allwildgirl
Cathlete
Okay, all you moms out there... what do you give your kids for school lunches? DD doesn't much like sandwiches, and making lunches is SUCH a chore. Any brilliant ideas I can try?
Kid's Lunches
- Thread starter allwildgirl
- Start date
kathryn
Cathlete
Would she like some "cooler" alternatives to sandwiches: wraps (using a whole wheat tortilla or even romaine leaves--though the latter might be too "weird" for her classmates)? How about stuffed pita bread sandwiches?
Soups with lots of veggies.
Salads (pasta salads, lettuce-based salads, all with lots of veggies).
What does she like to eat at home. Can she take some left-overs from the night before of some things?
Soups with lots of veggies.
Salads (pasta salads, lettuce-based salads, all with lots of veggies).
What does she like to eat at home. Can she take some left-overs from the night before of some things?
allwildgirl
Cathlete
Actually, in the winter we're good, because she has a thermos and likes taking soups and pasta. Summers are harder. Soup's not so great when it's 100 degrees in the shade
She's not so fond of salad, although she likes pasta salad. She really doesn't like anything that "sandwich-y". She eats everything at home, but I can't really send her to school with salmon and baked potatoes and brussels sprouts!
She's not so fond of salad, although she likes pasta salad. She really doesn't like anything that "sandwich-y". She eats everything at home, but I can't really send her to school with salmon and baked potatoes and brussels sprouts!Both my boys took chicken noodle soup today. I always put, we'll say cookies, into individual bags. I buy the packages so when I get home I just divide them up and put them into the bags. I just grab the bags and throw them in. I have a large basket with I put all of the baggies in. I do buy the individual applesauce cups and pudding.
ETA: How about tuna/chicken salad in a container and eating it with a fork?
ETA: How about tuna/chicken salad in a container and eating it with a fork?
allwildgirl
Cathlete
Oooooh, some great ideas! Keep 'em coming! And thanks
andtckrtoo
Cathlete
Celery and Peanutbutter - my dd LOVES that - and it's protein.
Cheese sticks or chunks of cheese
Apples and peanutbutter as well
Homemade tortilla chips (cut tortillas and bake them til slightly browned) and salsa or refried beans or whatever she likes for a dip.
Pasta salad is always good
Chicken legs (or any other thing) - shake and bake them (oven baked fried chicken), and put them cold in a lunch bag
You can get little cups of peanut butter. I buy those itty bitty ziplock containers that are disposable (if it gets thrown away accidently, you're still ahead of the game) and pack peanut butter, cottage cheese, salsa, fruit... whatever fits and sounds good. Still cheaper than buying the individual packages.
Cheese sticks or chunks of cheese
Apples and peanutbutter as well
Homemade tortilla chips (cut tortillas and bake them til slightly browned) and salsa or refried beans or whatever she likes for a dip.
Pasta salad is always good
Chicken legs (or any other thing) - shake and bake them (oven baked fried chicken), and put them cold in a lunch bag
You can get little cups of peanut butter. I buy those itty bitty ziplock containers that are disposable (if it gets thrown away accidently, you're still ahead of the game) and pack peanut butter, cottage cheese, salsa, fruit... whatever fits and sounds good. Still cheaper than buying the individual packages.
Pedmom
Cathlete
>Okay, all you moms out there... what do you give your kids
>for school lunches? DD doesn't much like sandwiches, and
>making lunches is SUCH a chore. Any brilliant ideas I can
>try?
I give him $2.00 for hot lunch! LOL. Sorry. But it's true. I found out he was tossing some of the healthier stuff when he was younger, and gave in to hot lunch. It's probably cheaper, and I can "make" him eat the veggies at dinner.
>for school lunches? DD doesn't much like sandwiches, and
>making lunches is SUCH a chore. Any brilliant ideas I can
>try?
I give him $2.00 for hot lunch! LOL. Sorry. But it's true. I found out he was tossing some of the healthier stuff when he was younger, and gave in to hot lunch. It's probably cheaper, and I can "make" him eat the veggies at dinner.
singinggoddess
Cathlete
Don't laugh, but I put protein bars in my girls lunch. They love the nutz over chocolate by Luna and they have10 grams of protein and not a lot of sugar. I send that with a banana and they are happy. My girls also don't like sandwiches which definitely makes it hard. I also put ritz crackers with peanut butter and jelly in the middle and they like that.
Susan
Susan
allwildgirl
Cathlete
I don't have that option, unfortunately, or I would!
dss62467
Cathlete
I'd be afraid of the hot lunches at school. After seeing those news stories about 1) how unhealthy they are and 2) how unsanitary the school kitchens are. Bleah! My dd doesn't like much of anything, but I know she'll eat PB&J for a while. Then I'm going to have to start experimenting.
I make mini-muffins! so many healthy recipies out there - you can pack so much nutrition into a muffin! Make a batch or two - freeze them and drop them into the lunches with a bit of butter or cheese and you are good to go. My kids love the mini-muffins. Or make bigger ones instead of a sandwich.
As for other suggestions - cold chicken/ whole wheat crackers with cheese/ apple sauce / yogurt mixed with cereal /hot oatmeal in a thermos with raisins...
at our school - everything is nut free - so PB & J is out as is anything with peanuts or 'traces' of peanuts in it!
As for other suggestions - cold chicken/ whole wheat crackers with cheese/ apple sauce / yogurt mixed with cereal /hot oatmeal in a thermos with raisins...
at our school - everything is nut free - so PB & J is out as is anything with peanuts or 'traces' of peanuts in it!
allwildgirl
Cathlete
That's the same at our school. No nut products allowed! Which rules out PB&J. Or PB and anything.x(
shakeubooty
Cathlete
I'm with you on that one, Pedmom! LOL
That's one of the hard part about summers - not having the hot lunch option. x( Hubby thinks its too expensive letting them take hot lunch everyday but if I had my way they would. It saves me 10 minutes each night when I don't have to pack a lunch. As a working mom, I have plenty to do when I get home at 6. They get to pick 2 days/week for hot lunch and then I recently started making them make their own peanut butter sandwich. Peanut butter & once in a while turkey is all they'll eat.
Sue
That's one of the hard part about summers - not having the hot lunch option. x( Hubby thinks its too expensive letting them take hot lunch everyday but if I had my way they would. It saves me 10 minutes each night when I don't have to pack a lunch. As a working mom, I have plenty to do when I get home at 6. They get to pick 2 days/week for hot lunch and then I recently started making them make their own peanut butter sandwich. Peanut butter & once in a while turkey is all they'll eat.
Sue
shakeubooty
Cathlete
Huh? Kids who aren't allergic can't even take peanut butter sandwiches? Never heard of that before. (scratching my head)
allwildgirl
Cathlete
Kids who have peanut allergies can't be anywhere NEAR any peanut products. It can get into the air and that could be enough to cause a reaction. Plus, they're kids. Who knows where the peanut butter will end up. You get some on your shirt, kid with peanut allergy comes into contact with said shirt and BINGO! allergic reaction. It's a pretty deadly allergy.
Shelley, my kid loves sandwiches, and fruit, so that's what he gets. But check out these cool kids' lunch ideas I just read in a recent issue of Prevention:
September 05 issue. Page 128
1. Appalachian Trail mix--it has wheat chex cereal, peanuts (I guess you can leave those out), raisins, mini chocolate chips.
Sides: apple, yogurt or milk, and baby carrots
2. Nacho Kit--pack ingredients in small containers and include a spoon for spreading: Corn chips, 1/2 cup fat free refried beans, shredded chicken, shredded low fat cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce with carrots, mild salsa.
Sides: red grapes, milk.
3. Turkey Sushi--Miz 1/4 c cooked whole wheat couscous with 1 tablespoon reduced fat mayo to bind the grains together. Spread on two slices of low-fat turkey lunchmeat. Lay grated carrots and sliced celery and chopped red bell pepper between them. Roll up and cut crosswise into one inch pieces.
Sides: string cheese, milk, fresh pineapple chunks.
Good luck,
Lori
September 05 issue. Page 128
1. Appalachian Trail mix--it has wheat chex cereal, peanuts (I guess you can leave those out), raisins, mini chocolate chips.
Sides: apple, yogurt or milk, and baby carrots
2. Nacho Kit--pack ingredients in small containers and include a spoon for spreading: Corn chips, 1/2 cup fat free refried beans, shredded chicken, shredded low fat cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce with carrots, mild salsa.
Sides: red grapes, milk.
3. Turkey Sushi--Miz 1/4 c cooked whole wheat couscous with 1 tablespoon reduced fat mayo to bind the grains together. Spread on two slices of low-fat turkey lunchmeat. Lay grated carrots and sliced celery and chopped red bell pepper between them. Roll up and cut crosswise into one inch pieces.
Sides: string cheese, milk, fresh pineapple chunks.
Good luck,
Lori
gettingstrong
Cathlete
Some great ideas! I would take several and combine them. Forget about a "main" part like a sandwich and just have a lot of different items, such as yogurt, fruit, crackers, cheesesticks, veggie sticks, trailmix,etc. I have a picky dd and did this with her.
THAT being said she started to get picky with that and now I do like pedmom and send $ for lunch. I told her that is not as healthy, but I am tired of getting up at 5:15 packing her lunch and her bringing it back home and me throwing it in the garbage. I told her she could back her own if she decided she wanted to quit eating the garbage at school. Now deep in my heart , I know I am sending $1.25 for lunch every day and she is throwing it in the garbage at school. I could just get $1.25 every morning and throw it in my kitchen garbage can.
x( x( Marnie
THAT being said she started to get picky with that and now I do like pedmom and send $ for lunch. I told her that is not as healthy, but I am tired of getting up at 5:15 packing her lunch and her bringing it back home and me throwing it in the garbage. I told her she could back her own if she decided she wanted to quit eating the garbage at school. Now deep in my heart , I know I am sending $1.25 for lunch every day and she is throwing it in the garbage at school. I could just get $1.25 every morning and throw it in my kitchen garbage can.
x( x( Marnie