What's For Lunch? And What Should We Read?

Now that we're getting into the school routine, the last couple mornings I've been struggling to come up with ideas to feed my littles for lunch. Once the year gets going and our mornings fill up with swimming lessons {somewhere new}, Bible study and ECFE, we'll probably be packing lunches and that's the thing I have down to a science. I can throw together healthy, balanced meals in 5 minutes flat for on the go, but many of those things are meant for "onthego" so I hate to use them up at home and also want some variety and difference for days away and days at home.

The thing that I'm trying to figure out is the it's "all of a sudden 11am and H has school at 12 and what should we have for lunch thing at home" that has me stumped?

Sandwiches only work for so long. Macaroni and chicken nuggets are usually things I save for babysitter days/evenings. Pizza? If I'm planning ahead. Leftovers, if I remember?

Can you give me some new, creative, at home lunch ideas that even I, a not so good cook, can throw together for my {sometimes picky} son and {dairy and peanut allergic} daughter?

Part two is about finding a book I can read aloud to my littles. Well mostly to H, but knowing that E will probably be running around half heartedly listening.

I have always loved reading and I love that H loves reading. We go to the library every week, read the books we check out a million times and his book shelves are heaping. I've been wanting to find a chapter book or series that I could start reading him aloud.

Now if he were a girl, I'd probably go the Ramona Quimby route but since he's a boy I've really been struggling to come up with ideas of age appropriate books or series I could read aloud.

The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter seem way too old.

The Box Car Children?

Ideas, please?

Finally, as a way of saying thank you for your help and ideas, leave me a comment with either an at home lunch suggestion or reading suggestion {or both} and you'll be entered to win 2 free Noodles sandwiches.

{They've been rolled out in all the Noodles stores now, so whereever you live you can enjoy them!}

I'll close the comments Tuesday, September 14 at 8pm and choose a winner then!

*Check out the other giveaways going on right now over here.