lunches Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

Cute Kid’s Lunch Box Notes to Share

Paula — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 02:38:38 +0000

When our kids were younger they took the bus to school. The day could be awfully long without us, or so I thought anyways. I mean I know it was long for me often without them. So, I sometimes loved adding cute lunch box notes to their lunch boxes. My two kids struggled with anxiety too so sometimes the separation anxiety was high, especially with my youngest child. For years, I would give them each a business card tucked into their back packs. I know that sounds funny to some people. But for my girls it was the extra reassurance that they had my phone number and they could reach me anytime. It was a small but helpful strategy that worked for our family. These cute lunch box notes for kids are positive and cheery and sure to brighten even the Monday-est of Mondays at school. Lunch Time Notes Printable Download the notes here – > Show them you care all day long. These work well tucked into camping suitcases, or even the pockets of kid’s coats. Don’t Miss the Other Lunch Box Notes There are so many themed lunch box notes available on Thrifty Mommas Tips. Don’t forget to check out my Safari Themed Lunch Box Jokes printable. I also have some other colourful and adorable lunchbox jokes with a Valentine’s Day theme. I hope that your kids are having a great year so far, and a healthy one too. These days kids are my heroes. It’s been a brutally hard 18 months and yet they are still just doing their best most days of the week. Gives new meaning to the word resilient. A Few Supplies That Might Help

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Cute Fishing Jokes for Kids

Paula — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 11:32:00 +0000

These adorable fishing jokes for kids are a cute way to show your kids you are thinking about them when they are at school, or camp. There’s nothing quite as useful as comic content for kids when it comes to socializing. What’s the first thing that your niece and nephew tell you at every single family function? “Hello Auntie Paula or Uncle Jim” and then they launch right into the jokes, right? I love this about my youngest niece and second youngest nephew. It totally reminds me of my own childhood because my brother used to love jokes. I was very shy and so I’d never ever launch right into jokes at a family dinner, or anything like that. My youngest nephew is still at that stage where he makes up stuff and thinks it is a joke and then we pretend laugh. You remember that stage, right? Most of that content is fart related or toilet humour, because he is a boy and he is 6 years old right now. I mean a lot of that primary grade humour is often Knock Knock Joke humour too. Nothing wrong with a good Knock Knock joke, because they certainly are easy to recall and that works with young kids a lot of times. Whether you love fishing or not, there’s something adorable about fishing jokes. If you love this content, you will also love my Karate Jokes for kid’s lunches. Thrifty Mommas Tips Print These Out for Your Kids Download the full set of jokes here by clicking on the download button. It’s a clean link and easy to print. Find All the Fun and Free Printables Do not forget – if you need more printables, feel free to check out my Pinterest free printables board for more colouring sheets and activities the kids will love as much as you do. Most of these items are free. Hope your kids find these fishing jokes as funny as I did. What’s your favourite joke?

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Funny Lunch Box Safari Jokes for Kids

Paula — Sun, 05 Jan 2020 14:12:00 +0000

It’s time to head back to school. So, I thought I’d share these adorable and free Lunch Box Safari Jokes for you to share with your kids. I have shared several sets of lunch box jokes over the years. Recently, I posted these adorable karate lunch box jokes to brighten their week when you add them to the lunch box, or bento box. You loved those so much that I thought I’d add more here for you to help brighten the back to school in 2020 mood. Don’t forget to print these Lunch Box Safari Jokes out and add to your son or daughter’s lunch. Do you do anything different after the New Year to get the kids enthused about returning to school? After two weeks off it’s hard to want to return at all. Believe me, I am actually often ready for a ski vacation after two weeks of Christmas and New Year’s. New Year, New Attitude Do you do anything to celebrate the New Year? Resolutions, a Word of the Year or anything that inspires and guides the year ahead? I pick a word of the year every year just because sometimes that helps me to focus my approach here. I am not a huge fan of resolutions, because they are too easily broken. It’s always comical to me to see fitness resolutions in action. I work out at the YMCA year round, so consistently over the years I have seen the pattern after New Year’s resolutions start and then taper off slowly. January fills up with every class bursting at the seams. Then February it tapers off again and by March everyone and their aunt and uncle is in a group fitness class. March is the funniest experience to me. Apparently everyone just wants winter to be over by then and also they are all preparing for the spring break vacations. By April and the entire summer the workouts at the YMCA can be a ghost town. I don’t mind that at all. More space for me to set up my yoga mat. More Lunch Box Notes Don’t miss these lunchbox notes too. They are just a cute little way to add an I love you to your child’s lunch. Safari Jokes To Use These: Right click on the image above and print them out for your own personal use. Or, alternatively you can click on this clean safari jokes PDF link below. Find All the Fun and Free Printables Do not forget – if you need more printables, feel free to check out my Pinterest free printables board. for more colouring sheets and activities the kids will love as much as you do. Most of these items are free. Hope the year ahead is a great one!

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Karate Lunch Box Jokes

Paula — Mon, 30 Dec 2019 14:21:45 +0000

Karate Lunch Box Jokes are the cutest thing to add to your kid’s lunch when they go back to school in the New Year. I mean New Year new approach to lunch, right? Listen, if your kids are at all like mine they might need a bit of encouragement going back after Christmas. Oh, I know a lunch box joke set might not change the world but it is a nice little reminder that even when you are apart you are still thinking of them. Karate Love Most of you know that my kids are karate black belts. They’ve been at it for years now. My younger daughter has been doing karate for eleven years now. My oldest has been at it a little less time but she’s a head instructor now. So, we know karate and have spent more than a few days at the dojo. Here are some adorable karate lunch box jokes. Who is your favourite karate expert? Bruce Lee? Chuck Norris? Mine is my daughter actually. Both of them. It makes me super happy to see them succeed at something, so when they are grading and working hard at karate there’s magic in that for me as a parent. To Print To get these karate lunch box jokes right click on the image above or click on the PDF link below for a clean version.

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Adorable Printable Christmas Jokes for Kid’s Lunches

Paula — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 15:58:52 +0000

If you are at all like me you sort of dread the entire lunch ritual. Packing lunches is tedious and there are only so many ways you can make a sandwich or wrap exciting. Fortunately, the kids in this family make their own lunches, but even still it can get boring. Sometimes something as simple as a treat, or a note can jazz things up a bit. That’s why I thought you might enjoy these cute Christmas jokes. Q. What’s a snowman’s favourite lunch? A. A snowberger. These adorable Christmas lunch jokes are just for you. Right click the above image and print it out on your printer. Then add them to your kid’s lunches. Don’t forget to print these cute Christmas bookmarks out too. I also have some sweet kid’s karate jokes for you folks who have children in karate. Merry Christmas!

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20 Gluten Free After School Snacks

Paula — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 12:09:09 +0000

Can you believe it’s almost time for school to start again? What happened to summer?! It went by way too fast. But now that we are prepping for the kids to go back to school, one thing we need to think about is after school snacks. If you’re looking for snack ideas that are gluten free, for medical reasons or personal preference then you’ve come to the right place. I have a great round up of gluten free after school snacks right here. Gluten free after school snacks: There are many reasons to be gluten free. Maybe your children are gluten free out of necessity. Maybe they have gluten sensitivity. Maybe you’ve noticed that gluten tires them out. I’ve found plenty of ideas that will keep everyone’s tummies and taste buds happy. It can seem like just about everything is loaded with gluten, and it seems to be the case even more so when you’re buying quick convenience snacks from the store. Skip buying that stuff when you can make something super yummy and gluten free, right at home. There are so many delicious options that include fruits, veggies, cheese, and even meat. Skip the prepackaged lunch type choices, when your child can have a delicious ham, cheese, and pineapple kebab. Homemade popsicles, gluten free cookies, and even an updated take on ‘ants on a log’ are all snacks your kids will absolutely love! Worth Cooking – Loaded Tahini Date Cookies Thrifty Jinxy – Watermelon Kiwi Pops Smashed Peas and Carrots – Creamy Fruit Dip Two Healthy Kitchens – Ants on a Log 2.0 This Mama Loves – Gluten Free Cereal Bars Sunny Sweet Days – Strawberry Parfait Pinch of Yum – 4-Ingredient Green Smoothie The Kitchen is My Playground – Prune and Peanut Butter Apple Snack Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons – Bunny Butt Fruit Snack Happy Mothering – Easy Orange Pumpkins Natural Chow – Healthy Dorito Flavored Popcorn Fearless Dining – Gluten Free Banana Oat Mini Muffins This Mama Loves – Ham and Pineapple Kababs Mom on Time Out – Bacon and Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs Not Too Shabby Gabby – Gluten Free Garlic Parmesan Crackers Living Well Mom – Chunky Monkey Bites Ella Claire Inspired – No-Crust Pizza Bites Cooking and Beer – Almond-Crusted Zucchini Sticks She Likes Food – Crispy BBQ Roasted Chickpeas Gimmie Delicious – Super Moist Gluten Free Banana Bread

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8 Cool Cucumber Lunch Ideas #BTS

Paula — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 14:31:49 +0000

Cucumber lunch ideas are simple and healthy. Cucumbers can be so refreshing and easy to snack on. Plus they are affordable. That’s one reason I never mind adding these to my grocery list. In water, salads or on their own cucumbers are a great snack. But what about for lunch? Cucumber lunch ideas are fun and simple, just as you might expect. Here are a few of my favourites. Are you back in the swing of things at school? Is the house quieter? Has everyone adjusted to the new routine? That’s all great, and I hope that it went smoothly for you. That one piece of back to school and September that very few people love is the back to school lunch routine. Packing a lunch each day means planning out the night before what to take, and frankly that can be challenging for many of us. I am already asking when is pizza day starting? I know I am not alone dreading the hundred of lunches remaining to be made this year. My girls are older and they take responsibility for their own lunches. They have done so for a long time now. I still supervise a bit. But their lunches are only as good as the ingredients I buy at the market and the grocery store. It’s easy enough to pack a lunch. But it’s sometimes a bit tricky to make it a well balanced lunch and my kids (11 and 14) have been known to try to sneak off without vegetables or with something completely odd. In fact one day when my one daughter was way younger she packed her own lunch and I caught her at the door, with a bag full of chocolate chips and a can of gingerale. That was a super close call!! Imagine the looks on there teacher’s faces if they spied that mess? Imagine how hyper she would have been all afternoon after that lunch. [tweetthis]Which of these cool cucumber lunch ideas will you try first? #BTS[/tweetthis] It’s easy for my kids to forget one food group, resort to simple packaged foods, or skip eating vegetables altogether, so I am certain to always have cucumbers and carrots on hand. Cucumbers and carrots are the two vegetables my kids never refuse. Thank goodness. [tweetthis]Cucumber sliders for back to school lunches? These sound awesome. [/tweetthis] I have gathered some of my favourite cucumber lunch ideas here, so you have inspiration too. And if you are interested in easy breakfast ideas check these out as well. What is your biggest lunch challenge with back to school and packing lunches? 8 Cool Cucumber Lunch Ideas – Recipes Spicy Yogurt Cucumber Salad – Amuse Your Bouche Avocado Cucumber Quinoa Salad – Dizzy Busy and Hungry Greek Inspired Cucumber Sliders – Food Folks and Fun Easy Cucumber Bites – Simplistically Living Tomato Cucumber Salad – Leave No Leftovers Ranch Chik’n Stuffed Cucumbers – The Frugal Fairy Cucumber Pimento Bites – Pizzazzerie Chilled Avocado Watercress Cucumber Soup – How to Cook Good Food [tweetthis]These 8 cool Cucumber Lunch Ideas will help take the boring out of school lunches.[/tweetthis] Drop the Boring Old Ideas and Try one of These Skip the boring tired old sandwiches and opt for one of these cool as a cucumber lunch ideas. Trust me the kids will welcome the change. These school lunch ideas are simple and easy for kids to make on their own. I mean honestly who doesn’t enjoy the crisp cucumber taste, especially in the summer months? Saving Money is Cool Too Better yet – buy local or grow your own. That saves money and is better for the environment and honestly you can’t get fresher than that!

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Back to School Butterscotch Pudding #giveaway

Paula — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 11:00:00 +0000

Bring on the butterscotch pudding. By the end of September every parent around will be searching for new lunch ideas and snacks to pack in children’s lunches. It doesn’t take long to run out of ideas each school year. But this year I have a great butterscotch pudding snack I am happy to have found for the kid’s lunches. Puddin’ SqueeZ pudding on the go snacks that will clearly kick things up a notch. Let’s be honest. Back to School is not my favourite time of year. Reason number one: the fall signifies the start of the miserable weather slide that ends with snow and shovels and misery. Reason number two: One of the kids will undoubtedly have an issue of some sort that will make me angry with public education. Reason number three: I will have to close my pool. Reason number four: lunch box letdown. For both myself and the kids, lunch box letdown is very real and a big challenge. By the end of September I guarantee I will be hunting wildly, just like many other Moms and Dads, for creative ideas for the kid’s lunches. Happily, this year I have Puddin’ SqueeZ pudding on the go snacks that will clearly kick things up a notch. Puddin’ SqueeZ is made with fresh milk. Puddin’ SqueeZ makes the first ever butterscotch pudding on the go. They also have chocolate and vanilla flavours. Puddin’ SqueeZ is a good source of calcium. We were sent some samples to try last month. You, dear reader, may also win some to try yourself. Just follow the giveaway instructions below. Puddin’ SqueeZ is made with fresh milk that comes every day from a partner farm near Normandy in France. (Oh Ah, fancy…)Puddin’ SqueeZ is free of preservatives, artificial colours and flavours too. (Wahoo!) and the butterscotch pudding flavour is really tasty. Puddin’ SqueeZ Butterscotch Pudding and Materne Materne is the European and North American leader in applesauce pouches (Go Go SqueeZ which we are big fans of here) is revolutionizing the milk-based dessert market with on the go pudding. Puddin’ SqueeZ is ready to eat, portable, made with quality ingredients and has great shelf life. That fits my family’s lifestyle. I sampled the butterscotch pudding and loved it myself. I am a butterscotch fan. The easiness of storage and use, plus the lack of preservatives makes me happy as a Mom. These are already in the regular rotation here for lunches. Puddin’ SqueeZ packaging is free of BPA and phthalates. Oh, and but the way, Puddin’ SqueeZ has also won the Parent Tested Parent Approved Seal of Approval. Now for the good part. One of my lucky Canadian winners will win three packages of Puddin’ SqueeZ. One package of each of the great flavours: vanilla, butterscotch and chocolate. Good Luck! Follow PUDDIN’ SQUEEZ on their social sites. TWITTER: @PuddinsqueeZ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/puddinsqueez?fref=ts Entry-Form This GIVEAWAY has ended. Read more creative back to school lunch ideas here. Cucumber snacks and lunch ideas.

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SIX Questions and Answers about School Lunches

Paula — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:46:00 +0000

So your baby is about to start school and she or he is staying for lunch. That opens up a whole new world of school lunches. I have a bit of experience with thousands of school lunches over the years and I wanted to pull together some questions and tips that I often get asked by friends whose kids are just starting kindergarten. A friend of mine prompted this post as she found it helpful last week when I emailed her in response to a question she had about school lunches and leftovers. Six Questions about School Lunches Q1: What lunch bag do you use? I only use the balanced day lunchkit for my kids’ school lunches. Why? Well this is one thing I refuse to scrimp on because my daughter’s school, like many other schools has balanced day. That means the day is divided into bigger blocks of learning time with two nutrition breaks. Not one big lunch for an hour and two recesses at 15 minutes each, but two 40 minute eat your snack and then go out and play periods. The balanced day lunch kit is available on line and at Scholar’s Choice. The benefit of this one is it is clearly labelled nutrition break one and two. My daughter doesn’t mistakenly eat all of her food at break one and then I suddenly get a call from school saying: “Hey there. Payton is in the office again saying she doesn’t have lunch.” This happened for the first six months of senior kindergarten when I sent her with cute little Dora lunchbags and such. They were not labelled. Q2: How do you clean it? I normally wipe it out with a cloth. Then I wash it maybe once a month in the washing machine on gentle when it is really truly making me ill. I may still need to replace this one mid-way through the year and I have a backup lunchbag for when my kiddos forget to bring lunch bag home. This one is worth it, because when I get called to the office I either have to drop everything, leave my work or activity and run off to deliver food. That costs me time and money. Or I let her learn her lesson. Really, that never worked with lunch. So I got smart. Surprising what a difference this lunch bag makes. Now my daughter’s amazing school – which I love – also has some boomerang lunches and waste-free lunches and things like that. Highly recommend them for school lunches, especially where there’s a balanced day. [tweetthis]What is a boomerang lunch? This, and other school lunch questions answered.[/tweetthis] Q3: What is boomerang lunch? Schools are trying to be greener than ever. They try to inspire students to create less waste by sending leftovers back home. This means that at 8 p.m. when your child goes to sleep and you pull the lunchbag out of their backpack it is a big fat mess of disgusting banana slop and orange peels and an exploded dripping Yop. Joy! That really is gross. Q4: What can I do about the mess then? Well, we have found two things that work well. Send one extra Ziploc baggie and remind your child to stick all the garbage leftovers in there. Seal it in the lunch bag and the smell and leak will be contained. The second thing I now do – husband’s idea actually – props where he has deserved them – is get my child to empty the bag first thing when she gets in from school. It is her first job right after she races to the toilet after coming in the house. (I think my kid holds it all day because she only likes our toilets. It’s somewhat inherited as my MIL was exactly like this) Anyways it is a great tool, getting them to empty own lunch bag. She doesn’t usually come home with banana all squished into the corners any more. Yeah.! Q5: My child loses her lunch bag. Well, label it and make sure you have a backup bag. Kids forget stuff and lose it all year long. There’s a lost and found in the school. Check it at least once a season. You’d be surprised what you find. Be warned though – you might actually even find full school lunches there. Q6: Isn’t it the teacher’s job to see that she has eaten? No. Most schools have one or two teachers rotating the whole school for lunch supervision. Teachers get breaks and they deserve them. They don’t stand there watching your child eat. If you have a concern about who or how lunchtime supervision occurs talk to the principal or the teacher. Some schools handle this with VIPs, or older students supervising younger ones at lunch.

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