Friday, February 8, 2008

kryptonite

My two younger kids take a lunch to school every day. It's not that they can't get a hot meal in the cafeteria, but they turn their noses up at the school food. To tell the truth I don't blame them a bit. The nutritional info is horrifying and all the food looks like it's been sitting under a heat lamp since the Fourth of July.


So every day we pack up their lunchboxes and send them on their way. I'm lucky in that all of my kids love leftovers, so what we normally do is fill a thermos with (planned) leftovers from dinner the night before. They get a hot lunch, I know they're getting decent food (that they'll actually eat) and everyone is happy.


Well, almost everyone.


Right before school started in the Fall I went to Target and bought them each a super duper thermos that cost a stinking fortune (for a thermos anyway). The neat trick of this thermos is that you nuke it for a minute when you put the food in and it keeps everything nice and hot until lunchtime. When I clean up after dinner at night I fill them up and pop them in the fridge. The next morning I take the lid off, toss it in the microwave and then pack it into a lunchbox.


We've had some problems with the kids being able to get the lids off when they go to eat. They've complained several times and I've always written it off as them giving me a hard time. It's not like I'm screwing the lid on that tight. I just want it to stay on and not drip food all over the place. I did kind of think that maybe the fact that the lid went on to food that was hot could have been the problem. But like I said, I didn't think there really was a problem - besides kids pulling my chain.


Today as we were walking out of school one of the teachers started laughing when she saw me and asked the boys if they'd told me about the day's events. Evidently it had been a dual thermal mishap day and neither one could get them open. They handed them off to teachers, who were also thwarted. In the end, the school janitor had to take both of them to his workroom and put each thermos into a vise to get it opened. When he entered the cafeteria - victorious - both kid's tables applauded.


As we walked to the car Surfer Dude told me that none of the kids in his class believed that his mom was so strong that she could shut the lid on an unopenable thermos. Gumby chimed in that I didn't even need a car to pick them up, and that his friends all assumed I could just leap over buildings to cross the couple of blocks to the school.


Maybe I let that Superwoman label go too soon.

25 comments:

Susan said...

You let the superwoman label go? When?

Faye said...

Would they be embarassed to carry one of those flat rubber grippy things to that you get as giveaways at tradeshows? Only way I can get jar lids off--but of course Superwoman may not have one.

willowtree said...

I vote for a rubber grippy, two actually. They have changed my life.

Irene said...

How very awful of you, depriving your children of their food in front of the whole school!

It must have something to do with the vacuum effect as the food cools. Eduard would know that better, but he is asleep.

I think it is very decent of you to send them off with a hot lunch and not just a tuna fish sandwich. Lunch was always so problematic when my kids were little. I never knew what to give them and was forever trying out new things that they ended up not liking.

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

Hee hee hee! That's brilliant!

Corey~living and loving said...

THAT is fabulous. YOU are Mrs. Fabulous! :)

Carolyn said...

The rubber grippy thing is one of my favourite kitchen tools... oh me, of the pencil-thin weakling arms! No superwoman here.

Is it possible the thermos contents are so hot that the whole thing is creating a suction/vacuum effect? Perhaps let it cool just a bit before putting the lid on?

On another note, what is the thermos made of? I assume there is no plastic being heated that touches the food? Just looking out for your kids...

Flowerpot said...

you've just been reinstated, RC!!

Akelamalu said...

Keep the Supermom label I be the kids love it!

I agree with you about school meals - they're atrocious!!

laurie said...

that's hilarious.

and i'm with WT--i use those rubber grippies, too. but i can't really see a boy taking one to school with him..

Anonymous said...

I am in awe.

Judging from that picture, your calve muscles would probably do the job!

Amy said...

I knew you were strong a woman. You should pick up the kids in your invisible jet. Ah, that's Wonder Woman.

Next time you're at work, steal a few tourniquets. They are fantastic for opening jars and would pack very nicely into their lunch boxes.

kitten said...

Maybe you did!
Thank you for your thoughts. I have an update of momma. Not much of one, thou. See ya in a few days. I'm back to the hospital.

Kim said...

That's so funny. Just tell them you did it to amuse their friends.

Jill said...

BIG APPLAUSE!!! CAN YOU HEAR THE CLAPPING!!! For using a recyclable container and not paper bags or plastic baggies! YEAH! If they get tired of the boxes they do have, you can search online for 'vintage' metal boxes as well!

Sandy said...

You rock! and why does WT's comment make me nervous? Must just be me.

I just started making lil man's lunch a couple of days a week because the Christian school he is going to is not changing their chicken on Wednesday and pepperoni pizza on Friday menu for Lent.

Good thing he likes PB&J!

Potty Mummy said...

Just give the boys a thick-ish elastic band to put round the top of the jar when they try and open it. Then they too will be able to convince their class-mates they can leap buildings in a suilding bound...

Mya said...

You mean you don't cook their lunch to order and run down to the school with it on a tray? With napkins, flower arrangement and the best bone china? I'm sadly disillusioned, RC.

Mya x

aims said...

You've given me a laugh for another day RC - thank you!

ped crossing said...

School lunches are awful and they claim to be so good. Although I am still happy that sweetP is starting to want hot lunch. I am hoping it helps him branch out just a little.

My coffee cup does the same thing. I have to use my trusty OXO jar opener on it. I can't open a thing without it. My hands aren't big enough to use the other grippy things.

Jane said...

I'm in awe! Makes my kids limp cheese and ham sandwich look pathetic. Mind you, even that's better for them than the material masquarading as school dinners. My kids are only allowed it on Fridays and that's just to give this superwoman a break from making those lunchboxes!

Susan said...

You changed your header and page color! I like it!!

Anonymous said...

You are definately a superwoman and supermom, but I think we all knew that, even before we heard about the themos stories!
XOXOXO

Anonymous said...

LOL Superwoman indeed

Jo Beaufoix said...

I have always thought of you as superwoman. Or wonderwoman. I'm quite shocked that Willowtree missed the opportunity to talk about the, erm, dress code for super females. ;)