School lunch packing help?

[tzolkin]

Lots of great suggestions.

My kids enjoy lots of items that may not be considered a "main course": like hummus, bean salad, cucumber salad, etc.. Personally, I think a whole lunch of healthy snacks is fine. Maybe an egg, nuts, lots of vegetables, and a fruit.

I also cook many items at one time and freeze. (I also do this for breakfasts so the kids can eat something homemade, but I don't have to cook every morning.) Some items my kids enjoy are quinoa or veggie bites (cooked in mini muffin tins), mini quiche, various muffins, black bean corn cakes, pumpkin/flax pancakes. It's work to do initially, but then when you (or the kids) are prepping lunches it's really easy to just grab a few items.

Lots of awesome ideas. Just remember that kids don't mind repetition. If something works, stick with it as much as possible.

We had a foreign exchange student a few years back who took a PB&J and an apple for lunch every single day for the entire year. She enjoyed a huge variety of foods at home, but that's what she chose to pack for her lunch. I think she wound up bringing almost an entire suitcase of peanut butter with her when she left.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Our school does not have a cafeteria, so they have to take their lunch every day. My kids pack their own lunches. They take a lot of leftovers. When we have leftovers, I tend to put them in the lunch-sized ziploc containers and freeze them. If we are low on those, we will make a pot of chili or spaghetti or something and fill the cups with that. They don't need an ice pack this way, either. We keep veggies cut up and bagged in the fridge, also grapes, so they just take what they want. They can take sandwiches if they want to, one of them likes to take a pouch on tuna and eats it out of the package. DH makes a bunch of cookies once a week or so, they take crackers, occasionally they take pop tarts, just whatever.

 

[Jake&IzzyLand]

Lots of great suggestions.

My kids enjoy lots of items that may not be considered a "main course": like hummus, bean salad, cucumber salad, etc.. Personally, I think a whole lunch of healthy snacks is fine. Maybe an egg, nuts, lots of vegetables, and a fruit.

I also cook many items at one time and freeze. (I also do this for breakfasts so the kids can eat something homemade, but I don't have to cook every morning.) Some items my kids enjoy are quinoa or veggie bites (cooked in mini muffin tins), mini quiche, various muffins, black bean corn cakes, pumpkin/flax pancakes. It's work to do initially, but then when you (or the kids) are prepping lunches it's really easy to just grab a few items.



We had a foreign exchange student a few years back who took a PB&J and an apple for lunch every single day for the entire year. She enjoyed a huge variety of foods at home, but that's what she chose to pack for her lunch. I think she wound up bringing almost an entire suitcase of peanut butter with her when she left.

I second the value in a good "snack " lunch!

 

[aprilgail]

SO glad my daughter doesn't get a lunch period this year- she will probably bring a granola bar or crackers to eat in a class if she gets hungry. Other years she mainly took crackers with peanut butter on them, apples and peanut butter, or a jar of peanut butter and a spoon LOL- she doesn't eat sandwiches or meat or fish or cheese so its tough finding things she will eat- but this year I am FREE- no lunch to pack!!!!

 

[VolvoManiac850]

The single best tip for packing lunches is to have your kids involved in every step of the way.

First, take them to the grocery store. Have THEM pick what they are going to eat, and have a deal with them. If they don't eat it, the money for it comes out of their piggy bank or allowance. (This is useful not only for teaching the value of a dollar, but for looking at the impact of unused food--which can go hand in hand with food banks and the environment).

Next, have them pack a lunch, and make sure it includes each of the following:
--Carbohydrate
--Protein
--Vegetable
--Fruit
--Water

I don't view dairy as necessary since it doesn't always travel well. If they're getting 3 glasses of milk throughout the day at home (or eating yogurt), they will be OK to skip at lunch.

Teach environmental responsibility by having them use reusable containers, not baggies, and by filling up a reusable water bottle instead of purchasing a new one every day. Encourage them to fill this bottle up during the day if their teacher permits drinking water during class. Then, teach personal responsibility by having them clean out the containers. This may sound like a bit much, but if they have two containers and you do the dishes every other day, that works too--just make sure THEY are the ones putting it in the dishwasher or washing by hand.

A snack is always a good idea. Some schools have designated times to eat them, others do not (yet they can be snuck in sometimes). Make sure the snack is healthy. Greasy chips and processed cakes do not count. (My personal favorite: buying nuts, raisins, crackers, etc in bulk and making my own).

Encourage your children to try the following:
--Whole grain bread
--All kinds of fruits and vegetables
--Eating vegetables without dip
--Non-lunchmeat protein options (which can include real meat, not the processed kind, cooked for sandwiches)
--Non-meat protein options (challenge them to a Meatless Monday)

Also, do not let your kids skip breakfast. Ever.

 

[emma'smom]

I found these little nickle-sized sliced sausages at Aldi (in the gourmet cheese section) that my 11 year old loves.. I just toss 4-5 slices in a bento container with a piece of cheese (the low fat mini-baby bells), carrot sticks or berries, popcorn or pretzels and a water. That's been the theme this week....last week it was a tortilla rolled up with low fat cream cheese and a turkey slice. I try to mix up the sides---berries, sliced fruit, carrot sticks, apple sauce & tortilla chips, gold fish, etc....and every once in awhile I throw in two Oreos (not every day---as I don't want to set a "dessert" precedent and I also want it to be fun to get a treat occasionally.

 

[QueenIsabella]

The single best tip for packing lunches is to have your kids involved in every step of the way.

First, take them to the grocery store. Have THEM pick what they are going to eat, and have a deal with them. If they don't eat it, the money for it comes out of their piggy bank or allowance. (This is useful not only for teaching the value of a dollar, but for looking at the impact of unused food--which can go hand in hand with food banks and the environment).

Next, have them pack a lunch, and make sure it includes each of the following:
--Carbohydrate
--Protein
--Vegetable
--Fruit
--Water

I don't view dairy as necessary since it doesn't always travel well. If they're getting 3 glasses of milk throughout the day at home (or eating yogurt), they will be OK to skip at lunch.

Teach environmental responsibility by having them use reusable containers, not baggies, and by filling up a reusable water bottle instead of purchasing a new one every day. Encourage them to fill this bottle up during the day if their teacher permits drinking water during class. Then, teach personal responsibility by having them clean out the containers. This may sound like a bit much, but if they have two containers and you do the dishes every other day, that works too--just make sure THEY are the ones putting it in the dishwasher or washing by hand.

A snack is always a good idea. Some schools have designated times to eat them, others do not (yet they can be snuck in sometimes). Make sure the snack is healthy. Greasy chips and processed cakes do not count. (My personal favorite: buying nuts, raisins, crackers, etc in bulk and making my own).

Encourage your children to try the following:
--Whole grain bread
--All kinds of fruits and vegetables
--Eating vegetables without dip
--Non-lunchmeat protein options (which can include real meat, not the processed kind, cooked for sandwiches)
--Non-meat protein options (challenge them to a Meatless Monday)

Also, do not let your kids skip breakfast. Ever.

Um, while I always appreciate a good environmental/healthy lecture , I'm curious--what's the problem with dipping vegetables in, say, hummus? Or apples in peanut butter? I really don't care if they dip, so long as they get some good stuff (carrots, fruit, chicken) along with the dip (whether it's hummus, yogurt, or ketchup). I also don't see the value in a specific meatless challenge--if anything, I've found that my kids avoid meat, and prefer alternate sources of protein, such as string cheese, peanut butter or yogurt.

I agree with you on no milk in lunches--we have milk at breakfast here, then the kids have juice in their lunches. Only refillable water bottles in this house--we'd go broke!

I get your point on cleaning out the water bottles, but I wouldn't do it. I would rather do it myself than risk a poor cleaning job that results in my kid getting sick. I also wouldn't want to discourage drinking water by making them clean out the bottle--hydration is important, especially when it's 90 out, and my kids are pretty active.

But hey, if this stuff works in your house, carry on.

 

[kirstenb1]

Our younger daughter eats no bread or cheese. So I either pack her peanut butter or tuna (no mayo or relish) and crackers. She is happy to eat either. I throw in some carrots or fruit, and a juice box and a couple cookies.

 

[Stephanator]

2. Wow butter and Jelly sandwich (my son LOVES wow butter. You might want to try it if the sunbutter doesn't go over so well).
.

I've never heard of Wowbutter before! I'm going to check out for my peanut-sensitive friends!

 

[VolvoManiac850]

Um, while I always appreciate a good environmental/healthy lecture , I'm curious--what's the problem with dipping vegetables in, say, hummus? Or apples in peanut butter? I really don't care if they dip, so long as they get some good stuff (carrots, fruit, chicken) along with the dip (whether it's hummus, yogurt, or ketchup).

I should have clarified a bit--I was referring to the unhealthy stuff like ranch dressing. Hummus and PB are both great choices!! Ketchup is OK as long as it's not laden with added sugars/HFCS. Another good choice is mustard, as it includes turmeric, which brings a ton of health benefits.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I should have clarified a bit--I was referring to the unhealthy stuff like ranch dressing. Hummus and PB are both great choices!! Ketchup is OK as long as it's not laden with added sugars/HFCS. Another good choice is mustard, as it includes turmeric, which brings a ton of health benefits.

That's fine, although my youngest won't touch mustard (good to know, though--here's hoping his tastes change). I just find that with my kids, having a dip makes them much, much more inclined to eat fruits and vegetables. I don't know why fruit dipped in yogurt is so much more awesomely better than just plain, delicious fruit, but it works for my kid, so I'm good.

I also think, with packed school lunches, 180 days a year, it's nice to offer some variety. This year I have the added bonus of my 8th grader having super early "lunch", so snacking throughout the day is encouraged. So, I'm looking for healthy, filling snacks that she can graze on, throughout the day. (No dips for her--too messy, ha ha.)

 

[arminnie]

These kids are so lucky. I ate a tuna sandwich with an apple for my entire school lunch career. Not by my choice.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I send a bento box divided into four sections. One always has fruit, usually berries, grapes, mango or melon, one has veggies, usually carrots, green beans or cut up asparagus, one has a hard boiled egg or whole wheat mini bagel with some turkey or cream cheese, the last one usually has some sort of bean salad. Sometimes I add in a small container that fits in the box with hummus, sometimes I throw in leftover cold roasted chicken just cut up, if it's the end of the week and am running low on stuff I may add in a yogurt to round things out.

Sometimes in the winter I send a small thermos with turkey or veggie chili, pasta with broccoli, or soup.

I also throw in a snack size ziplock with pretzels in the lunch box, sometimes a granola bar or a cookie.

 

[happymommy]

Before you rule out peanut butter, why not check with the school and find out what kind of controls are in place for the child with the peanut butter allergy. At our elementary school, all kids had to wash hands before and after lunch, and peanut-allergy kids were seated at their own table with only those friends not eating anything peanut-y for lunch. I'm not unsympathetic to the allergy -- I have a child with a similar "life-threatening" type issue, but his is one which we can't reasonably ask classmates to simply avoid x, y, and z because they are abundantly common. It really sucks, I get it, I've lived it, but you just have to work around it (as I'm sure any parent can attest) and can't always depend on other kids/parents to watch out for this stuff for you.

Peanut butter. It's not evil. It's cheap, provides nutrition, and kids love it.

I agree. My DS has allergies (milk and egg) and he outgrew peanut and sesame by age 6.

He always sat at the allergy table when he was young.

When they had a field trip once, they were asked to bring a brown bag lunch (so not kept cool). They had a school nurse that was a bit overzealous with the peanut thing, and although not asked by any parent, she specified not to bring any peanut products. He couldn't bring a cheese sandwich (and lunchmeat would have gotten spoiled), so I emailed her that the only thing he could bring was a pb&j. She changed her mind when she realized this "rule" for that day trip (and they were eating outdoors).

Many kids with peanut allergies are fine with others eating it.

My son, however, was touch hypersensitive to milk. It did spill on him once at school, and he hived up (it got through his pants), so he had to go to the nurse and borrow a pair of pants. We couldn't ask the school to not let the kids drink milk! He isn't so sensitive now, thankfully!

Anyway, if peanut butter is what your child wants, heck I had a girl friend who took peanut butter & jelly in her lunch every day for all 4 years of high school!

 

[LovesTimone]

There are a few solid websites that offer some really great suggestion.

31 Days of School box lunches
100 days of Real Food, has a lot of info School lunch Roundup - they have quite a lot of pictures so that your kids could show you want they want.. Also cute, inexpensive way to make lunch more fun.

My DD went to our church's private school, and hot lunch was not a option when she first started. With not offering hot lunch we had a slew of volunteers at lunch time help warm up items in the microwaves which was a lifesaver in its self. So taking lunch and something that she would eat... picky...it became a challenge to say the least. Having lots of container options was really key for this. I used a cookie cutter a lot on sandwiches, or muffins, cookies, brownies. Made everything bite size, fruit, cut up the wraps like pinwheels

 

[scrapquitler]

I homeschool too and lunch is my daily nemesis.

I solved this problem my mostly using lunch as our main meal of the day. We eat a big lunch at least a few times a week, then eat a light meal for dinner. Once the 'school day' is done, I don't have to start cooking dinner, I do it while my kid does his work. Of course it helps that hubby is working at home.

 

[aprilchem]

The single best tip for packing lunches is to have your kids involved in every step of the way.

First, take them to the grocery store. Have THEM pick what they are going to eat, and have a deal with them. If they don't eat it, the money for it comes out of their piggy bank or allowance. (This is useful not only for teaching the value of a dollar, but for looking at the impact of unused food--which can go hand in hand with food banks and the environment).

Next, have them pack a lunch, and make sure it includes each of the following:
--Carbohydrate
--Protein
--Vegetable
--Fruit
--Water

I don't view dairy as necessary since it doesn't always travel well. If they're getting 3 glasses of milk throughout the day at home (or eating yogurt), they will be OK to skip at lunch.

Teach environmental responsibility by having them use reusable containers, not baggies, and by filling up a reusable water bottle instead of purchasing a new one every day. Encourage them to fill this bottle up during the day if their teacher permits drinking water during class. Then, teach personal responsibility by having them clean out the containers. This may sound like a bit much, but if they have two containers and you do the dishes every other day, that works too--just make sure THEY are the ones putting it in the dishwasher or washing by hand.

A snack is always a good idea. Some schools have designated times to eat them, others do not (yet they can be snuck in sometimes). Make sure the snack is healthy. Greasy chips and processed cakes do not count. (My personal favorite: buying nuts, raisins, crackers, etc in bulk and making my own).

Encourage your children to try the following:
--Whole grain bread
--All kinds of fruits and vegetables
--Eating vegetables without dip
--Non-lunchmeat protein options (which can include real meat, not the processed kind, cooked for sandwiches)
--Non-meat protein options (challenge them to a Meatless Monday)

Also, do not let your kids skip breakfast. Ever.

Personally, I do not believe in forcing children to eat if they are not hungry, so I do not force mine to eat breakfast if they don't want to. My opinion is that forcing them to eat can lead to obesity later in life, so we practice the "eat when you are hungry, stop when you are not" method of eating in our house. If my children choose not to eat breakfast they have lunch just a few hours later at school, so it's not a big deal.

I also do not have my children go to the grocery store and personally pick out what they are going to eat. I have a grocery budget, and if I bought every whim of my 3 kids I would go WAY over (as I learn when I take them all to the store with me). We stick with a few healthy choices that are within my budget, such as seasonal fruit and vegetables.

And I have no problem with dips. Hummus is a great dip. Ranch is great too and can be made easily at home with supplies I keep on hand.

In other words, there is no one "right" way to do anything.