School Lunches

I'm just wondering... do you have any tips on packing school lunches?  How do you make it easier on yourself?  Of course, you might reply "get hot lunch".  And while that is convenient, probably most convenient, I'm more thinking about the moms that pack the lunches.  Does that even happen anymore, or am I in the minority?  Most of you know, I'm pretty passionate about real food, food that is natural, not processed and doesn't contain artificial ingredients.  Don't get me wrong, we're not perfect and its not like we never have sugar, but I really am intentional about eating well.  And, let's face it, I'm from W. Michigan, home of the Dutch, frugal (okay, cheap?).  :D

So, here's what I do to make my life a bit simpler.  I make a bunch of PB&J sandwhiches (my kids favorite) and freeze them.  Fresh fruit is always a good snack and easy to pack.  I can do some yogurts, and cheese, but we pretty much don't buy potato chips.  So, what ideas do you have?  I just love reading your comments and your input.  Even if you are a hot lunch person, I'd still love to hear from you.  I know

Do you remember the "uncrustables"?  They're probably still out there.  I heard they were patented because they actually put peanut butter on both sides of the bread, then the jelly.  This way the jelly doesn't soak into the bread and make it all mushy.  So, that's what I do too.  My kids will eat the crust though, so that's one less step for me.  You don't have to wrap these in plastic wrap, I just found it kept the bread a little nicer.  The first time around, I flash froze them and then put them in gallon sized bags.

So, there you have it.  All I have to do for packing lunches is reach in the freezer, grab a sandwhich and go.  It thaws out by the time they need to eat it.  

So, any tips out there?

How to Freeze Tomatoes

Anyone have an abundance of tomatoes? I love tomatoes and I always plant way too many. Did you know you can freeze them? It's the easiest thing to freeze.

Don't wash your tomatoes, place them in a freezer bag, and put them in the freezer! How easy is that? This is a great way to preserve them for a later use, like in chili, stews, soups, or sauces such as spaghetti and pizza sauce.

When you're ready to use them, take them out of the freezer and let them thaw. Then take the skins off, they will slide right off, no boiling required. Then they're ready to use.