Spruce Up Mommy's Lunch!

How many times in one week can you eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Honestly! I often find myself either skipping meals or eating the same things that my kiddos are eating. While I do my best to make sure my kids have a balanced nutritional diet, lunch time tends to get the short end of the stick in my kitchen. I tend to "cook" breakfast and dinner and "make" lunch (sandwiches, chicken nuggets, etc.). My boys love peanut butter and jelly which I often serve with a side of fresh fruit, veggies and cheese and crackers. However, pb&j can get old fast! I like having a good lunch that satisfies my hunger and fuels my body for the rest of the day. Another favorite in our house is grilled cheese. I was visiting a friend a few months ago (a fellow stay at home mom of boys) and we had "fancy" grilled cheese sandwiches which I loved! It gave me a serving of fresh veggies right in the middle of my melted cheese. After you've grilled your sandwich, open that baby up and shove in a few slices of fresh tomato, spinach leaves, sauteed yellow bell peppers and a dash of balsamic vinegar. It's delicious, easy and a much healthier option to your plain cheese and bread combo. You can also add avocado or mushrooms, whatever sounds good to you! Another option is a good hearty soup! After having many homemade soups, canned soups just don't really do it for me anymore, and they are often loaded with salt! Whenever I make a homemade soup or crockpot recipe, I've started freezing a few 1-2 serving size packages in plastic freezer bags. This is something that I can heat up quickly in the microwave or on the stove without making a big mess to clean up afterwards. It fills me up and is a great meal when topped with fresh items and paired with a yummy salad. Those quick and easy quesadillas are also a place you can fit in some healthy veggies and chicken to "fancy" up. Be sure to keep a good stock of healthy snacks available too (fresh fruits and veggies, granola bars and yogurt are good options), so when you do have a spare minute in your day to boost your metabolism, you have something that you can feel good about eating. Bottom line, you're a busy woman who needs ENERGY to get through your day, so make sure you are taking care of yourself physically by providing your body with the nutrition it needs! Happy lunches!

P.S.-Homemade soup recipes are coming, so be on the lookout!