Back to School = Back to Packing School Lunches (Featured Giveaway!)

Back-to-School is always an exciting time for so many reasons, but in all honesty, the one thing I dread about the kids going back to school is packing lunches.  I know it shouldn't be THAT difficult, but sometimes I'm just out of ideas, and I'm tired of making the same things. 

All three of my girls have a milk protein allergy (that they're starting to grow out of, thankfully), so I've been packing dairy-free lunches for the past 7 years now.  Aside from leftovers, these are my go-to school lunches.  My kids love hot meals, so I just heat these up, throw them into a thermos in the morning, and they're good to go.

• pasta (spaghetti or pasta with pancetta and peas)
• fried rice (see Gywneth Paltrow's recipe or my super easy version below)
• chicken nuggets
• chicken burritos
• chicken noodle soup
• "sushi" - avocado slices and rice in nori (seaweed)
• teriyaki chicken with rice and broccoli
• sandwiches/wraps: sunflower seed butter + jam OR ham + avocado OR hummus + cumcumber

Along with these "entrees," I always pack a side of fruit for something sweet + extra nutrients.  I wanted to share a quick and easy way to make fried rice that makes for a [relatively] healthy meal.  I love making this when I have leftover rice from Chinese food take-out.  

Super Easy Fried Rice:

1. Heat a large fry pan and add cubed pancetta/cubed hot dogs/whatever meat you want.  You can also omit the meat.  Cook until browned.
2. Chop half a small onion and saute.
3. Add frozen vegetables and saute for a couple minutes until heated through.
4. Add cooked rice
5. Season with soy sauce.  If the fried rice starts to look too dark, you can season with salt too.
6. Add a sprinkle of sesame seed oil and sesame seeds (if you want)

What are your go-to school lunches?  

To kick off the back-to-school season, Lollaland has partnered with Luca & Company and SoYoung for a Back-to-School Lunch Instagram Giveaway valued at $275.  

To enter, visit Lollaland's Instagram @lollalandusa and good luck!   Both Luca & Company and SoYoung's booths were near the Lollaland Booth at a tradeshow last year.  These two companies really caught my attention.  The FunPod by Luca & Company has been a God-send ever since I got one.  Here's how we use our FunPod in the LollaHome.  Oddly enough, my 2-year-old loves to just sit in it and play peek-a-boo, so not only is it functional, but it can make for fun times, as well.  As for SoYoung goods - just take a quick look and you'll see why theyr'e so unique and chic!  I LOVE their designs and aesthetic.