Help Me Work Around This Commute: Meal Times

[EdnaMarie]

My daughter finally got into a good pre-school. She's happy, it's great, yay, us.

One catch is that it starts early and she eats breakfast there. We leave here at 7:10, she gets there at 7:30, we get back here at 8:00 (drop-off time etc.). I leave the house at 11:30 to pick her up, she's out of her class around 11:55, we're home at 12:20 or so.

Now, I have two kids. The baby is 16 months.

How the HECK do I do breakfast and lunch? I can pack a decent breakfast for her, and I'm thinking of us having the same when we get home. (Maybe homemade egg pastries or some such, yoghurt, fruit, and homemade bread and butter or cheese for a snack with some chopped veggies.)

But what about lunch? If breakfast is cold, she should have a hot lunch. But she's hungry when she gets out. I don't want us eating lunch in the car every day. But it takes time to heat stuff up, even if it's pre-prepped, and they need to nap around 12:30. Plus, they often fall asleep in the car!

I was thinking a little snack in the car to tide them over, then nap and lunch after, but they get low blood sugar that way. Plus then I do not get to nap because I have to make lunch, LOL!

Anyone else have this issue?

I know it's a long drive but you'll have to trust me that there is a LOT about this pre-school that makes it worth it. Even if we do end up eating sandwiches and drinking smoothies in the car.

[Storm Bride]

What about soup? If you have hot soup on the stove, and turn it off when you leave (or leave it on low - I'm not comfortable doing that, but I know many people are), it should stay quite warm/hot while you're gone. If it cools off too much, it does heat back up pretty quickly.

I'll try to think of other ideas.

[EdnaMarie]

That's a good point. I would never leave the oven on for a drive--I get nervous going downstairs for laundry--however I could turn it off and yeah, it's not going to get cold that quickly. Or dump it in the crock pot on low when it's done, although that's another dish.

[Sol_y_Paz]

Maybe healthy mini "pizzas" would work.
The crust can be homemade pizza crust or some variation of bread (pita, english spelt muffin, etc.) topped with organic pasta sauce and any veggies you like and a sprinkle of cheese? You can prep this ahead and just bake it when you get home or since she is hungry right away you can heat it up and keep it in something that will keep it warm for the short drive there.

I prep ahead lunches most days, they usually are cold because there is no access to a heat source unless a thermos is packed in the lunchbox. I started prepping my lunch at the same time because while I have everything out might as well take a few more minutes and put mine together too and place in the fridge. It has been a real time and energy saver for me at least.

Maybe you can bring along some small portions of fresh fruit, nuts, a small chunk of cheese, some of a boiled egg, etc. for her to snack on immediately upon getting in the car. I would definitely prep the lunch ahead of time for ease of cooking as far as time goes.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by EdnaMarie

That's a good point. I would never leave the oven on for a drive--I get nervous going downstairs for laundry--however I could turn it off and yeah, it's not going to get cold that quickly. Or dump it in the crock pot on low when it's done, although that's another dish.

Extra dishes aren't good...

I'm trying to think if there's anything that can be done in the oven and left in the warm oven.

What about tuna melts? Do you do those? You could have them set up and ready, and then just flip on the broiler as soon as you get home. As long as your house isn't too hot, they should be fine in the cold oven for an hour.

[bluebunny]

While I can appreciate your wanting to provide a hot lunch, I really don't see the problem with having a cold lunch. My oldest regularly has cold breakfast (cereal, granola bar, fruit) with a non-hot lunch (sandwich, etc). Dinner is hot at our house.

Can you do some sort of bento box in the car -- cheese cubes, fruit, egg/cheese mini-quiches, etc.

[The4OfUs]

yeah, I'm not getting why lunch has to be hot. We rarely have a hot lunch, it's usually sandwiches. Dinner is hot, and bfast and lunch are each sometimes hot.

i like the bento box type idea. I would prefer eating a hearty snack in the car and napping then having a lighter meal than waiting and having the low blood sugar thing. I don't think it will ruin them to do that in the car on preschool days. When we have on the run lunches, I usually pack a half a PB/jelly sandwich on wheat bread, a half an apple or grapes and a few pretzels. That will tide them over for a couple hours, but doesn't overfill them.

[EdnaMarie]

Pizza is bad because they pick off the ingredients and just eat the crust. Even if it's whole-wheat, that's not good. LOL! I mean we do have pizza some nights, but that is not an option on a daily basis because they will just consume too much wheat flour. Though... to be honest, if there is a moderately refined carb in any meal (or any simple carb, really, from rice to barley to phyllo dough to pizza crust), DD1 picks it out. She didn't used to.

We can definitely eat in the car, but I am looking for ways to eat a hot meal at home. I guess you all are right, though, I may just have to sacrifice "hot".

Bento boxes are a great idea. I think we will do that at home. My car is already SO disgusting (another post entirely...) I can't bear the idea of daily snacks in there.

SB, I love tuna melts but I am the only one in my family. DD1 picks the cheese off: "My cheese has TUNA on it! Brush it off! Brush it off!" and DD2 takes them all apart and sucks on the bread. Husband asks if we're just having hors d'ouvres or what.

Thanks everyone. Your creative suggestions have convinced me I have tried hard enough and can be happy with a cold lunch.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by EdnaMarie

SB, I love tuna melts but I am the only one in my family. DD1 picks the cheese off: "My cheese has TUNA on it! Brush it off! Brush it off!" and DD2 takes them all apart and sucks on the bread. Husband asks if we're just having hors d'ouvres or what.

LOL Sounds like my house. I've sold dd1 on them, after a long time, but it's still just the two of us. (I like tomato on mine, and I'm still alone in that.)

Thanks everyone. Your creative suggestions have convinced me I have tried hard enough and can be happy with a cold lunch.

I mostly do cold lunches, to be honest. I'm going to try more hot lunches in the winter this year, though.

[EdnaMarie]

I wish I could can soups as I don't have enough room in my freezer, but I'm afraid of botulism.

[littlemizflava]

i would say feed the baby before you leave to pick up your dd. that way the nap in the car could be a good thing no worry about naps. you could have a drinkable soup, 1/2 a sandwich, some crackers or fruit. something light she could much on till you got home to make lunch for you and her (extras could be given to baby the next day for their lunch).

a slowcooker can be preped and turned on the night before on low and be ready for lunch.

[EdnaMarie]

LMF, I am really far too lazy to prepare two meals. Sorry. And they both nap so I want them both napping when we get home. I need a nap, too!

[noobmom]

I'm in a similar situation, although our drive is only 5 minutes, DS is so hungry that he can't wait for me to cook once we get home.

On days we have a hot lunch, I prepare it at home before I leave to go get him and leave it on the stove or in the oven. That way it's just a matter of reheating it (or more often not at all because DS likes his food on the cooler side). Otherwise I just bring him food in the car, usually cheese and fruit + a sandwich of some sort. Leftover meats from dinner, PB+J if I don't have anything else. I eat myself before I leave the house.

With your long drive and the tendency for the kids to fall asleep in the car, I would definitely feed them before getting home. They need the sleep just as much and the full belly will let them sleep better.

[lilyka]

I think if you really want hot lunches (although I think this is unnecessary even with a cold breakfast) you are going to have to make a crock pot your best friend. I would also get a big thermos or something. can you eat lunch at the school before you head home? Maybe bring a thermos with a hot meal in it (left over casserole, mac and cheese, soup, chili, pasta, rice and beans or even solid stuff can be put in a thermos to be kept warm. things like chicken nuggets and well, everything else I have shoved in my kids thermos has been less than healthy.....pizza rolls probably are not the sort of suggestions you are looking for ) and then find a quiet spot to quick eat at the school the moment school gets out. Also don't overlook hot meals for breakfast even though you have to pack it. I am guessing she eats as soon as she gets there. Put some scrambled eggs or breakfast sandwich in her thermos. Oatmeal is another good one. pour boiling water over oats right as you are walking out the door and they should be just right when you get there. any hot breakfast cereal would probably work. Also pancake or french toast sticks would work as well. (not the gross ones. I mean just cutting them the right size to fit in her thermos and dip into syrup ). And making a hot breakfast doesn't have to take more than 5 minutes in the morning. Boil water in your microwave for hot cereals. or get an electric kettle. Get scrambled eggs ready the night before and have the pan out. Turn the stove on and dump the eggs in. Five minutes top. You can also do boil in bag omelets. Have a pan of water ready to go, turn it on as soon as you get up. It will be boiling by the time you get the kids up. drop in their bags (the night before put eggs and cheese and maybe some ham or other veggies or meats whatever you like in an omelet into a freezer zip lock) in the water and get your kids ready. by the time you are ready to walk out the door the eggs will be ready. remove from bags and wrap in aluminum foil or drop in a thermos. Pancakes, french toast and breakfast burritos can all be made ahead of time and heated in the microwave in the morning (all three freeze well too). That frees you up to have a simple, cold quick lunch.

oh, and I am going to go out on a limb here and say get a real thermos. not a knock off. There may be some other good brands but I would expect to pay at least $15 to $20 for a small one. I think they run about $17 here.

[EdnaMarie]

Hm... lots of really interesting and creative suggestions there, Lilyka. Thanks to you, too, noobmom, because now I don't feel so bad about the long commute!

I'm not opposed to homemade pizza rolls but they just eat the bread and throw the ingredients out except pepperoni.

A thermos is a fantastic idea, but boiling food in plastic is not something I'm willing to do at this point. She does eat as soon as she gets there and I have ideas for breakfast. I was more into a larger hot meal for lunch as a central meal of the day. But I think that my only option for that is to have a medium (cold) snack in the car, they sleep, then they have a large lunch after the nap, which will be earlier.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by lilyka

You can also do boil in bag omelets. Have a pan of water ready to go, turn it on as soon as you get up. It will be boiling by the time you get the kids up. drop in their bags (the night before put eggs and cheese and maybe some ham or other veggies or meats whatever you like in an omelet into a freezer zip lock) in the water and get your kids ready.

I just wanted to mention that boiling in plastic bags is NOT recommended by the companies that produce the bags. Heating anything in plastic is not a good idea, in general, anyway.

[lilyka]

haha I was not talking about anything as virtuous as home made pizza rolls. I was talking about the gross little nuggets you get from the freezer section. quite possibly my favorite junk food. quite possibly the worst food on the planet.

I hadn't thought about the whole heating plastic thing. My kids dad makes those for them and there is nothing appealing to me about tube of eggs or omelets so we don't do them. I was just thinking about things that could be prepped the night before and still hot when she got to school. But you guys are right. boiling in a zip lock presents all kinds of problems.

[EdnaMarie]

It's a great creative idea, lilyka, but yeah.

We don't have the $$$ for boxed foods like that. I bought wild-caught pacific fish sticks the other day and OMG.

[lilyka]

I work in a meat department of a grocery store and I can't figure out how people afford standard gross meat much less the better stuff and then there is the organic.

Yeah. my kids take a lot of rice and beans in their trusty thermos.