We’re into the swing of things now. School started in late August, and we’ve acclimated to the waking up thing. We’ve also found a new flow with the new (later) bus pick up times. Well, mostly.

Packing lunches? Got it! I have a flow to things. Will gets a main item — a sandwich or leftovers, usually — and three other items (one for snack time, two to be eaten with lunch). Typically two of those are fresh fruits or veggies. We really, really love our fresh fruits and veggies. Since it’s fall, we’ve been doing a lot of apples and peppers (my kids adore red bell peppers), along with bananas. But with winter coming, I’ll need some new options to keep things interesting.

Recently, I had the opportunity to try Libby’s Single-Serve Fruit Cups, which are available in Mixed Fruit, Diced Pears, Diced Peaches and Cherry Mixed Fruit. Each cup contains a serving of fruit. Honestly, the scent of these fruits as my kids opened them took me back to my childhood. I loved when I would find diced peaches or pears in my lunchbox, so it was fun to try these. I haven’t bought fruit cups like this in years, but they can be a good option for tossing into lunchboxes or bringing along for a quickie snack.

The kids were so excited, since this is totally out of the norm for us. What they really enjoyed was that the cups had firm, sweet fruit that was all ready to eat with a spoon — no need to cut into anything or do anymore than open them. For me, I appreciate how sturdy the cups are (which really is a big deal — kids can be so rough with lunchboxes). But I do wish these cups were available packed in pineapple juice instead of light syrup — hopefully Libby’s will release juice-packed cups in the future.

Still, these are a good option for an quick grab snack or even a treat for the kids. And they can totally change up the lunchbox monotony.

Also, Libby’s has teamed up with soccer star Brandi Chastain this fall. She provided a few tips for raising healthy kids.

Brandi’s Kid Friendly Tips for Healthy Living:

• Hydrate to perform great. Kids should drink water before, during AND after exercise. While exercise generates heat and increases the body’s core temperature, water works to bring body temperature back to the normal 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Let your child pick out a colorful water bottle to make drinking water fun!
• Always make time for healthy meals. The USDA says that half our plates should be filled with colorful fruits and veggies, but when your children are constantly running from school to practice and back, it can be tough to get them to eat that perfect meal. Add Libby’s® Single Fruit Cups, which contain one complete serving of fruit, to your children’s bags for an easy and nutritious snack.
• Sleep is important! Children should receive an average of eight hours of sleep each night. Without enough sleep children get cranky and lazy, and will not perform to their full potential during school, practice or games. Help your children stick to a regular sleep schedule by making bedtime fun – read them a story or sing a song while they fall asleep.
• Turn exercise into a family affair. When exercising is a solo act, it can sometimes feel like a chore. Bring the whole family on-board and make exercising fun, family time! Join your kids in a game of soccer, Double Dutch or kickball.
• Lead by example. When you set a good example, your kids are more likely to follow. Although it’s easy to stop at the drive-thru on the way home from practice, make an effort to eat well and live a healthy lifestyle. Become a role model by exercising regularly and eating healthy foods, like Libby’s Canned Fruits and Vegetables, with your children. It’s easier when you make it a team effort!

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Disclosure: I am working with The Motherhood on a project with Libby’s and am being compensated. All opinions are my own.

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It’s been said that I go a little crazy around back to school shopping time. I buy a few more boxes of crayons than seem prudent. I stock up on paints, clay, glue sticks, paper and markers. And I tuck most of it away for later. They call it crazy, I call it smart. Why wouldn’t you stock up on crayons when they are a mere $0.40/box? (Actually I usually stock up when they are $0.25/box, but haven’t seen them that inexpensive yet.)

Besides. I just love the new supplies.

Of course, back to school isn’t just about the school supplies. There’s also the matter of food. School lunch food that is.

My son doesn’t buy lunch at school. Whenever I look at our school’s monthly lunch menu, I cringe at the sight of brownies dished up with pizza and chicken nuggets with tater tots. Haven’t we learned anything yet about serving our kids better food in schools? Why would I pay $3.50/day for that? So I choose to pack lunch for my son everyday.

Packing lunch means that I need plenty of packing supplies. I prefer reusable containers that are dishwasher safe, though I make an exception for the hot food container that has to be hand-washed. While I am shopping for penny pencils and cheap durable folders, I also keep an eye out for containers that make packing lunch easier. It’s important to have a selection of containers to send lunch in so that you have flexibility in what you can pack.

Earlier this summer, I picked up a few containers for keeping snacks cool (complete with freezable lids!) that were on sale and I am excited to use them. I am still looking for a new hot food container as well, since ours had an unfortunate demise in the dishwasher right after school ended (it wasn’t dishwasher safe). I also bought several spill-proof drink containers so that we aren’t reliant on juice boxes this year too.

Once all the supplies are purchased, I will be all set for packing lunches … Here are a few ideas of what I’ll be packing for my son’s lunch this year:

• Do-It-Yourself Combination Lunches
• Balsamic Pasta Salad
• Jazzed-Up Turkey Sandwiches
• Tomato Bisque
• Balsamic Tomato, Corn and Cucumber Panzanella Salad

Again, thanks to Crocs for sponsoring this post. Check out their new line of back to school shoes, which are pretty cool. Also, there’s this fun Crocs video that I was asked to share. Have a great weekend!

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A few weeks ago, Will spied a lone very ripe (ahem, brown) banana on our kitchen counter and declared that I should  make banana bread. He adores banana bread. And bananas, for that matter. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to whip up a batch then.

Today I finally got around to baking some … in jars, of course. I was tempted to call this one Chocolate Chip Banana Cake in a Jar, but really it’s basically banana bread … or banana muffins, depending on how you look at it. Really the only difference is the vessel I used to cook it in. What would you call it?

Anyway, one of the reasons for making this today is that I wanted something to send in to Paige’s classroom for her teachers tomorrow. It’s teacher appreciation week at our school (yes, I know most schools already celebrated that!), so it seemed like the perfect time to gift them with a little something. We’ve been blessed with wonderful, patient and kind teachers who love kids and make their school days so special.

Really, this is the perfect something for a teacher gift. Just top ‘em with a canning lid and tie a little card to the top to let them know what’s inside. I used basic kitchen twine, but you could go fancy with some pretty ribbon too.

As for the Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, it’s positively lovable. It’s perfectly moist, with a light crumb. I’ve added just a touch of cinnamon that gives the flavor a little depth, without really making its presence known. It’s subtle. And mini chocolate chips are the perfect addition to the sweet banana batter. It’s based on my recipe for Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread, but is minus the nuts to comply with the nut-free environment of our school.

The Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is baked directly in the jars on a baking sheet in the oven. I keep an old baking sheet around just for the occasion. It’s perfect for being the firm surface for small containers like this. And yes, jars are perfectly okay for baking. If you don’t have them already, you can pick some up at most grocery stores or online.

What’s your favorite food to gift?

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread in a Jar
yields 6 half-pint jelly jars

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 6  half-pint jelly jars on a baking sheet. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy looking, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat well until combined, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla, cinnamon and bananas and beat on medium speed.

While the bananas are beating in, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add a little at a time until fully combined. Pour in the chocolate chips and beat for a few more minutes, until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the jelly jars, tapping each one lightly to spread it out a little.

Bake the jars on the baking sheet in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the tops just start to brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven. These can be covered with a canning jar lid and stored up to five days.

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Will is totally enthralled with those pre-packaged lunches at the supermarket that come with a few bits of meat, cheese and crackers in a shiny yellow container. I never buy them — honestly, I think they are gross. The meat is slimy, the cheese is mediocre … they look a lot better than they are.

But I am all for making my kids happy, so I decided to make my own for Will’s school lunch. It’s really just a fun combination lunch, which gives several tastes in a cute package, so it’s pretty easy to create yourself. How?

For Will’s school lunch, I used:

• 1 old Chinese takeout container, but a stout reuseable container would work too
• 6 silicone cupcake holders (you may need less/more depending on your container)

Now, what did I fill it with?

• 4 small slices extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 slices beef summer sausage (precooked)
• 1/2 cup red grapes
• 1 small red pepper, sliced (picked this morning in the garden)
• 6 sungold tomatoes (picked this morning in the garden)
• crackers
• 2 Oreos (Joe-Joes from Trader Joe’s are my fav, but I haven’t been to the store lately)

So, did he eat it? Of course! Between lunchtime and snacktime, Will ate everything in his combination lunch. But it was a bit much just for lunch … After talking to him, I think he could have used four components for his school lunch, instead of six. But overall, I am happy with how it worked out. I am going to seek out a slightly smaller container that will easily hold four components.

You could easily trade in other components too — berries instead of grapes, turkey or chicken instead of the sausage, etc. Heck, you could even include lettuce leaves instead of crackers, so that kids could do lettuce wraps.

Tomorrow? I am planning on leftover turkey, cheddar cheese, grapes, cucumbers, crackers and some sort of special treat.

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And just like that, summer ended.

I mean, of course it’s still technically summer. But this morning, as I woke Will from his peaceful slumber and got him fed, brushed, washed and dressed for school, summer was clearly over for us. We’re now entering the wonderful world of schedules that revolve around five-day-a-week schooling and assorted extracurriculars.

The free-flowing days of summertime, where we woke when we felt like it and giggled in bed until it was really time to get up are over. But that’s okay. We had a wonderful summertime, and now Will is super excited to be a kindergartener. Paige is just as excited to enter preschool.

Putting Will on the bus this morning, I was a ball of nerves. Would the bus come? Will he be okay riding the bus home? And in all my myriad thoughts, the idea of crying at his big, huge, mega-step was never there … until I turned my back on the bus and the tears sprung to my eyes.

That’s my baby.

Paige, who wore her PJs to the bus stop, held tight to my hand as she, Shawn and I walked down the hill to our house. She’s been so helpful today, following me around with frequent assertions that “I do it!” But this afternoon, I will take her to school too. She went to a casual program last year. This year, she’s off to real preschool.

My children are growing up faster than I ever imagined possible. In a blink of the eye, they have gone from little lumps cradled in my arm to thinking, caring, doing, intelligent children. And try as I might, I will never be able to force them back to their littler states. It’s exciting and sad all at once.

Right now, Will is just about finishing his lunch – the school lunch that I worried so much about. What did I end up packing for his first day? At his request, I whipped up a batch of Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta with Romano Roasted Shrimp and packed it with sliced nectarines and one Oreo. For snack time, he has sliced peppers and ranch for dipping.

But this pasta is the star of the day. When I recently made Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta with Romano Roasted Shrimp for dinner, Will adored it (so did Paige and I!). It’s a minimal cooking dish (cook the pasta, broil the shrimp, and that’s it), so it’s fabulous for when you are short on time. Or making a fresh lunch for school.

I just hope he loved it at school too …

Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta with Romano Roasted Shrimp
serves 4
NOTE: Scroll down for the printable recipe

1 cup fresh diced tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup, plus 2 tbsp freshly grated Romano cheese
sea salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lb penne pasta, prepared

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil and 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Stir well, then set aside.

Preheat your oven’s broiler for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange the shrimp on a baking sheet (you may wish to line it with aluminum foil for easy cleanup). Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Then, sprinkle with 2 tbsp Romano cheese.

Broil the shrimp for 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through and lightly browned. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.

Add the cooked penne pasta to the tomato mixture and stir well. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Romano cheese, salt and pepper. Stir again. Taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Spoon the pasta into bowls and top with 1/4 of the shrimp. Serve immediately.

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Check out the Sundried Tomato Hummus here.

Special thanks to Our Green House, a fabulous source for eco-friendly products, for inviting me to do this video. Also, thanks to Cate from Sweetnicks for the fabulous frozen grapes idea and to Shawn for taking over so I could go.

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