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What do you do for breakfast and lunch on school days? Do you assigned meals? Assigned kitchen workers?

Breakfast all my kids get on their own (or by older siblings or me, if they need help)... things like cereal, oatmeal, toast, sometimes eggs... One child is assigned breakfast cleanup every day.

I usually make a bigger lunch since it's the main meal of our day (usually the only one my husband eats with us). The oldest three children all have cleanup chores after it's over. My oldest puts away leftover food. The next oldest wipes the counters and chairs. The next oldest sweeps (and wipes when needed) the floor. Everyone puts their own dishes in the dishwasher. I hand wash what can't go in the dishwasher.

Lunch meals include shepherd's pie, lasagna, burgers, tacos, sloppy joes, chili, tator tot casserole, spaghetti, roast beef w/potatoes & carrots, meatloaf, baked chicken, chicken fetucinni alfredo, tuna melts, grilled cheese & tomato soup.

We just worked on this topic yesterday! I made a chart with all of this information on it, including graphics, but I don't know how to put it up on here. I'd be happy to share it if someone can tell me how to do so.

Here is what we came up with for our meals. I'm trying to keep it very simple and predictable at this point so that I can turn the meal prep over to my children. That way I can focus more easily on schooling everyone.

Breakfast:

I plan to teach my 6 and 7.5 year old children how to make these over the next few weeks with the goal that they could make them during the school year. (This summer we've done a lot of fending for ourselves, and it seems to be making the morning meal drag on indefinitely. Thus the family style meal again, we'll see how it goes.)

Mon-Meusli
Tues-Scrambled Eggs
Wed-Oatmeal
Thurs-Fried Eggs
Fri-Meusli

For our version meusli, we have a big tin into which we put a mixture of raw oats, cheerios or other cereal, dried fruit, and very occasionally, chopped nuts. It fills the tummies and is a little less expensive than cereal alone. We keep a mug right in the tin to ladle muesli into bowls easily.

We've figured out we do better with a mid-morning snack, and I plan to have my dd-6 prepare this each day.

Snack:

M-Popcorn
T-Fruit + Pistachios
W-Cheese + Crackers
Th-Veggie Sticks + Peanut Butter Dip
F-Trail Mix

I was trying to find a way my 6 y.o. could make popcorn on her own, and discovered we can put 1/3 cup of kernels in a brown paper lunch bag, fold over the edges a few times and put it in the microwave. We have a big MW, so it only takes ours 2 min 15 seconds, but a smaller one might take closer to 3.5 minutes. Folks can experiment to see what time works best for their appliances.

Lunch:

I'm planning to have my 13 year old dd work with my 3.5 y.o. and 1.5 y.o. to prepare this while I work on school with her other younger sisters. There will be fruits/veggies/cottage cheese etc. to round out these meals.

M-PBJ Sandwiches
T-Yogurt + Bagels
W- Deli Sandwiches (Turkey or ham, etc.)
Th-Grilled Cheese + Soup
F-Beans + Rice with shredded cheese and sour cream on top

Thursday is what we called "Griddle Day". I have a giant electric griddle that we use for fried eggs and grilled cheese sandwiches to feed our big crew, so I grouped those two meals on the same day so that we could leave the griddle out for the day and just wipe it down between uses.

We also have a rice cooker which I love and will use for our Friday lunch prep.

These meals don't feel very inspired, but HOD looks so exciting I figured we could use a little "boring" for our meals. Our children all have after meal chores, too.

I love these ideas-keep 'em coming!! I need help in this department

My oldest (9), is in charge of breakfast. He does oatmeal, toast, sausage, etc. We also have fruit & grain bars, and once a week they are allowed pop*tarts.
My youngest (4), helps me with lunch. Since dad is usually home, we eat larger meals than we would if he wasn't. We still keep it simple with deli-style sandwiches, chicken nuggets & veggies, hot dogs/corn dogs, and planned overs. They all really love cheese dip (the only cheese 1 child will eat).
I fix a snack on my own. And the evening meal my middle child (6), helps prepare. Half the time I use a slow cooker and/or steamer for that.
This is the way I have found to work the meal schedule to least interfere with school, and my morning chores. Hope this gives you a couple ideas.

We are trying to eat healthier, so I am thinking of doing the following:
Breakfast burritos or cereal and yogurt for breakfast
Casseroles/Freezer meals for lunch

And then for dinner, the idea is to just do meat and veggies - no grains/potatoes/etc. Hubby will get the previous day's lunch left over for his lunch most of the time. My oldest is only 5.5, so I can't leave her in charge of cooking much. And if I cook 2 weeks' worth of freezer meals a week, it will be pretty easy each day.

Hi there, here is my menu for lunch and breakfast!

Breakfast
Monday : Oatmeal, yogurt, Fruit
Tuesday: Toast and Scrambled Eggs
Wednesday: Cereal or Granola
Thurdsay: Baked Oatmeal
Friday: Toast and Eggs

Lunch
Monday: Tuna Sandwiches
Tuesday: Grilled Cheese and Soup
Wednesday: Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwiches
Thursday: Pancakes and Eggs
Friday: Muffins and Boiled Eggs

These are all very simple meals to prepare and clean up. For side dishes at lunch we usually have chopped veggies or fruit. Sometimes we have leftovers, or something else, but this is nice to have to fall back on for a simple meal (and also for planning my grocery shopping!)

Several times I have intended to make better lunches for my kids, as in more complete meals, not the quick and easy stuff I am so used to. The only way I could do it would be freezer cooking, which I rely on heavily for dinners too. Plus my kids are kind of picky eaters so we tend to rotate through about 10 different lunches, and we eat the same breakfast every day, it's their choice but they have to prepare it. Oatmeal, cereal, boiled eggs if they are in the fridge, toast. Well, I help the 4YO with hers and serve the 1YO his breakfast.

Lunches are always things like spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, sandwiches, hot dogs with chili, quesidillas, waffles (if I have some in the freezer from a meal), cheese with ham and crackers, usually a side of fruit. One of my girls is the lunch helper each day, I have a weekly schedule that details this, and a different one helps clean up after lunch.

I know I could do better in this area. If they went to school there would be hot lunch and I know as they get older they will need more to sustain them during the day. We also do snacks in the morning, especially in school days, otherwise we are all really grumpy by lunch time! Usually the snack is cheese, cottage cheese, nuts, fruit, or bread.

StillJulie wrote:Breakfast all my kids get on their own (or by older siblings or me, if they need help)... things like cereal, oatmeal, toast, sometimes eggs... One child is assigned breakfast cleanup every day.

I usually make a bigger lunch since it's the main meal of our day (usually the only one my husband eats with us). The oldest three children all have cleanup chores after it's over. My oldest puts away leftover food. The next oldest wipes the counters and chairs. The next oldest sweeps (and wipes when needed) the floor. Everyone puts their own dishes in the dishwasher. I hand wash what can't go in the dishwasher.

Lunch meals include shepherd's pie, lasagna, burgers, tacos, sloppy joes, chili, tator tot casserole, spaghetti, roast beef w/potatoes & carrots, meatloaf, baked chicken, chicken fetucinni alfredo, tuna melts, grilled cheese & tomato soup.

I'll be at your house for lunch.

I read a neat idea from a large family mom. She made lunch boxes for her kiddos the night before, so that lunch prep wouldn't mess up the flow of their day. I think I will try pure making our lunches this year, but I don't think I'll use actual individual boes. Just per make sandwiches, have fruit washed and cut, etc.

I have a friend whose husband preps lunch before he goes to work, usually sandwiches or something quick she can eat. Not only does the mom have a lot of food allergies that the kids don't have, but she doesn't like cooking. So she can pull out lunch and serve it to the kids! Lunch boxes are a good idea too. I am not that organized or prepared. But I also really can't spend more than 30 minutes preparing lunch, so that really limits what I can do.

Here is our menu at present...


I have enjoyed many of Debi Pearl's ideas for being a help meet, and one of them was to have a set menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We are on Week 3 and testing it out. I think for sure we'll keep the set breakfasts and lunches. For dinner, we may switch it up more. We rotate through desserts. This has made life much easier! It's easier to make the grocery list, easier to have more set side dishes we rotate through, and easier to just pick the things we LOVE most to eat.

In Christ,
Julie

Julie,

What is Vanilla Oatmeal? Do you have a recipe?

Thanks,
G

glperky wrote:Julie,

What is Vanilla Oatmeal? Do you have a recipe?

Thanks,
G

Sure!

1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups vanilla soymilk
1/2 cup to 1 cup water (depending how thick you like your oatmeal)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt (optional)

On medium heat, bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, turn to low and cover for 5 minutes, venting and stirring now and then. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar. Stir. Put in bowls. Dc add more vanilla soymilk to get consistency each likes. Serve topped with spray whipped cream and mini chocolate chips. Serves 4. MMMM!

In Christ,
Julie

Thanks Julie,

Sound good! Old Fashion Oats or Quick?