As a working girl, I used to love lunch time. I would dream about the food I was going to buy all morning, or bring something tasty from home. Can you tell I like food? I loved wondering into Leeds popping in and out of shops and enjoying the sunshine in the summer. Since having children that vision of lunch time is a distant memory, and it’s the meal that has irritated me over the last few years.
I used to prepare separate lunches for the boys and I – things like soup, omelettes, scrambled eggs, beans, jacket potatoes and salad – then get stressed encouraging the boys to eat, but for the last year or so, we have eaten almost the same thing for lunch every day. I’ve realised that my boys prefer to eat a big breakfast and a big dinner, then nibble throughout the day. Once I accepted this it made my life so much easier.
Whenever I ask the boys what they want for lunch they always say: “Dip, dip”, which means anything from the fridge with either houmous or pesto, along with other bits and bobs from our cupboards. I just gather it all together on a bread board and they eat what they fancy. Lunch time is a relaxed affair and I let them eat as much (or as little) as they want to. I leave it out until the late afternoon so they can come back to it again and again.
We usually have a selection of these:
Dips: houmous or pesto
Veggies: carrots, cucumber, celery, tomatoes, pepper.
Nuts: cashews, pistachios.
Other bits to dip: pitta bread, oat cakes, rice cakes.
Extras: Yoghurt, dates, raisins, cheese and fruit.
‘Dip, dip’, is really easy to take out on a picnic, and Win always wants to take it to nursery with him too, so I try to recreate it in his lunch box. Now I find lunch time so much easier and I feel silly for getting stressed about it for so long!
What do your children like to eat for lunch? I’d love to know!
E xx
Wow, that’s a real winner! I think my girls would go for that too! Really healthy as well. We usually go for either sandwiches, soup, salad, egg & beans on toast or something along those lines. We all have the same thing so I never mind making what they want within reason.
Nat.x
I think eating all the same is key – you are so right. When I used to make cooked things I hated to see it wasted…at least this way I can shove it back in the fridge for tomorrow (!) xx
That would be my favourite ever lunch. Humous or dips and things from the fridge – and some crisps too! Your boys have great taste x
Ooo yeah! Crisps would be a good addition. I think I eat houmous every day – so good isn’t it? x
My son always asks for a “party” which usually consists of a sandwich (ham and “cream” i.e. salad cream or jam) cut into four small squares and no crust, a few cocktail sausages, some cherry tomatoes, diced cheese or string cheese (“funny” cheese to him), chopped cucumber, and maybe a sausage roll. OR its pasta mixed with either meatballs, hotdog sausages and beans or just plain red sauce, nothing amazing but as long as he eats im happy!
I think that all sounds pretty amazing – and I love that he call it a ‘party’. Kids are brilliant! xx
“Bits and Bobs” – very similar to Dip Dip but without the dip – I’ll have to upgrade and add a dip! We do often have popcorn and as a treat pitta pizzas (pittas toasted, smeared with tom purée, with grated cheese & olives on top – oven roast for 10mins!
I am loving all the inventive names for the same thing! Pitta pizzas sound gorgeous Hannah…and quick. Thank you xx
Fabulous lunch! Love the name too, so sweet. Mine like a ‘bits and bobs’ lunch which is sandwiches, cut up apple, cubes of cheese etc x
‘Bits and bobs’ sounds yum! I love cheese xx
Love it and eating these things just remind me of Smith family things all the time. Megs much prefers lunch like this now than a sandwich and I have been telling Nath whilst he has been home not to clear it away as she comes back to pick haha that’s so funny your boys do the same. Lovely pics x
They still won’t really touch sandwiches…I don’t know why. I think they find them really dry! x
Esther, this is the same as my boys and they eat a virtually identical lunch to yours. The only difference is that they call it snackli rather than dip dip. I’ve given up persuading them to eat something else. It might be monotonous but it’s reasonably diverse and covering all the food groups 🙂
I agree Rachel! Love the name ‘snackli’ too xx