Now that Emma Clover and I are both going to school everyday (different places) we need to pack a lunch to bring along. Both schools have long lists of foods not to bring so we have had to be a little creative. I have access to a refrigerator and she does not and I have been trying to keep them similar with just small tweaks. Last week on Sunday I made a big bean salad with olive oil and red wine vinegar, a pot of farro and cooked some beets. She would get cubed cheddar with her main food and I would have some goat yogurt with my fruit. I liked that I had made food ahead of time and just added a little bit here and there every night to make them a bit different from the day before. Throw in some carrots, crackers or pumpkin seeds (only for me) and change up the fruit and it worked out for almost the whole five days. By Friday Emma had some leftover beans with cheese and chips thrown in and I had a bagel with lox at work. This week I made a pot of farro with cooked carrots, corn and cumin. The farro is great with black beans added but we can use pinto or kidney beans too through out the week. We have cooked oatmeal that I sprinkled with cinnamon for the fruit base. Tomorrow the fruit is fresh peaches and it looks quite delicious.

We both actually are super lucky to have other food options at our schools. The office at my work always had food that someone brought in or is leftover from an event. Having some dietary restrictions I can partake only a bit here and there but it is nice to know that there is always a bag of corn chips from a leftover snack at school if I am in a bind. At Clover’s school free lunch is offered but due to the amount of foods not allowed at school means that it is always a meat option and she is still eating a vegetarian diet. I know that if she wanted to she would be able to grab a juice or applesauce and be okay too. She informed me that it all comes with a lot of packaging and I said it really was okay. Don’t worry about packaging if you are hungry and there is food available. She is a sweet one. 🙂