What’s for Lunch?

Has there ever been a more terrifying question? I don’t know about you, but my kids’ absolute favorite time to ponder tomorrow's lunch menu is precisely when they should be counting sheep. We’re lucky though—out of our four kids, we only have one lunch-time enigma.

Two are creatures of habit, packing their lunches daily (let’s be serious, we are the ones doing the packing). Our son, a cafeteria connoisseur, only buys school lunch.

Our oldest, however, is the culinary wildcard. I know she detests macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets, yet she’ll happily devour pasta, pizza, or a Caesar salad wrap. What I never know is what on earth is actually on the school menu. And you can bet your bottom dollar if it’s something she loathes, I'll be fresh out of bread and snacks to conjure up a lunch from home.

Here are some of my favorite 'raid the cupboards' lunches I’ve whipped up in a pinch:

Pasta Salad: We always have a box of mac and cheese lurking in the pantry, so why not ditch the cheese, chop up whatever veggies are left in the fridge, and whip up lunch? I’ve even been known to toss in some leftover chicken from last night's dinner and a splash of bottled salad dressing for an easy, 'healthy-ish' lunch.

“Chipotle” Bowls: My kids adore takeout, and I love cheap meals. This one is as simple as leftover rice, a can of black beans, and whatever toppings are already in your fridge. Fill a thermos with boiling water to warm it up while you microwave the rice and beans until they could melt glass. Dump them into the hot thermos, send along some shredded cheese and salsa on the side, and voila!

It was exactly this dilemma that prompted us to create our “Send to Pomnie” feature. You can find the pdf lunch menu from each child’s school online (or scan the document) and send it directly to Pomnie. Then text your Pomnie AI assistant to find out what’s for lunch this month at any time of the day, but hopefully before bedtime.