The month of August and early September are notoriously known for getting kids ready for back-to-school. Those days are gone for me and my family but I still relish in the idea of the beginning of a new school year and fresh supplies. 

When I attended grade school in the 1970s, it was important to have the perfect character lunchbox. However, the food my mom packed me in my Holly Hobby lunchbox was equally as essential.  For a while, like most kids, I enjoyed the standard peanut butter and homemade strawberry jelly on white, Schwebel‘s bread. There was also Isaly’s chipped-chopped ham with ketchup phase, and a Swiss cheese and mustard sandwich all folded tightly in waxed paper, made with love by my mom.

She always included packing something crunchy to go along with my sandwich. She knew my favorite was Nacho Cheese Doritos and occasionally included some inside my lunchbox. To keep it healthy she also added a piece of fruit, but unfortunately, that usually ended up in the trash. Sorry, mom. To round out the noon meal there was always something sugary. Lucky for my siblings and me that mom had a sweet tooth because she usually packed something that was always the envy of the lunch table. I remember my favorite lunch dessert was a Nickles Banana Flip! The second half of the school day was always excellent when mom surprised me with that special treat.

 If you’re packing lunches for your grade school kids this year or preparing something for yourself, I hope you take a moment to reflect on your old metal box and your favorite meal that was made for you. 

She always made the school day a little brighter when I opened my lunchbox to find my ideal fare. It was the little things she did, like packing my number one treats in my lunchbox, that made me feel like the most special kid in the class. Thanks, Mom.