Candy Canes

It's hard to believe this is my last school lunch in 2011!! The girls are off school for the holidays starting tomorrow -- woo hoo!!!

• Bagel sandwich on a mini whole wheat bagel with a provolone and cheddar candy cane.


• Babybel with a candy cane cut out


• Fruit salad (blueberries, raspberries, pineapple and strawberries) with a candy cane pick


• Peas


• Hershey Kisses*

* I was going to include a mini candy cane for dessert but I was afraid they wouldn't have time to finish it and would be forced to throw it away before going out for recess. In fear of that being traumatic, I opted for Hershey Kisses instead.

Gifts

Did you know at the time I'm writing this post, it's 6 days, 7 hours, 9 minutes and 41 seconds until Christmas? I know that because my girls are keeping up to the second tabs on it! To say they are a wee bit excited would be a wee bit of an understatement!

Two more days of school!!!! Here's what they will be having for lunch for one of them.

• 2 gift-shaped sandwiches (stacked) with a fruit leather bow


• Grapes and raspberries in a Christmas Tree shaped cup


• Spinach and cherry tomato salad with Italian dressing, on the side


• Cheddar Christmas trees


• Hershey Kisses

Stocking Stuffer

Hopefully she'll be stuffed by this stocking!

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  2 stocking-shaped sandwiches with provolone and cucumber peel decorations


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  Babybel with a stocking cut-out


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  Strawberries and blueberries


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  Cucumber slices and carrots with ranch


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  Hershey kisses

Gingerbread House

My youngest is giving a presentation on her favorite family tradition. The topic she chose was our family tradition of making a gingerbread house. So, I made her a lunch to celebrate! I think both of the girls will love it because they get to eat their dessert (the candy decorations) first! ;)

• "Gingerbread" sandwich, decorated with white chocolate*, gum drops and other candies left over from making our real gingerbread houses.


• Cheddar "gingerbread men"


• Cucumber and tomato slices with ranch


• Blackberries

* I used white chocolate instead of icing because it hardens and peels off of the bread. That way they can eat it separately rather than as part of their sandwich.

Football Bentos!

Ever since last year's Super Bowl, my youngest has been a huge Green Bay fan and my oldest has been rooting for the Steelers. My husband went to the Packers game on Sunday and is coming home tonight with presents that I think my youngest will want to wear to school tomorrow. I picked up a Steelers t-shirt for my oldest, so she wouldn't feel left out. So, because you know I love a theme, I made their lunches to match their new digs!

Go Packers! (or Go Green Bays!, as my youngest says)

• 2 football-shaped sandwiches with provolone accents


• Carrots with ranch


• Red grapes with a "Packers" pick


• Cheddar footballs


• Hershey kisses

Go Steelers!

Pretty much the same as above except that it's a circle sandwich decorated with dyed provolone. I could have totally done the symbol better (more uniform) but I was feeling lazy.

The Big Man Himself

• 2 Santa-shaped sandwiches (stacked) decorated with provolone cheese, strawberry fruit leather and icing eyes


• A clementine with a raspberry center


• A "Christmas Tree Forest" made of steamed broccoli with ranch


• String Cheese


• Mint Hershey Kisses

Snowmen!

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  2 snowman shaped sandwiches. I used food safe food coloring for the hat, mini chocolate chips for the eyes, a carrot nose, mini M&M buttons and pretzel arms.


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  Cheddar snowmen


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  Carrots with ranch


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  Red grapes


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  Mini powder sugar doughnut snowman face (with mini chocolate chips for the mouth and eyes and a candy corn nose)

Gingerbread People

• 2 Gingerbread shaped people, accented with cheddar cheese, cucumber peel, and mini M&Ms


• Carrots with ranch


• Babybel cheese


• Blackberries and raspberries


• Mint Hershey Kisses

Wreath

• Wreath-shaped sandwich with a dyed cheddar bow and mini M&M "berries"


• Peas


• Blackberries and raspberries


• Mint Hershey Kisses
  

Frosty

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  Snowman shaped sandwich with a carrot nose (of course), food safe black paint for the hat, icing eyes and a candy scarf.


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  Kiwi and blackberries


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  Steamed broccoli with ranch


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  String cheese


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  Mint Hershey Kisses

Ornaments

The inspiration for this lunch is Christmas tree ornaments!

• Peanut butter/wheat cracker sandwiches


• Cucumber slices and carrots with ranch. The cucumber ornament is decorated with cream cheese, peas, and tomato


• Raspberries and blackberries with an ornament pick


• Babybel cheese


• Hershey mint kisses

Peace

• Ham, turkey, cheddar and honey mustard roll-up


• Steamed broccoli with ranch


• Apple slices with ranch (I sliced one half of the apple length-wise and used a tree and star cookie cutters to remove the peel to form a Christmas tree. The apple slices are beneath)


• Mint Hershey Kisses