Today was a "Diocesan Inservice" day. I have no idea what that means, except that it meant no school for Little shmoo. We spent the day thrift shopping for Halloween costumes (he's going to be a Bionicle).
And here's the really tragic news: next week is noon release every day for teacher conferences. No vegan lunch boxes!!
But looking on the bright side, I'll be spending the week double-testing recipes and writing for the cook book, so it's all good. And I'll post a new recipe, too!
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Oh No! How will we ever survive? Have a great week, and I hope your testing is successful. :)
A whole week?! INSANITY! good luck on those recipes, though, and have a wonderful week.
that's great news - the cookbook will be a week earlier then!
STOP THE MADNESS! A whole WEEK without lunches?! I may have withdrawls! I may have to eat at McDs....well I won't go that far! Have a great time with your shmoo!
What's this about a cookbook? Did I miss something? Please tell us more about this cookbook!!
Cookbook? Tell us more...
..it was bound to happen.. :( I remember the whole week of getting out of school early thing. It's usually a good thing! but unfortunately not in this case. oh well...have fun testing the recipes!
I'm going to do the bread this week. Sorry it's taken me so long to get to it. Dang...
Since little schmoo will be lunchbox-less this week, I thought I would toss out an idea that works with my kids: Hallowe'en Polenta!
Make polenta as usual, but toss in about 1/4c of cooked fresh pumpkin, 1/4c of cooked quinoa, and some orange food colouring. Spread on a greased 9x13 and refrigerate. When cool, cut with Hallowe'en cookie cutters (pumpkins, ghosts, etc.) Pan fry both sides on med heat in some Earth Balance Buttery Spread until crispy (or broil as Jennifer does with her polenta fries). Kids can dip them in maple syrup--tasty!
Round out the meal with some fruit salad, soy or rice milk, carrot sticks, and those tasy Pumpkin muffins Jennifer had posted on the site a few weeks ago.
Here's a random question for you, Jennifer. I'm interested in raising my children as vegans, and never had anyone that I could ask about this topic:
How does Little Shmoo deal with snacks at friends' houses, birthdays in school, etc when non-vegan snacks are offered to him? Do his friends' parents know that he is vegan and only offer him vegan snacks? Does he make his own decisions on what to eat and what to avoid?
Just curious about how a young boy handles being vegan when his mom hasn't packed him an amazing, delicious lunch!
I hope those muffins will be the new recipie. I haven't been able to stop thinking of them!
Yes, it's true! I'm working on a cookbook that includes some of these menus with recipes and fun ideas. I'll let you know when I know more...
That Halloween polenta sounds tasty!
Hi, rachel! Whew, that's a lot of really good questions. There is a book out called "Raising Vegan Children in an Non-Vegan World" you might want to check out. I haven't read it yet, but it sounds like it deals with those situations.
For us personally, I have to leave things in the shmoo's hands for the most part. My husband is an omnivore and does not support veganism, which makes it very difficult. So it's always been Little shmoo's choice, and only now that he's old enough to examine the issues and ask questions has he made the decision to go veg. I'm really proud of him for that, and try to support him by making sure he always has a vegan option that he likes available to him. But that's just me and our situation; if my partner were vegan as well and we were of one mind, I think things would be very different.
arrrrrgggg I am going through vegan luncgbox withdrawl. I love this site!
I just found your website a few days ago, and now I'm in love with it! I'm 16-years-old and the only vegan in my household, so I'm left to prepare all of my own meals. Your blog really inspires me.
When my classmates found out I was a vegan during biology, they were all full of questions. What could I eat besides bread, veggies and fruits? I answered the questions, but I'm going to be showing them just what I eat during a field trip tomorrow. We're being taken to fastfood restaurants for lunch, so I definitely have to pack my lunch. Everyone was quite adamant about me just buying a salad at Wendy's, and I was just as adamant about packing my lunch. Just because I'm a vegan it doesn't mean that I love salads.
Now that I've rambled on sufficiently, I just want to thank you for posting pictures and reviews of the lunches! They're so great! I wish my mom would (and could) pack me such great lunches. I'll be one of the first (of many) to purchase your cookbook!
P.S. I saw the dark chocolate you packed in little Shmoo's lunch at my local health food store. I've never really liked dark chocolate, but I thought I'd get some anyway. It was delicious!
I shall miss the boxes, but I await the return. You inspire me!
I saw this box at Whole Foods but passed it by. With only two containers having lids, I figured the rest of the food would bounce all over the place, get smooshed up or whatever horrible things that can happen to packed lunches. Does it really work well for you?
The book is by Erin Pavlina - here is her online magazine (with discussion forums!)
www.vegfamily.com
She also has a vegan family cookbook coming out in November - with recipes subimitted by us forum participants! I've got a potato pancake recipe in it.
Jennifer, how about posting a stay-at-home lunch? What do you feed yourself and little Shmoo when he's not in school? Pretty please? Throw us a line--we're desperate here!
Hi, mallory! How very wonderful that you are vegan and are putting in the energy and effort to make your own meals. I went vegetarian at your age and started making my own meals, too. It's an effort that really pays off in the long run, both for yourself, the animals, and the people that you are an example for, like your friends and family. Good luck on that field trip!
Hi, mom of three schoolers! Actually, the boxes fit snugly into the larger container, and that keeps most things from getting tossed around. The only things I have to cover with plastic or lids are liquidy things like soy yogurt and applesauce, or very small items like peas (actually, the peas might be okay, but I cover them just in case).
Hi, monica! Let's see, usually our at-home lunches are warmed up leftovers (beans and pasta today and yesterday). One of our favorites is to fill a steamer basket with chopped broccoli, potatoes, carrots, etc. and steam until tender. Little shmoo likes these plain or sprayed with Bragg's. At home he eats more snacks throughout the day, so lunch isn't as big. And he loves to go out for bagels and steamed soymilk!
Good grief. I go away for a few days to volunteer for the Ride to Cure Diabetes (my son is diabetic) and you go and have early release days for a whole week!!! I can't handle this. :P
On the other topic...my husband and stepdaughter are omni, and my son and I are O/L vegetarian. It can make meals dicey at times. We try to compromise; I'll cook an omni meal twice a week, but the rest of the time they have to follow the O/L veg diet. It's working out fairly well; they grumble sometimes, but since they're not willing to cook for themselves, they take what they're given. :)
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