Friday, August 9, 2013

Creative Kids School Lunch Ideas plus Ralphs Coupons + Giftcard Giveaway, Ends 8/17/13


School Lunches
Giveaway details below



This is a compensated post

Note: Make sure you're following MommyBlogExpert on Pinterest. Also, you're encouraged to repin any or all of my ideas featured in this post on the Trade-Worthy School Lunches Pinterest Board

As readers know I shop at Ralphs regularly not only because of what they sell but also because of their fuel points rewards program. Now that summer is coming to a close, all too quickly, it's time to think about back to school lunch ideas for your kids. 


My kids have always loved strawberries, MommyBlogExpert.com
My go-to place for all the makings of a fun, healthy and appetizing lunch is Ralphs market where I find just about everything convenient and affordable, from bread to peanut butter and jelly, to cheese and yogurt, to healthy snacks and fresh fruit and vegetables. The challenge is to make those ingredients into meals that cost less than $3 each that my kids will actually eat and not trade with their friends.

Get ready to start Pinning!


Scroll down for some creative and whimsical Pinterest Trade Worthy Kids School Lunch Ideas for moms to really play with food -- most taking just a few minutes to prepare for your own children this school year.

MommyBlogExpert.com
Cookie Cutter Cheese Shapes
I made these with the Tillamook Cheese I buy at Ralphs because my kids are addicted to it. In fact, I purchase 4-6 bars at a time so we never run out. You make these by first slicing the cheese thinly crosswise, then use small cookie cutters to cut out shapes and letters. You can do any theme (the zoo is what I did here) and pop a plastic animal or palm tree in with this when you put it in your child's lunchbox.


MommyBlogExpert.com
Berry Fresh Assortment
This is really easy to do. Just choose berries (or other types of fruit, either whole or cut-up) in the same color scheme and then arrange in groups either on a colorful plastic plate, as pictured and then cover tightly with plastic wrap to hold it in place. You can also pack these into a colorful plastic container with lid that they can take to school. The key is to make this mini platter REALLY colorful to whet your child's appetite for some nutritious fresh fruit.


Ricecake PB&J w/ a Lunchbox Love Note, MommyBlogExpert.com
Peanut Butter & Jelly Rice Cakes With Love Note
Who says that PB&J has to always be served on white bread? Instead, try taking those two classic foods and spreading them on some Lundberg Brown Organic Rice Cakes from Ralphs. Then add a little note (either pre-printed or hand written) to show your love and pop it all in a sandwich bag. Kids really like things that are crunchy, sweet and salty and this is all three, plus they'll surely appreciate the special message you enclose with it.


MommyBlogExpert.com
Hand Decorated Fall Theme Sugar Cookies
For these cookies I used the Ethel's Sugar Cookie recipe from my vintage 1950s Betty Crocker cookbook, along with Wilton's Royal Icing recipe -- but any favorite recipes will work. Then I took different leaf, acorn, pumpkin and other fall-theme cookie cutters to cut these out. Go to town decorating these after they're baked with the royal icing and your choice of sprinkles and then watch the smiles on your child's face.


MommyBlogExpert.com
Frozen Yogurt Treats
For those of you who are lucky enough to homeschool, like we did, your options for creating fun lunches are even wider because you can serve hot, chilled and frozen foods. I made these sweet desserts for my kids with Mountain High Yogurt I bought at Ralphs. Then I filled fun shaped cookie cutters with yogurt, added some raw oats, raisins, sprinkles and red hot mini candies to bling them out and froze them for a few hours. These are such a blast to make and your kids -- even traditional school children -- might want to help create these for a delicious after school snack, too.

Ralphs checkout at my local store, MommyBlogExpert.com
The fun doesn't stop there. Ralphs is giving one lucky MommyBlogExpert reader a $25 Ralphs giftcard. Read on to enter this giveaway.

MommyBlogExpert's Ralphs Giftcard Giveaway ends August 17, 2013 at 12 am PT and is open to legal residents of the U.S. only. One winner will receive a $25 Ralphs giftcard. Winner of this MBE contest will be selected at random from all entries and will be notified via email and must respond within 48 hours to claim their prize.


Ralphs Grocery $25 Gift Card

GIVEAWAY

Ends 8/17/13

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Thanks to Online-Sweepstakes.com for including this contest in their directory of current giveaways.

Access Ralphs digital coupons to save on your next grocery shopping trip. Plus stay up to date on all the news about Ralphs by following them on Twitter and Facebook.

FTC Disclosure: I'm a long-time Ralphs shopper. In addition, I was compensated to facilitate this post and I am participating in a Pinterest contest that Ralphs is sponsoring for the bloggers involved in this campaign. Ralphs is also providing the prize for the giveaway. However thoughts are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one. 

16 comments:

  1. They like tuna sandwich, grapes and Greek yogurt.

    ReplyDelete
  2. PB&J, yogurt, and baby carrots.

    Name on rafflecopter: Mary Happymommy

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ham and cheese sandwich
    tweety800265(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  4. My son loves yogurt.
    Entered the rafflecopter as "Wild orchid"

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  5. my daughter loved cheese

    sksweeps (at) earthlink (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  6. Peaches are a favorite.

    ReplyDelete
  7. His favorite thing are those little gummie fruits by Motts
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

    ReplyDelete
  8. My daughter likes strawberry yogurt

    ReplyDelete
  9. Cheese and Apples

    Name on rafflecopter: Amanda Sakovitz

    ReplyDelete
  10. hummus and pita, and any kind of dried fruit!

    rafflecopter: daniel

    ReplyDelete
  11. My son loves ham and cheese sandwiches.

    rounder9834 @yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Don't have kids, but I loved fresh fruit in my lunch
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  13. My granddaughter's favorite is yogurt and an apple.
    marcia.goss@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete