A new week...

Before school began, my daughter and I discussed the cafeteria and the possibility that some of her friends would be buying lunch on a regular basis. I thought the appeal of going through a line and getting food might be more exciting, in the eyes of a Kindergartner, than taking her lunch, even though I knew she would not like the food as much. So, I decided to attack the problem before it became one! We discussed cafeteria food and how she feels when she eats healthy as opposed to eating "junk". And in the end, we agreed that she could buy lunch once a week, as long as she took her lunch the rest of the time. We sit down the weekend before and look at the lunch menu and she gets to decide which day sounds the best to her. That's her hot lunch day.

Last Friday, it was pizza. And although my foodie kid can claim tuna roll sushi and sesame crusted tofu among her favorite foods, no five year old can resist the draw of hot fresh pizza. I'm a 37 year old woman and I can't resist the draw of hot fresh pizza! So, last Friday she bought lunch and I had an extra day to think about things I might want to make. And I have to say that the ideas have really been flowing. I've got a lot of things in mind and can't wait to try out some of my ideas. So everyone keep posted cause who knows what I might think of next. Today's lunch was something I thought up while trying to decide what I could do with cherry tomatoes...and what kid doesn't love food on a stick??

Brown Cow vanilla yogurt with frozen blueberries, chocolate chip and pecan cookie, whole wheat mini bagel, fat-free ranch dressing, BLTK's

BLTK's (BLT Kabobs)

6 Cherry Tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)

2 slices Low Sodium Bacon, cooked

2 Romaine Lettuce leaves

3 toothpicks

Cut the very tip of the cherry tomato off and then cut an X in the top. Cut the bacon strips into 6 pieces total (three pieces per slice). Roll a piece of the bacon or break it, depending on how crisp it is, and stuff it into the x on the tomato. Repeat until all tomatoes are filled. For the lettuce, remove the center vein and tear the leafy portion into strips. Wrap around the tomatoes and secure with toothpick.

*For obvious reasons, the toothpicks would be a bad idea for the little ones, but my daughter is well versed in toothpick safety. She'll eat anything skewered or kabob-ed!

Everyone have a great week!