School is almost out.. OVERWHELMED!!!

**themartins903** · 05-27-2008, 11:00 AM

Well, this is the last week the twins are in school and I'm already getting anxiety attacks for the summer menus.

Hubby is a SAHD (he's disabled) so he'll be watching the twins while I'm at work and I've tried to keep the menus as simple as I can make them, but it's overwhelming due to the rising cost of groceries!

I know that Ramen noodle is cheap, but it's HORRIBLY bad for you and the twins only like sandwiches here and there. I copied their school menu and tried my best to keep it low cost but come on... UGH!

As the kids get older, their appetites get BIGGER! Plus my step son who is (10) will be here beginning June the 6th for the entire summer and I'm sweating bullets over here.

What are some of your favorite summer menus that are convenient and economical?

((Any help would be GREATLY appreciated)).

**perSue** · 05-27-2008, 11:07 AM

wow, i'm starting to fret cuz school's almost out too... but not this reason.

okay, well, depending on how old the twins are... finger foods!!
veggies, fruits, cheeses, meats, crackers... make a "deli tray" for lunches at time. (pack&stack in the fridge)

soup can be cheap.
make yer own "ramen noodle" packs. in a storage container, have rice/pasta/noodles and little "spice" packets to make. add veggies for nutrition.

grilled cheeses (w/or w/out meats). can also be made in the oven! (add veggies or not too!)

there's gonna be some redundancy... and that's ok... kids more wanna eat & get back to playing than anything else. so repeating the same meal each week wont hurt 'em.

make sandwiches on crackers, toast, pitas, etc... so it's not the standard "sandwich".

different toppings for sammies: hummus, pb, pb&(jelly, banana, raisins... you name it!), deli meats, roasted/rotisserie meats, cheeses, veggies

heck, even "breakfast" for lunch... like waffles (you can make waffle sticks of your own & dip in syrup!) or pancakes.
pancake "sandwiches"... with sausage, bacon, egg, cheese... whatever you like!

kids like to use their hands - especially the younger ones.

and the 10 y/o... he'll eat anything mentioned too.

good luck!

**cissylu** · 05-27-2008, 11:20 AM

school`s already out here, been out for a few day`s.
sorry I can`t think of anything . sue has has given great idea`s . good luck.

**Momto2Boyz** · 05-27-2008, 11:40 AM

My kids love toasted sandwiches! I use whatever I have that I have bought on sale. Lately it's been tuna. But I use either bread or crackers, then top it with tuna (or ham or whatever), cheese if I have it, then I pop it in the oven to broil for a minute then serve open faced. For some reason my kids love this instead of regular sandwiches! And it is really easy!

**sunshine** · 05-27-2008, 11:55 AM

Pizza - make ahead and freeze, then just pop in the oven to bake or use English muffins and let them make their own in the microwave or toaster oven

Make your own potpies (or buy at Aldi's)

Wraps - tortillas smeared with cream cheese, topped with sliced lunch meat, hummus, chopped veggies, cheese - what ever you like

Mac/n/cheese - maybe add veggies or tomatoes to it

Tuna/noodles/cream of mushroom soup

Apples slices with peanut butter

yogurt with granola

Cottage cheese and fruit

Will they eat a chef's salad?

Jello with fruit or veggies is good

Baked potatoes with various toppings - chilli, pizza stuff, cheese sauce, etc.

Smoothies

Savory muffins and quick breads with raw veggies and dip

Celery sticks filled with PB, cream cheese, processed cheese stuff (cheese whiz)

Hard boiled eggs and fruit kebobs

Hot dogs

**PennyWise** · 05-27-2008, 12:13 PM

I buy Aldi's big pack of Kirkwood boneless skinless chicken breasts for $5.99...then I cut them into strips and bread them....oven bake or fry.
Then you can have their favorite dips along side....ranch, honey mustard...etc.
Also, with the same chicken breasts, you can cut them up and add to the ramen noodles....yummy!

**zakity** · 05-27-2008, 01:06 PM

Your twins are 9. My twins started cooking on an electric griddle at 9. Your DH will be there to supervise.

My guys make themselves:

grilled cheese

fried eggs

fried egg sandwiches

breakfast sandwiches (egg/cheese/bagel or English muffin)

Ugh, I know there is more, but I can't think of anything else.

They also make themselves:

leftovers (zapped in the microwave)

cheese and pickle sandwiches

pseudo pizza - bagels/English muffins with sauce and pre-cooked pizza toppings and zapped in the microwave long enough to melt the cheese

yogurt

pb&j

pb & apples (they cut up the apples themselves)

chilled canned fruit on really hot days when it is too hot to eat anything

lunchmeat and cheese sandwiches (I used to keep some cheese sliced for them until this last year. They couldn't get it sliced and I don't buy the pre-sliced kind.)

canned soup

ramen (the oldest cooks this if the twins want it because of house rules)

I keep a white board on the fridge with what is available to eat. It helps them to eat up leftovers and keeps them from standing in the fridge for hours trying to decide what to eat.

Ahh, yeah... The ramen thing. The twins are not allowed to use the stove yet. Beak is though. We have a house rule that you have to be tall enough to reach the back of the stove (so you can reach the knobs) and you have to be tall enough to not be popped in the face with anything hot. The twins' faces are right there and they would get popped on all the time. The rule also includes not standing on anything to cook. Beak is as tall as I am now. I don't know your house rules, but they could make themselves ramen for a change depending on how well DH can supervise.

As for leftovers, they all microwave things all the time. They have been doing that for a long time. We just make sure they knew to put it in a little at a time to keep from burning it.

**nuisance26** · 05-27-2008, 01:18 PM

~I agree with having them learn to cook and prepare things for themselves. They are quite old enough. You can either provide easy-to-prepare items in the pantry and freezer, cook extra dinner the night before so they can reheat leftovers and/or keep simple sandwich fixings on hand. When I was younger and and had to prepare my lunches I liked to make one of those Lipton rice&sauce mixes or a fried egg sandwich. Very easy! I *really* think you need to ask your hubby to supervise/be responsible in this area. If you work, it's more than enough that you keep the ingredients on hand and have the at-home spouse manage the meals. Your hubby is a man so you'll actually have to ASK him to do this, lol! Hope you all have an enjoyable summer!~

**YankeeMom** · 05-27-2008, 01:21 PM

You might check to see if schools in your area offer the Summer Lunch program. Around here they have 3-4 different elementary schools that offer free lunches to school-aged kids. No income requirements, the kids show up & they get to eat. Usually it's a cold-pack lunch like a sandwich, piece of fruit, cookies, and milk. But it would help with the money pinch.

**shoiji** · 05-27-2008, 03:12 PM

Do they like macaroni salad? You can always add boiled eggs, tuna, or chicken to it.

One of my favorites used to be tomato and cheese sandwiches in the summer.

**themartins903** · 05-27-2008, 03:23 PM

This is what I've come up with so far. I went to their ISD's website and their breakfast/lunch menus are all online. I made a calendar and kinda copied from what their eating now over to mine.

My kids love pizza rolls and hot pockets and things like that... but that can actually get to be REALLY expensive so I thought about this:

Getting plasticware (freezerware) that has compartments ((if I can find these)) (mini lunch trays).

Cook this Saturday and prepare their lunches for the week and freeze them. They can pop those suckers in the microwave to heat up, etc. Label their names on the top cover so they know which is theirs, because Lord knows, Lauren isn't going to have her brother Landen "touching her stuff".

They do like grilled sandwiches and soup and that griddle idea is a CHARM! I'm sure I can find something reasonable.

After reading all the responses I can actually see that I was really stressing over something that really isn't a big deal. I just need to plan, etc and do this "weekly".

Thank you all!!

**zakity** · 05-27-2008, 05:47 PM

Good. I am glad you are feeling better about it. I hate stressing about stuff.

That purple or blue painter's tape is great to label stuff in the freezer. I prefer purple because it is easier to read the writing on that the blue for some reason. I am using a red sharpie right now and it shows up great on the purple. I try to label what is in it. You could put the person's name, what it is in it, and instructions for how to heat it up.

**Frugal Nurse** · 05-27-2008, 06:09 PM

WOW! these are fantastic ideas! I have nothing to add... but do you mind if I take? lol!

I like the healthy snacks.

And lunch really is that.. sort of a snack time, per se.
It doesn't need to me a total balanced meal.
Schools need to have a balance- by law.
But you can make up for an imbalance in the dinner or BF.

Now... start writing down what you like, stockpile the stuff, keep the list inside a cabinet for DH to see... so when lunch rolls around- voila. Dad saves the day!

**hippytreehugger4ever** · 05-27-2008, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by themartins903

This is what I've come up with so far. I went to their ISD's website and their breakfast/lunch menus are all online. I made a calendar and kinda copied from what their eating now over to mine.

My kids love pizza rolls and hot pockets and things like that... but that can actually get to be REALLY expensive so I thought about this:

Getting plasticware (freezerware) that has compartments ((if I can find these)) (mini lunch trays).

Cook this Saturday and prepare their lunches for the week and freeze them. They can pop those suckers in the microwave to heat up, etc. Label their names on the top cover so they know which is theirs, because Lord knows, Lauren isn't going to have her brother Landen "touching her stuff".

They do like grilled sandwiches and soup and that griddle idea is a CHARM! I'm sure I can find something reasonable.

After reading all the responses I can actually see that I was really stressing over something that really isn't a big deal. I just need to plan, etc and do this "weekly".

Thank you all!!

If you have a Dollar Tree, they have the compartment containers with lids with 3 slots and are microwave and dishwasher safe

**heartofmine** · 05-27-2008, 06:50 PM

Make them their own microwavable lunches. You could do a cook session on Saturday and fix enough to last for a couple of weeks at a time. Just make sure you label and put a date on them. Chicken tenders, meat loaf, pasta dishes with hamburger or chicken could be the main part and make potatoes, peas, or whatever they like for the sides and just dish them out in the little sections of the dishes.

Also if you have a crockpot put something on that morning for their lunch. You could fix spaghetti in the crockpot and let it cook on low. Cook pinto beans in the crockpot. Just make them some cornbread that morning and they can heat it in the microwave. Slowcook hamburger and put in a packet of brown gravy that morning. They can eat it like that or add barbecue sauce, pickles, onions and make sandwiches.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches they should be able to fix themselves as well as cheese sandwiches in the microwave. Peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Peanut butter, banana, and marshmallow creme sandwiches. They are called fluffer nutter sandwiches.

Hotdogs should be an easy fix for them.

Make some cold dishes and put in the fridge like cole slaw, macaroni salad, jello, potato salad. Fix ziplock bags of sliced up cucumbers, peppers.