Happy Independence Day!

 I love the 4th of July. I love the cookout foods, I love the parades, I love the patriotic music, and I love love love the fireworks. I miss going to see the big show in the city, but I think our little ones are too young to make that fun for any of us since you've got to get there super early to get a spot. Also they're at the age when I'm never quite sure how the noise will affect them, so we'll head somewhere we can beat a fast retreat if necessary.

Today's a busy day for us - we had a kiddie parade to march in with preschool, and then just enough time to come home for lunch and naps before heading off again to an afternoon BBQ. We're back at home now but once it gets dark we'll head over to the park to watch people set off all manner of explosives, legal and probably otherwise. Here's lunch:


Clockwise from bottom right: strawberry puffs, strawberry, blueberry and string cheese skewers, flag bagel (red pepper, blueberries, cream cheese), blueberries, marshmallows with strawberry pockys, Bing cherries.

Today's muffin tin lunch was inspired by Michelle at Muffin Tin Mom, who suggested a red, white and blue theme for the week. So fun!

Muffins, muffins, who wants some muffins?

Well, not really. Muffin tins, actually. Filled with decidedly non-muffinish food. Today was our latest go-round with Muffin Tin Monday, and it was a simple but good one:


From the top right: ham roll-ups, whole grain cheese fish, hummus, steamed broccoli and carrots, ranch dressing, pita triangles.

Both kiddos liked this, although the veggies didn't get too much play. Gabi ate her carrots but left the brocolli, and Little Buddy didn't eat either, although he did use them as a dip delivery vehicle. I'm trying to teach him to actually BITE the dip-coated vegetable, instead of just licking it clean and re-dipping. So far its a no-go, and so he always gets his own little bowl of dip (or muffin cup, as the case may be).

Next Monday is Independence Day, and I've got all sorts of ideas percolating about . . . we've got a busy busy day on the 4th but hopefully I'll be able to work in a muffin tin lunch! Otherwise, perhaps some other time this week. . .

Muffin Tin Monday

We had a super Father's Day this past weekend, filled with lots of great food - a cookout Saturday night and a beach picnic on Sunday (never mind that it was in the mid 50's and threatening rain all day - hello summer!). Thus, there was only one thing to do come lunch on Monday - leftovers! Allow me to present our muffin tin meal from yesterday:

Clockwise from top right: cheddar cheese, pasta salad, grilled bratwurst, baked beans, Oreos, strawberry cereal bar.

As always, some things were more popular than others, depending on the kiddo! Little Buddy ate up all the bratwurst, cheese, and cereal bar, the Oreo filling, and maybe a bite of beans. Gabi ate all the bratwurst (my kids are such carnivores!), beans, salad, and Oreos. 

I'm finding that six choices seems to be a bit much for them - I'll need to get more creative about letting dips, etc. take up one of the muffin tins. We're all enjoying this though, so I'll keep going with Muffin Tin Monday!

Of course, thanks as always to Muffin Tin Mom for providing me with this creative spark and the place to share it!

Muffin Tin Monday, Take 2

This is our muffin tin meal from last Monday - we're having a Memorial Day BBQ today with the family that will decidedly NOT be served in muffin tins, so here's what was on the menu last week:


Clockwise from top center: Chicken nuggets, ketchup for dipping, Popchips (air popped potato chips), apple sauce, wafer cookies, and green peas.

 This one went over better, although again the kiddos didn't really like the wafer cookies, and they didn't like the popchips. I don't get that one - those chips are filled with potato salty goodness - but to each his own. At least they left the least healthy options on the tray. They are still loving the concept though; they were so excited for lunch! I think it might be a way to get them into eating new things; if I can harness that excitement into giving something new a try then lunch served in muffin tins is totally worth it.

My daughter Gabi used to be an adventurous eater; she'd at least try anything we put in front of her. As she's gotten a bit older she's gotten a LOT more picky; now she will more likely than not refuse to try anything new. Unfortunately that attitude is rubbing off on her little brother Buddy, especially since she tends to make a big show of turning down food. Just imagine "its sooo yucky", "bleagh", "NO WAY". After that display, I figure we've only got a 40/60 chance of him even trying the offending food, let alone liking it. The only thing we've got going for us right now is his huge appetite; sometimes he's just hungry enough to ignore big sis!

Muffin Tin Monday - Take 1!

So yesterday we tried out the Muffin Tin Monday concept here at la Casa Chica. I first heard of the idea when I stumbled across the Muffin Tin Mom blog recently - Gabi happened by as I was checking it out and immediately wanted to try it, et voila!

It was a huge hit with Gabi; she loved it all, the muffin tin, the food in it, the fact that it had a cute name. Poor little Buddy was down with the idea at first, but he's fighting a stomach bug so he wasn't soo into the eating part. Here's what lunch looked like:

Clockwise from the top left we had turkey meatballs, plain fiore pasta, banana slices, little wafer cookies, dried fruit mix, and plantain chips. Its a little bland, but that was intentional (see stomach bug, above).

I'm sure we'll be revisiting this again next week . . . I'm not sure I'm up for two theme meals a day (muffin tins and meatless Mondays) but who knows? Maybe I should search the web to see what other themes are out there for other days of the week - somebody's gotta be doing Fishy Fridays, right?