As all of you know, today marks 11 years since that fateful day when America came under attack by terrorists. Up until this year, we haven't discussed the details of the days events with our boys as we felt they were too young to understand. However, my oldest son has developed quite an interest in history...especially American history. Over the past few weeks he's been reading through the "I Survived" book series by Lauren Tarshis. One of the books in this series focuses on the attacks of 9/11 which led us into a conversation about the conflict in the Middle East and how the events of the attack on America unfolded. It was a difficult and eye-opening discussion, but as one of the most significant historical events to take place in my lifetime I knew it was important to share. We'll never forget!

Here's the book, "I Survived the Attacks of September 11th, 2001", I mentioned above. If your child is interested in historical, action packed books this is a GREAT series...I would highly recommend it!

Today's lunch includes: turkey/cheese sandwich, Quest protein bar, homemade fruit roll up, blueberries, string cheese, broccoli, turkey rolls, almond flour chocolate chip cookie, almonds all packed in a Planet Lunch Box

This post is dedicated to all the men and women who sacrifice so much to protect our country. Thank you!

One question I get often is whether or not I make themed lunches for my kids everyday. The answer is absolutely, categorically NO!! If you've been following my blog for a while you already know that I work full-timeand the demands on my schedule are fairly intense at this time of year. The first few months of school are easily the hardest as I juggle both businesses along with adjusting to the new school routine. As a result, I don't have a lot of time (or energy) to create themed lunches everyday. Instead my kids often go to school with quick-and-easy lunches that are fairly mindless yet still packed with nutritious foods that fill them up and keep them satisfied throughout the day.

A few tips for packing quick-and-easy lunches:

• Pre-cut fruit and veggies over the weekend and store them in easy to access containers so they are at your fingertips in the morning!


• Keep baked goods in the freezer and pull one out in the morning, by lunch it will be thawed. I typically make a batch of cookies, muffins, and a bar of some kind every Sunday. This keeps the freezer stocked with a variety of "treats" that can easily be added to a lunch box or used for an after school snack.


• Leftovers for lunch! When we have leftovers I store them in individual serving size Lock and Lock containers. I'll re-heat the leftovers in the oven in the morning while I'm making breakfast. Then all I have to do is put them in a Thermos for my boys to take to school which is great when they want a break from traditional sandwiches.


• Make double batches. Often times when I'm making baked goods I'll double the batch just so I have extras on hand.


• Hard boil a dozen eggs over the weekend. My boys love hard boiled eggs and I love having them on hand for a quick side at any meal during the day. They also make a quick and easy snack as they are running out the door!

Well...summer break is officially over! The kids headed back to school today after an action-packed summer. As much as we love summer and all the freedom that comes with it the boys get antsy to get back in the classroom with their friends and I always welcome having some structure and routine in our days during the school year. Over the past few years we've established a few traditions that add to the excitement of the 1st day of school.

First of all, every year we take the boys out to pick out new school shoes. These are shoes that are specifically for school which means they can't wear them until school starts. My boys don't care much for shopping unless, of course, it's for shoes...they LOVE picking out shoes. Every time we go to the store they put on the shoes and test them out by running as fast as their feet will carry them across the sales floor. When we get home we tuck them away and don't pull them out until the night before the first day of school and usually the boys put them on one more time just to make sure they can still run as fast as they could when they picked them out.

Another back-to-school tradition for us is to surprise each of the boys with a book we think they'll love and sneak it onto their pillows before the go to bed. This is always a fun treat for the kids and it's a fun way for us to kick off our bedtime reading routine.

And lastly, I like to make up a batch of brownies for the boys to enjoy as an after school snack when they get home on the first day. I got this idea from a dear friend of mine who is a chapter ahead of me in parenting. She has one boy in college and another in high school. This is something she has done for her boys over the years and still to this day they look forward to coming home to mom's brownies after their first day back to school. This morning as my boys were getting ready for school my oldest son excitedly reminded me to make brownies today which tells me this is one tradition they'll remember for years to come.

The brownies below are a gluten-free brownie recipe from Maria Emmerich's new cookbook The Art of Eating Healthy: Kids.

Today's lunch celebrates their return to school and some of our "1st day traditions". The lunch includes: shoe shaped sandwich, cheese curds, raspberries and blueberries, jicama strips, & a peanut butter cookie (you could substitute sunbutter if nut allergies are a concern) all packed in a Planet Lunch Box

Two weeks from today our boys head back to school which means it's time to start thinking about what to include in their lunch boxes. For the past few days I've been experimenting with new healthy recipes found via Pinterest, on-line searches, and from my new favorite book,"The Art of Eating Healthy: Kids" by Maria Emmerich. (See the bottom of the post for details on how you can win a copy of the book!) I always like to try the recipes before I send them to school with my kids to ensure what I'm making is something they will actually eat. We've tried some real doozies over the years, but it's getting a little easier for me to predict which recipes will go over well with the kids. I thought I'd share a few recipes today that were kid-approved in our unofficial home taste test.

First up is a recipe for flourless, sugar free peanut butter-chocolate chip cookies (adapted from this recipe):

And next is a healthy version of a fruit filled cereal bar from Maria's blog:

3/4 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
2 TBS psyllium husk powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil, softened
1/2 cup Swerve (or erythritol and 1 tsp stevia glycerite)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla (or your favorite natural extract...I used strawberry)
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 cups Nature's Hollow no-sugar Jelly (any flavor) OR fresh berries

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Grease two pieces of parchment with coconut oil spray. Place 1/2 the dough onto 1 piece of greased parchement and top the dough with the other piece of parchment. Roll out until a rectangle that is about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into small rectangles about the size of a NutriGrain bar. Place 1 TBS or a few berries onto the middle of half of therectangles. Gently place cover the jelly topped retangles with a piece of dough without the jelly. Seal the edges with a fork or your finger. Place the parchement onto a cookie sheet and bake for 14-17 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 12 servings.

Throughout the school year I'll be sharing some of my favorite recipes from the book I mentioned above, "The Art of Eating Healthy: Kids"including strawberry cupcakes, whoopee pies, fruit roll ups, and many, many more! Maria Emmerich, author of the book, was kind enough to offer a copy of the book to one lucky reader! Simply leave a comment on this blog post by Friday, August 24th for your chance to win! I will announce the winner here and on the This Lunch Rox Facebook pageon Saturday, August 25th so stay tuned.

In one of my last blog entries I mentioned that I like to read. The fact is...I LOVE to read! At any given time I'll have 3-4 books on my nightstand, a book in my work bag, a book in my car, you get the idea! While I like to read a variety of genres at this point in my life I find myself drawn to parenting books and ever since reading "TheHappiness Project" I've been reading quite a few books related to the topic of happiness. A common theme among quite a few of the books I've read over the past year stress the importance of sitting down as a family to eat dinner.

In her book, Raising Happiness, Dr. Christine Carter points to research that shows kids who eat dinner with their families on a regular basis are more emotionally stable, are less likely to abuse alcohol and drugs, get better grades, are less likely to be obese, and have fewer depressive symptoms. Some studies show that family dinners even trump reading to your kids when it comes to preparing kids for school. In a study conducted by the Harvard Grad School of Education, they found that children learned rare words that were good markers for literacy at the dinner table. Of the 2,000 words the researchers were looking for, 143 of them came from their parents reading to their children. More than 1,000 were learned at the dinner table.

She goes on to explain that besides the educational opportunities, family dinners serve as a way for adults to model healthy eating and for family members to connect with one another. Dr. Carter encourages families to use dinnertime as a time to communicate and to review the days events by going around the table discussing everyone's "high point" and "low point" of the day. Family dinners also give parents a chance to develop social skills, healthy eating habits, and self-discipline that children will most likely carry into adulthood.

This notion of eating dinner together as a family has been something I've struggled with over the years. Between hockey, baseball, my work schedule, school events, etc...it's very hard to arrange for all of us to sit down for a meal. However, since so many of these books stress just how important it is I've been making more of an effort to make this a priority in our home. It's proving to be especially hard in the summer but we are giving it our best. Our goal is to have the kids sit down with at least one of us for dinner at least 5 nights/week. I'll be the first to admit that sometimes the kids are setting the table with paper plates while I'm pulling a random assortment of leftovers out of the fridge. But just as Dr. Carter wrote in her book..."what you eat is frankly less important than with whom you eat".

At least a few nights during the week I like to have the kids help set the table with real plates, glasses, silverware the works. First of all, I like knowing that my kids will know how to set a table when they are grown and out of the house. Secondly, I'm finding that both of my boys thrive on having a "job" to do and they both feel a sense of accomplishment by the time dinner is served. This seems to help get everyone in a good mindset before we sit down for dinner. Finally, when the boys are helping me set the table I'm finding that they are much more likely to talk. Often they'll start telling a story about something that happened in the day or ask questions about the most random topics. So even though setting the table with our dinnerware is a bit of a "process", I'm finding it's well worth the effort and then some. The meal that accompanies the dinnerware isn't always great...in fact it's often leftovers or something I've thrown together at the very last minute.

I snapped a quick picture of our table before we sat down to eat the other day. My husband cooked some mahi mahi on the grill and I threw together a quick salad, pulled some cinnamon muffins out of the freezer (one of the many advantages of making double batch recipes and freezing some for later), cut up some fruit and veggies and viola! Dinner is served!

I'm pretty sure the night after I took this photo we were sitting down eating leftover mahi mahi tacos on paper plates...but at least we were sitting down together as a family and that's progress for us!

Below is a quote I have printed and hanging in my kitchen to serve as a reminder when I'm feeling too tired to pull the family together for dinner:

Yesterday we said good-bye to my parents and my sister's family who all came up to spend the week with us at our cabin up in northern Wisconsin. It was an action packed trip filled with all things "summer"...jet-skiing, swimming, paddle boating, tubing, pontooning, fishing, skiing, you name it!

Between my sister and I we have four growing boys who I knew would work up an appetite each and every day so I did my best to make some filling snacks for them. One of my favorite summertime snacks as a kid were "push-pops". They were cold and refreshing...a perfect treat after a day of fun in the sun! I attempted a "healthified" version usingMaria's "Shamrock Shake" recipein various flavors and freezing them in push-pop molds. The boys absolutely LOVED them! (They particularly loved the mint and strawberry flavors.)

Maria's Healthified Shamrock Shake (made into push-pops)

• 1/2 cup avocado


• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or full fat coconut milk)


• 1/4 cupJay Robb vanilla protein powder


• 2 TBS cream cheese ORcoconut cream, softened


• 1 cup crushed ice (I used about 1/2 cup crushed ice since I was freezing them and wanted them to remain creamy frozen)


• 4 TBS erythritol (orSwerve)


• 1 tspstevia glycerite(omit if usingSwerve)


• 1/4 tsp mint extract or about 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves


• OPTION:use a different extract to switch up flavors!(As I mentioned above...the boys seemed to like the mint and strawberry flavors the best)

I hope you're all enjoying summer break!

Well...summer is officially here which means that I now have two full school years under my belt with this little lunch box project. What started out as a way to entice my boys to choose cold lunch over hot lunch has turned into a bit of a hobby for me and I must say that I've really enjoyed blogging about my experiences. The other day I was looking through past blog entries and realized that over the course of two years I've shared a lot about my kids and not a lot about me. Since it's summer and I'm not packing lunches on a daily basis I thought it might be fun to share a little bit about me...the person behind the blog. So, here we go!

As you can see...my name is Jamie and I'm a wife & mom of 2 boys (and a dog). I'm a collector of books, but find there are not nearly enough hours in a day to read through the books that continue to pile up on my nightstand. I love being outdoors especially when we're up north and unplugged from cell phones/internet/etc... it's a great way for me to get away from the pressures of work and spend uninterrupted time with my family. Speaking of work...based on some of the comments I've received over the past two years there is a camp of people out there who think I must be bored out of my mind and have far too much time on my hand to create themed lunches for my kids. Let me assure you that having "too much time" has never been an issue for me. I work full-time out of my home managing both Jamie Schultz Photography and Jamie Schultz Designs, my photography studio and graphic design business. Here's a little peek at what I do for my day job:

When I'm not taking photographs, I'm busy designing templates that professional photographers use to create grad announcements, holiday cards, birth announcements, books, etc... for their own portrait clients. (One of the many advantages of working with a custom photographer! )

I guess what I'm trying to say is that while it's nice to dream about what it might be like to have "too much time on my hands" really nothing could be further from the truth. What I can tell you is that 3 years ago, prior to making the changes in my families eating habits, the idea of waking up early in the morning to make healthy lunches would never have entered my mind. However, now that I know just how harmful and damaging some foods can be to our bodies...finding creative ways to introduce my kids to healthier options has become a hobby for me. As a working mother of two young boys I find I have very little time to do the things I love. Some moms find creative outlets in projects like scrapbooking, quilting, card-making, beading or other activities. Making and preparing creative lunches for my boys happens to be my passion and its an activity that makes me truly happy. So I guess you can add "lunch making" to my list of things I love! I don't necessarily have the time to do it, but I MAKE time for it as often as I can. I wish I could find more time to carve out to do other things I love such as; reading, traveling, spending time with friends & watching movies...but there really aren't enough hours in a day to do it all. For now I just do what I can with what I have and make the most of it.

Since today's blog post was all about me and the "stuff I love" I thought it would be fitting to share my all-time favorite summer dessert...Rhubarb Crisp. Mmmm!

"Healthified" Rhubarb Crisp (posted with permission from Maria Emmerich)
3/4 cuperythritol(orxylitol)
2 tspstevia glycerite(omit if using xylitol)
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tspCeltic sea salt
3 cups chopped fresh rhubarb

Topping:
1/3 cuperythritol(orxylitol)
1 tspstevia glycerite(omit if using xylitol)
1/3 cup crushed almonds/pecans/walnuts
1/4 cupalmond flour
1/4 cupvanilla whey protein(oregg white protein)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter orcoconut oil, softened

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.Beat sweetener, cream cheese, and eggs in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in vanilla and salt. Fold in rhubarb. Pour rhubarb mixture into casserole dish. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 1/3 cup erythritol and stevia glycerite, 1/3 cup crushed nuts, almond flour, whey and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter with fork or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over pie. Return to oven and bake until filling is set and crust and topping are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Makes 12 servings.

Every year I try to come up with a reading program for the kids to keep them motivated to read through the summer months. It's been a struggle to come up with something fun, creative, and engaging...then came along Pinterest! Oh, how I love that place! A few weeks ago I stumbled across a pin featuring a summer reading program complete with FREE printables HERE! All I had to do was sign up on the blog and within minutes I was given access to a free program that appeared to be a perfect fit for my kids. The "Summer Reading Star" set encourages kids to read for a certain number of minutes in a variety of ways (read on a beach blanket, read in the car, read under a tree, etc...). There is a bingo-style game board included and once the kids cross off an entire row they receive a coupon. If/When they complete the entire card they receive a Golden Ticket!

Also included in the kit are pennants kids can use to write a summary of each book they read throughout the summer...a great way to build reading comprehension.

The kids were VERY excited about this and were eager to list ideas to include on the coupons including: family movie night, go bowling, a new book, a trip to the pool, a trip to Knoke's (a local ice cream parlor), stay up late, etc... Our "Golden Ticket" ideas included: a trip to the water park, an outdoor movie night with friends, a trip to the movie theater, etc...

Over the past few months I've been making lists of books I thought the kids would enjoy and tried to build a fun collection of "summer reads" to have on hand. I thought I'd share some of our selections in case anyone out there is looking for ideas.

Below are the books in my soon-to-be 4th graders summer reading basket:

1.Ted & Me 2.Holes 3.The Borrowers4.The Lost Campers 5.The Tiger Rising 6.Frindle 7.From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler 8.Hatchet 9.The Toothpaste Millionaire 10.The Castle in the Attic 11.Iron Thunder 12.James and the Giant Peach 13.The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane 14.The Wayside School Series 15.Bridge to Terabithia

And here are the books in my soon-to-be 1st graders summer reading basket:

1.Henry and Mudge 2.Poppleton 3.Mr. Putter and Tabby4.Nate the Great 5.Harry the Dirty Dog 6.Moose Crossing7.The Horse in Harry's Room8.Charlie the Ranch Dog 9.Jigsaw Jones 10.Circus Ship 11.Hamster Magic 12.Lawn Mower Magic13. Pigsty 14.Camping Spree with Mr. Magee 15.Now I'm Reading

Just a note about the "Now I'm Reading Books" in my 1st graders basket. I can't recommend these boxed sets enough to parents with emerging readers. There is so much to love about these books! The colorful and fun illustrations combined with simple, yet effective sentence structures make these a great options for helping kids build their confidence with reading. There are stickers included in the "parent guide book" so after your child reads through each book he/she earns a sticker to put on the front cover of the book. We have used Levels 1-4 with both of our boys and have been very happy with them!

Today's "Summer Reading Star" themed lunch includes: peanut butter sandwich (you could use sunbutter if peanut allergies are a concern), white American cheese, strawberries/blueberries, broccoli/carrots, peanut butter muffin, cucumbers, and strawberry "milk" (recipe below) all packed in a Planet Box Lunch Box (even though the kids are eating at home today it's still fun to use their school lunch containers every now and again).

Strawberry Milk:

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk


• 1 scoop strawberry flavored Jay Robb Whey Protein powder (if egg allergies are a concern consider pea protein powder)


• drop of natural food dye (I don't recommend artificial food coloring)


• 4 ice cubes

Yesterday was the last day of school for my boys which means we are now officially parents of a 1st grader and 4th grader. The kids are loving their new grade titles, but they are also thrilled that summer has FINALLY arrived. Our goal this summer is to keep things fairly low-key with minimal planned activities. Aside from a few sports camps and a potential weekend trip here and there, we kept the calendar free so we could slow down and not feel the pressure of running from one thing to the next. We are looking forward to spending a lot of time at our cabin up north pontooning, swimming, hiking, biking, kayaking, reading...all things "cabin".

So with that in mind I made a "summer-themed" lunch for the boys yesterday. The lunch includes: peanut butter sandwich (you might consider using Sunbutter if peanut allergies are a concern), grapes, celery and peanut butter, string cheese, almond flour spice cupcake with cream cheese frostingall packed in a Planet Box Lunch Box

Some of you may be wondering if this is enough "sandwich" for a soon-to-be-fourth grader. I would say it's more than enough "wheat" for my kids considering the almond flour cupcake has more protein than most kids eat in a day. That's why I do so much baking with almond flour...it's filled with calories, healthy fat, and protein so I can slowly wean my kids from consuming nutrient empty sandwich bread.