Okay, kids, let's talk about lunch!

Lunch. The downfall of my shoppers.

Caroline: "Hey, Linnea, what is there for lunch?"
Linnea: "Ummmm, there's banana bread."
Caroline: "Banana bread? Who do you think you are talking to!" (Caroline does not care for bananas, at all!)
Linnea: "Ummmm, there's a couple of hamburger buns . . ."

Caroline is eating a bowl of cereal.

Linnea: "Mom? I don't have any food for people for lunch."
Mom: "I know."
Linnea: "I guess I'll have to get on my bike and go get something . . ."
Mom: "Like what?"
Linnea: "I don't knowwwwww!"

I saw this coming a couple of days ago, as people seemed to be grazing around lunchtime, instead of eating real food. Then yesterday, Linnea decided (at noon) to make tortillas for pizzas, using red sauce we had in the fridge and the last of the cheese. Nearly two hours later, we had lunch. Today, there isn't much available. Tomorrow will be a problem!

It seems that my years of making quality lunches when they were toddlers and during the summers of their elementary and middle school years has spoiled these children. I don't think they realize that lunch for a family, seven days a week, takes a considerable amount of food. We can easily use up a loaf of bread, a half pound of lunchmeat, cheese, several apples, a bag of chips and a half gallon of milk if we all have a healthy balanced meal. Even with other options, like peanut butter, or cheesy chips with chicken, or tortilla pizzas, lunch takes food and the time to put it together.

In the first three weeks, my lunch grazers have not been satisfied with what is available, and then end up eating too much of what would otherwise be snacks for several days. No wonder Caroline and Linnea are labeling things!

When we have our mid-project discussion at the end of next week, lunch choices will definitely be on the menu!