lunch ideas for peanut-free camp for a kid that eats PB&J every day?

[almostmom]

DS is not an adventurous eater, but he is an incredibly active sports-loving 7 year old so needs a good lunch. He's going to a camp that is peanut-free, and I don't know what we're going to pack him for lunch. I could probably give him a plain whole wheat bagel, fruit and a yogurt stick and dessert, but I'd love to get some other ideas to try. He doesn't like soy nut butter (luckily DD loves it, as she'll be at the camp too), but I may have him try it again.

Ideas?

Thank you!

[Pear]

Maybe hummus?

[Twoboos]

A friend has recommended Sunflower seed butter. I think it's called sunbutter or sun-nut butter?

You could do rolled up turkey for protein. I also make a lot of muffins so you can get some healthy things in there but they still seem fun. Definitely a cheese stick and whole-wheat crackers. If he likes pasta the Barilla Plus pasta has lots of protein.

GL, it can be so hard to get them to expand their menus!!

[Roni]

I'm going to duck at the tomatoes being thrown at me, but maybe a Lunchable? My 7 yo dd has stopped eating peanut butter in solidarity with a friend with a peanut allergy, and has started eating "bread sandwiches." Seriously, just bread. (That would not be enough for your ds.) But, she does enjoy pizza Lunchables, so I'll let her have about one a week to break up what I call her "prison diet". Your idea sounds very good, though. Is there maybe a version of a pasta salad that he would eat, to change things up a little?

[Clarity]

Has he tried Sunbutter? DD1 didn't like it at first but after a bit of a break from peanut butter (dd2 is allergic to peanuts so no more pb in the house) she likes it fine now.

Cream cheese? My dd likes cream cheese & cucumber sandwiches but cream cheese and jelly is good too. Honey/butter sandwiches?

Will he eat lunchmeat? Oh, or refried beans? We buy vegetarian refried beans and make burritos out of them with a bit of cheese and a touch of salsa. Yesterday we did hummus and shredded carrot tortillas.

Will he eat a hardboiled egg? You could add one from protein.

[KpbS]

Another vote for Sunbutter--it's yummy! Way better than soy nut butter IMO. What about tuna? Ham and cheese sandwiches? I make DS1 bean burritos or bean dip to dip chips in for his school lunches.

hth

[JustMe]

My dd actually likes hard boiled eggs. I never would have guessed that, but she does.

[egoldber]

My older DD has "homemade" lunchables. Just cut cheese into squares and add a container of crackers. It's an easy lunch and she makes it herself. :) I also send in rolled up ham or turkey with crackers as well.

If you can pack a thermos, then you could send in pasta with sauce for a heavier lunch.

[almostmom]

Good ideas - thanks guys.

He can't stand hummus and won't touch beans. But he likes quesadillas, so maybe one wrapped in foil will stay warm until lunch? He does like eggs, but stopped wanting them in his lunch. But maybe he's ready again! He doesn't like sunbutter, but maybe I'll have him try it again. Sometimes he'll eat turkey and apple sandwiches, but not every day. More like once a week. I'll look into the pizza lunchables for this rare occasion! And cheese sticks - I think he'll do that.

Keep the ideas coming!

[almostmom]

That's a good idea - he likes cheese and crackers so I'll try it.

[mytwosons]

Another sunbutter lover here.

What about some type of beef jerky? Wellshire Farms makes several kinds we pick up at Whole Foods. I like them because they have 8 grams of protein per stick, so even if my kids don't eat much, it holds them for a while. They also like the brownie crunch Think Thin brand of protein bars. 20 grams per bar. Smoothie? Kefir? Greek yogurt is high in protein.

[nrp]

I usually prefer to buy organic PB, but I noticed that the organic Sunbutter doesn't have any added sweetener, and I think it tastes pretty bad (although my kids don't mind it). If you tried that variety only, you might try the regular Sunbutter, as it has some added salt and sweetener and I think it tastes a lot better.

[almostmom]

ah, great point. DS does prefer PB with sugar, so that might do the trick. Worth a try at least!

[ABO Mama]

If you put the quesadilla in a thermos container (target has them) it should stay warm.

My DS's like cream cheese and salami rolled up in a tortilla.

[DietCokeLover]

Cream cheese and jelly sandwiches?

Nutella sandwiches?

What about a thermos with a smoothie in it that is made with lots of "oomph" - protein powder mixed in with the fruit, etc.

[bubbaray]

Nutella won't work if the camp is truly nut-free/nut-safe (its hazelnuts).

Another vote for quesedillas in a thermos (pre-heat it with boiling water).

I like sunbutter (I use TJs) and I'm a total PB addict (unfortunately, can't have it in the house as my girls are allergic).

Would it help with the transition to explain that you can't send PB because it can make other kids very very sick, and you know he'd like to help keep his friends safe, so what would he like instead? I know that is how the teachers & parents in my girls' classes have approached it and it has worked really well.

[almostmom]

Yes, he gets the reason and accepts it no problem. He's not even worried about this - I am! It's just finding the replacement that's tough. He doesn't really eat meat besides some chicken and occasional turkey, so that doesn't help. But I'll ask him to try sunbutter again,and we'll do a quesadilla trial this weekend in a thermos!

[BabbyO]

You said the camp is peanut-free. Is it nut-free? If he doesn't like sunbutter (which is what I substituted when nursing DS) you could try almond butter. I LOVE almond butter, but it won't work if the camp is nut-free.

Otherwise, I like the quesadilla or cheese & crackers ideas.

[HIU8]

My DS is a pbj freak. He eats up to 4 a day. He hates sun butter etc.... When we have situations where he cannot have pbj (like summercamp and school), here is what I pack:

2 simply gogurts
1 jelly sandwich
mandarin oranges or a banana (the only fruit he eats)
crackers or chips of some kind
water or juicebox

After camp, at pickup I come armed with snack which is 2 pbj's plus other stuff.

My DS will not eat cheese unless it's on pizza or in a quesadilla. He won't eat cold pizza or cold quesadilla's, so they are not an option for the summer. DS takes the same lunch every day during the summer (7 weeks of camp).

[jenstring95]

Good ideas - thanks guys.

He can't stand hummus and won't touch beans. But he likes quesadillas, so maybe one wrapped in foil will stay warm until lunch? He does like eggs, but stopped wanting them in his lunch. But maybe he's ready again! He doesn't like sunbutter, but maybe I'll have him try it again. Sometimes he'll eat turkey and apple sandwiches, but not every day. More like once a week. I'll look into the pizza lunchables for this rare occasion! And cheese sticks - I think he'll do that.

Keep the ideas coming!

You could also make "pizzadillas" - quesadillas filled with pizza sauce and mozzerella (and pepperoni, if desired). Also, maybe breakfast tacos for lunch? My kids will eat pretty much anything on a tortilla...

[lil_acorn]

can you send breakfast? When I am desperate, I've sent in waffles / raisin bread or fruit bars and yogurt and fruit for lunch.