Matching "Hers and Hers" Sister Lunches

These lunches were all packed last Summer for various camp days and park outings, but would work for school or day trips any time of year! Great quick, easy, throw-something-together options!

PBJ Fingers

Z's lunch: GF PBJ fingers on Udi's bread, organic blueberries and carrots

Thursday, 7/10/14 - PBJ fingers are an easy way to keep the same-old same-old different and fun! And taking familiar "comfortable" foods and serving them in different methods is a great way to help stave off a predilection for picky eating, by showing that "different" at meal times doesn't have to be scary or unpleasant.

For even more fun, I made some carrot coin flowers by making v-cuts down a carrot stub, then slicing it into coins.

E's lunch: GF PBJ fingers on Udi's bread, organic grapes and carrots

Since gluten-free bread is so much smaller than regular bread (gluten-free dough doesn't rise as much,) I can only get 3 fingers per slice. So two sandwiches were just the right amount to split between my two girls.

Leftover Pulled Pork

Z's lunch: leftover Kahlua Pork with rice, organic raspberries with Enjoy Life chocolate chips, organic snap peas

 

Thursday, 7/17/14 - Z had Lego day camp that morning, and probably had OT right after, although I remember us goofing around in the courtyard for a bit while eating.
She enjoys using a spork versus a kiddie fork, but Little Sis just got some random dollar store baby spoon.

 [This post contains affiliate links.] 

E's lunch: leftover Kahlua Pork with rice, organic strawberries and carrots

Little Sis got baby carrot slivers and strawberries instead, just to change it up, but the girls did a lot of sharing, so ended up with some of each others' as well!

Simple PBJs

GF PBJ sandwiches; organic strawberries, carrots, snap peas, and tomatoes (for E)

Thursday, 6/26/14 - I'm fairly certain these lunches were packed to be eaten on the way to Z's weekly OT session. I'm not great at time management any time of year, but in Summer, when no one has to be up in time for school, we often laze around until we DO have to be somewhere... Like when I suddenly realize the girls haven't eaten but we need to leave RIGHT NOW! Hahaha!

Randomness

GF/DF Cheeze Crackers; organic apples, carrots, and snap peas; sheep milk feta

Wednesday, 6/18/14 - These were packed as a quickie snack lunch to eat in the car on the way to something, so I pretty much just threw in the first things I found. I had some homemade gluten- and dairy-free cheeze crackers (made with whole grain flours,) and Z is in love with this sheep's milk feta we found at Trader Joe's. I still get a little sick if I eat it, but nothing like my reaction to cow milk products! Plus fruit and veggies. Boom. Done. Get your butts in the car! Hahaha!

Tools of the Trade

     

Girls Day Out at the Fair!

When I saw a Groupon for Remlinger Farms, I bought one, and called my youngest sister, who bought one as well. Then we all planned a fun day out together with the Grandmas too! Remlinger Farms is like a year-round fair, with amusement rides, farm stand items and crafts, animals, and fun! (Well, not quite year-round... they're closed November through Mother's Day... But still,) We'd never been before, but I'd heard great things (it's an hour or so away, and I'm not known for my desire to travel long distances without my husband in the driver's seat!)

Since I wasn't sure if their deli/farm stand would have safe lunch options, I packed food for all of us.

[This post contains referral and affiliate links.]

Lunch for Z

Organic grapes, blueberries, snap peas, carrots; Udi's GF PBJ, dye-free taffies

 

I packed simple lunches without lots of extras, in case our lunches got lost or something. I made them fun by using a Lunch Punch Match and Munch puzzle cutter on the sandwiches. One of the few that isn't too big for the Udi's gluten-free bread! As a special treat, I included a few dye-free Trader Joe's taffies. My girls go ape for these!

Lunch for Little E

GF PBJ, dye-free taffies; organic grapes, blueberries, snap peas, carrots

 

Other than cutting her grapes in half, E got the same lunch as Big Sis. Naturally it was too much food for her, but Mama helped her out!

Mama's Lunch

Vegan truffle bunny, freeze-dried mangoes, Peeled Berry Crunch apple clusters, organic salad (lettuce, carrots,
crumbled goat cheese, hemp hearts, sunflower and chia seeds, raisins, rosemary vinaigrette)

I had the vegan (dairy-free!) bunny left over from a Vegan Treats Easter basket I had ordered for myself in the Spring. A bit of a splurge, but worth it to have some sorely missed copycat treats made without dyes, gluten, or dairy!

Tools of the Trade

   

Fun Pics for the Grammas!

The pony rides were the big hit of the day. E was only 2 and a half here, but she still remembers the ponies' names, and names all horse toys after her favorite, Coconut!
Normally I'm against pony rides at fairs and such, but since this is a permanent versus a mobile feature, handlers lead each pony around a track, rather than them being chained nose-to-butt walking in a circle. And each pony only has a 30-minute shift (less in extremely hot weather) before being rotated back to the barn for a break. I was very pleased at how well loved and well-treated these ponies are by the staff.

My girls and my youngest niece riding the canoes. We'll pretend that Z didn't dip her finger in the water before sticking it in her mouth. Since the farm was uncharacteristically uncrowded, they got to stay on and go around a few extra times!

Mommy & Me Movie Snacks

It's been almost a year, but I think Z and I were heading to see the Sensory Friendly Films showing of How to Train Your Dragon 2 with these safe movie snacks. Since we can't have artificial food colors, gluten, or dairy, there's almost nothing we can eat at most movie theatres! Luckily the Sensory Friendly showings allow you to bring your own eats, since many kids on the spectrum have dietary restrictions. I bring my own dye-free drink flavor enhancers (like Stur, Flavrz, and EmergenC Kidz) and then buy bottled water at the venue.

Movie Snacks for Little Z...

Organic cinnamon-sugar popcorn, salt and yeast popcorn, Justin's Dark PB Cup, dairy-free Cocomels,
dye-free TruJoy fruit chews, organic carrots and apricot, dye-free lollipop

Before heading to a movie, I toss some organic popcorn into a paper lunch sack and microwave it like I would a chemical-filled microwave popcorn bag. Just as convenient, without all the crap! Z couldn't decide between "cheezy" (yeast and salt) or cinnamon, so I made hers half and half!

For her treaties, I let her have one of my Cocomels (I rarely share! Caramel is my favorite, and it's hard to find dairy-free ones!) plus a Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup (dairy-free and no artificial flavors, like all the common chocolate brands have,) and a dye-free version of Starbursts. Yum!
Z didn't end up liking the apricot, so she traded for my apples.

 [This post contains affiliate links.] 

And Me!

Organic cinnamon-sugar popcorn, Cocomels, Justin's Dark PB Cup, organic apples and apricot,
Eli's Treasure Bar, dairy-free chocolate lollipop

I usually take my popcorn with just salt, but decided to try cinnamon sugar this time. I must have had a major sweet tooth with that plus all the extra candy I packed! More Cocomels and a Justin's PB cup for me, plus a safe version of Snickers by Eli's Earth Bars from Sjaak's. No gluten, no dairy, and no fake flavors! I also had a chocolate bunny pop left over from my VeganTreats Easter basket. It's a big splurge, but they make a gluten-free basket with goodies like dye-free creme eggs and Twix-type bars. I'm worth it!

Tools of the Trade