Mardi Gras Mélange

Sailor Boy & I lived in New Orleans some years back, until shortly after we had our first sproutlet ... wow, I guess that would be 10 years back then! Doesn't seem that long ago... The people we met, the experiences we had, and that colourful city itself - it's all still quite vivid in my mind - and Mardi Gras there is unforgettable! Beanstalk was born in the Crescent City, the only one of the 5 sproutlets not born here in Washington State. He's proud of that difference, and considers Mardi Gras a sort of personal special day, so he was pleased to see King Cake on the breakfast table this morning. I didn't take a picture before they each had a piece, but here's what's left :)

It wasn't a real King Cake - I know I've mentioned before how baking challenged I am - I cheated with Pillsbury cinnamon rolls from the can, a little extra frosting, and coloured sugar crystals :) So much easier!

The sproutlets have a mélange of Mardi Gras colours in their lunches:

My NOLA baby boy was thrilled to see his bento full of purple, green & gold. He has white cheddar popcorn - Smartpop, his favourite, a treat to have in his lunchbox - as well as some Mardi Gras yogurt pretzels - 2 treats today, lucky boy! Purple, green (and red) grapes, and a mandarin orange (orange is sort of gold) which he'll hopefully eat before the sweets - riiiiight :)

The pretzels were an easy treat - I heated several on a plate in the microwave for 20 second increments until the coating began to look shiny (melty), quickly sprinkled on the coloured sugar, then popped them in the fridge for 5 minutes before packing them in the lunches. I bought a rainbow assortment sugar shaker yesterday - I could do this for every holiday!

Bella 's EasyLunchbox is also filled with purple, green & gold goodness. She has cucumber "doubloons", cheddar crowns, a little salad (including a new like, spinach leaves!), golden globe tomatoes, purple grapes, and green grapes - a little reminiscent of Mardi Gras beads? - and sugared yogurt pretzels.

It's Tuesday, breakfast for lunch day at school. Pickle loves having the pancake hot lunch on Tuesdays, and today was no different, but he also wanted a Mardi Gras lunch, so he asked me to make him a "home lunch" as well. I made him a "King" sandwich and packed it in a gold sandwich box :)

The pancake hot lunch includes sausage and fruit, which he never eats, but he does eat the Yami yogurt cup that also comes with it (he loves those little individual cups with the peel-off lids) so with the addition of the PB sandwich, he'll have a pretty full tummy today!

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

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Stuff I used for today's lunches :