Muffin Tin Mondays

One of the exciting changes to my classroom this year is the addition of an event called "Muffin Tin Mondays", where our lunch every Monday is served in a muffin tin!  All of it!  This may not sound exciting to you, but to five and six year olds this is pretty darn thrilling.  It's also pretty awesome for the parents (and teacher) who get to have a day off from packing a lunch.

I began planning for this over the summer, found my muffin tins on sale at Michaels, and started planning what I hoped would be exciting menus for our meals.  I had visions of mini sandwiches, muffins, cutely shaped fruits and veggies, etc.  I knew that I would have a small class, so I pictured having parents rotate through helping provide the meals, each bringing in a "class set" of something every two or three weeks.

My school is a Peanut-Free zone, which is actually pretty easy to work with...but then I was hit with a triple whammy.  One of my small fry is allergic to eggs, wheat, and dairy.  Eggs, wheat, AND dairy!  Not only that, but to get specialty food items which he can eat is freaking expensive and nearly impossible in this more isolated region.  Another student is not allowed candy.  Sweet treats, yes, but no candy.  Ever.  Even at Halloween.  What a curveball!  

So, our Muffin Tin Monday meals are slightly different than anticipated.  Heavier on the fruits and veggies (a good thing, I know), very little dairy (and when there is cheese, this student brings soy cheese.  He calls himself Soy Boy.  It's hilarious!), lots of popcorn, very little wheat, and next to no treats.  Fortunately this dear student's mother is a prolific baker who is always willing to provide the class with something safe to eat!  For the most part, I've found it easier to provide much of the meal myself, in order to avoid all possible allergens.

(This is from our first special lunch!)

It's a good thing that the little ones are always excited to eat their meals from the muffin tins...even if they are eating grapes and carrots.  Again.

Tomorrow's menu?  Carrots, blueberries, apple slices, pear slices, crackers with Nutella, popcorn, and cheese cubes.  Yummy!