Thursday, December 29, 2011
And the Lunch Box is....
Lunch Box Raid.... I think we have a winner!
After relentless searching I am going to go with the ECO Lunchbox sets! I found a local company in Ormiston that sells them too, so no wasted packaging on my eco friendly lunch boxes!
Why did I choose these ones? The stainless steel, the open-ness of the boxes that allowed me to create bentos that some of the others inhibited. The second set is stackable! And the clips look pretty easy for a toddler. (Plus if i get lazy, or if requested, I can fit a whole sandwich!)
I am still going to go and touchy feel the boxes to make doubly sure it is what I want. The planetbox and Goodbyn were tempting but it is all too seperated! It just would be too difficult to fill some days I think. I am planning on getting both sets, mainly because you need flexibility and options. One lunch box isn't enough, you need a few to play around with. I am a little sad she can't use her cute strawberry bento box, but she'll be old enough to use it soon.
http://ecolunchboxes.com/product_boxoval.html
http://ecolunchboxes.com/product_boxsquare.html
Aren't they cool? Mr N was very unsure about the boxes, mainly because they are 'industrial' looking and are very 'plain and dull'. So I also got to searching and am going to buy some vinyl decals to decorate the lid. Yay! I just won't put the lid in the dishwasher and hand wash the base of the lid.
I'm feeling very pleased with myself. One down, lots to go!
xx Neko Mama
After relentless searching I am going to go with the ECO Lunchbox sets! I found a local company in Ormiston that sells them too, so no wasted packaging on my eco friendly lunch boxes!
Why did I choose these ones? The stainless steel, the open-ness of the boxes that allowed me to create bentos that some of the others inhibited. The second set is stackable! And the clips look pretty easy for a toddler. (Plus if i get lazy, or if requested, I can fit a whole sandwich!)
I am still going to go and touchy feel the boxes to make doubly sure it is what I want. The planetbox and Goodbyn were tempting but it is all too seperated! It just would be too difficult to fill some days I think. I am planning on getting both sets, mainly because you need flexibility and options. One lunch box isn't enough, you need a few to play around with. I am a little sad she can't use her cute strawberry bento box, but she'll be old enough to use it soon.
http://ecolunchboxes.com/product_boxoval.html
http://ecolunchboxes.com/product_boxsquare.html
Aren't they cool? Mr N was very unsure about the boxes, mainly because they are 'industrial' looking and are very 'plain and dull'. So I also got to searching and am going to buy some vinyl decals to decorate the lid. Yay! I just won't put the lid in the dishwasher and hand wash the base of the lid.
I'm feeling very pleased with myself. One down, lots to go!
xx Neko Mama
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Kindy Preperations!
Christmas has just come and gone in a whirlwind and now I find myself researching myself stupid looking for sheet sets, uniforms, name labels, backpacks, shoes and worst of all, lunch boxes.
Making bento the last few years we have been spoiled with the ability to unpack and repack the bentos. At kindy, they expressed the need for a lunchbox the child can both open and pack away by themselves. After watching my daughter struggle with the usual tiered boxes with elastic bands I knew I was in to find an alternative. And then I got to thinking what would staples be for her lunches, what design flaws are in the mini tiered bento systems? I know they are mainly for rice dishes, so whenever I try and smush cut out sandwiches I never fit enough to cover the same amount of carbs as the rice. So a bento box/lunch box that is square enough to fit a sandwich but spacious enough to allow me to make a bento without it being a sandwich and piece of fruit lunch.
I have so far scoured the Internet 2 days in a row searching for the best and most useful one for us. I don't care how much I spend as long as I have something that will last the whole year.
If you've followed along you'll see I do have a large looking lunchbox made by Nude Food Movers. These were great, for the first few months. My children only used these one day a week and the hinges broke after a few months. We had 4 boxes total and they are all broken after a year. Disappointed, but at $10 a box maybe I shouldn't complain?
So here is the list i have compiled. If anyone has any suggestions, reviews, comments on any of these to make my life easier, please let me know!!!!
Options:
Laptop lunchbox
http://www.lunchboxeswithlove.com/lunchboxes/80-bento-system-20-flower.html $50
Ecolunchbox (2 sizes)
http://www.shopnaturally.com.au/eco-lunchbox-stainless-steel-lunch-box-2-piece-set-oval-round-bpa-free.html $20
http://www.shopnaturally.com.au/eco-lunchbox-stainless-steel-lunch-box-3-piece-set-rectangular-bpa-free.html $27
http://www.babygrowsafe.com.au/ecolunchboxrectangle/prod_233.html $24
Goodbyn
http://www.wheredidyougetthat.com.au/p/1127065/goodbyn-lunch-box-pink.html $35.20 after 20% off
Code SC-BOX
Nude Food Movers
http://www.nudefoodmovers.com.au/Range/ $10
Planet-box
http://www.planetbox.com/pictures.html $?
Friday, December 9, 2011
Cooking Lull
Don't know about anyone else but I seem to find myself in cooking lulls every now and again. Something will disrupt my normal routine and I get so out of sorts I cannot function properly. Lately I've been working a lot more than I would've liked to as my manager took holidays. So I was working rather irregular hours and more of them. I went from cooking 3 meals a day (yes, cooking for breakfast lunch and dinner) to barely being able to scrap together a decent meal for dinner even on my days off.
I get quite disappointed when this happens because I feel like I let my family down. Don't misunderstand me, they still eat. Cereal, toast, spaghetti tins, sandwiches, fish fingers, ol' 3 veg garden salads, store bought biscuits etc. I don't cook them proper meals or snacks. I also understand that this is the norm for most Australian families, but I have noticed when I actually cook and prepare nutritional meals 3 times a day everyone (especially my husband!) feels happier, healthier and more content. As to opposed right now I've got my dirty old grumpy pants on that I get when I've not eaten properly.
So enough complaining about it, what am I going to do about it? Right now, not much I can do. We have just done the shopping for the next fortnight without meal planning (another sign of me just not caring!) You know planning ahead is one of the best ways of keeping on track. The amount of mornings lately I've woken up and gone, it's too hard to think of what to make you for lunch hubby, just buy something (OH MY IM HORRIBLE!) But it's honest and it's true. I have to have preprepared at least the rice or defrosted the meat the night before unless I want to be up from 5am making lunch.
I assume also silly season is attributing to my lack of concentration and ability to cope. I have hopes of making gingerbread men, gingerbread house, sugar cookies, pavlovas, chocolate mousse tortes, roasts, bakes and more. Without preprep I doubt I'll get anywhere.
I guess it's time to stop complaining about my lack of preparation and get to preparing!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Cleaning Tip #2 - Timers
Timers can be an excellent tool to help you stay on track! I love my iPhone and the ability to time things. It can really be the difference, for me, of completing something or forgetting altogether!
Just now I've put the washing machine on, and I know it take 1 hour to do it's cycle. So if I set the timer for 1 hour, I can take the washing out as soon as it finishes! Before realizing I should time the wash I pretty much always forgot about it and would have that damp smell on the clothes which would mean another round in the washing machine.
If you washing machine is close by, you don't have to worry! But mine is downstairs and I can't hear it!
Another great timer idea is for spot cleaning. If your anything like me cleaning is a daunting task. I can cook for hours but cleaning, nah uh! So give yourself a time limit, 15 minutes works well, and clean for that time only. When the timer goes off congratulate yourself on a job well done! (even if you didn't finish the task!) A bit done is much better than nothing done at all!
So give the timer a go! Set yourself a few timer tasks a day. 15 minutes cleaning your bedroom, 15 minutes scrubbing the bathroom, 15 minutes ironing. I know you can do it! After all, 15 minutes is no time at all, I guarantee you'll be pleased with your efforts!
Nya! =(^_^)= いってらしゃい！
Just now I've put the washing machine on, and I know it take 1 hour to do it's cycle. So if I set the timer for 1 hour, I can take the washing out as soon as it finishes! Before realizing I should time the wash I pretty much always forgot about it and would have that damp smell on the clothes which would mean another round in the washing machine.
If you washing machine is close by, you don't have to worry! But mine is downstairs and I can't hear it!
Another great timer idea is for spot cleaning. If your anything like me cleaning is a daunting task. I can cook for hours but cleaning, nah uh! So give yourself a time limit, 15 minutes works well, and clean for that time only. When the timer goes off congratulate yourself on a job well done! (even if you didn't finish the task!) A bit done is much better than nothing done at all!
So give the timer a go! Set yourself a few timer tasks a day. 15 minutes cleaning your bedroom, 15 minutes scrubbing the bathroom, 15 minutes ironing. I know you can do it! After all, 15 minutes is no time at all, I guarantee you'll be pleased with your efforts!
Nya! =(^_^)= いってらしゃい！
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