite memory of the summer is going on many many bike rides with my daughter. Getting her seat hooked on to my bike was a major ordeal, but definitely worth it! She is starting a new preschool in November and they make lunch on site!!! I am so excited not to have to make lunches, although you’ve given me some great ideas.

  • leatitia September 1, 2015, 11:22 am

    Thanks for the link to Bento, I was looking to buy one for my son! 🙂
    I love little fruit cups. They’re such a time saver and healthy for kids. Plus, they really like to eat in little cups.

    The most memorable part of my son’s summer was being on a boat in NYC to see the Statue of Liberty. He’s 4 and handled being on a bus for 9 hours, navigating NYC with his mom, taking the subway, and having the best behavior ever. He was such a super hero traveler!

  • Danielle September 1, 2015, 1:51 pm

    Children’s races are the best. It’s so much fun to watch them creating a love for something that they can someday participate in as adults.

    Perhaps I’m stubborn and love Summer too much but, I stand firmly by the fact that Summer isn’t over until Sept 23!! lol I’ll gladly accept the leaves, pumpkins, and fall spices next month!

  • Erin @ Her Heartland Soul September 2, 2015, 3:24 pm

    I love that bento box!!

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