PDA

View Full Version : What do you pack for lunch?



MartiesMom2B
09-23-2004, 09:18 AM
I've been packing Martie the same ol' thing for lunch for preschool and I feel like she should get some variety. But I'll pack 1/2 a soynut and blueberry fruit preserve sandwich, cut up fruit, and crackers of some sort. What do you pack for your kids when they go to mother's day out or preschool?

-Sonia

kathsmom
09-23-2004, 03:23 PM
Sonia,

I hear ya! Katherine wants the same thing everyday for her school lunch - PB&J, cheetos, and a Capri Sun. I am going to start packing water bottles, since she can have them throughout the day. Katherine loves grapes, so I am going to buy some of those to add to her lunch box.

Other ideas that have been suggested to me in the past are:
-cubes of ham, turkey, and cheese
-applesauce
-sandwiches with different fillings that are cut into shapes using cookie cutters
-using the Pampered Chef cut and seal gadget (I need to get one of these)
-pancakes that are rolled up and filled with peanut butter and/or jelly
-mini-muffins - blueberry, lemon poppyseed, etc
-baby carrots and dip
-celery spread with peanut butter

If I run across any other ideas, I'll let you know. Are the children able to bring food that requires heating? If so, you could always pack some leftovers from dinner the night before and have the teacher re-heat it.

HTH!

egoldber
09-23-2004, 04:14 PM
We are limited because the meal has to be vegetarian, but her meals are usually:

cheese (either cut up squares or cheese sticks) and crackers
rice and beans
couscous
1/2 sandwich of some sort
mac and cheese
pasta and sauce

I usually also have either some cut up fruit or a favorite veggie, a couple cookies and milk or a juice box.

HTH,

wendmatt
09-28-2004, 07:33 PM
I always pack a sandwich for Emily and some canned green beans or baby carrots. Also some fruit, I was thinking it's boring to do the same but she seems ok with it! Thats for us going out though, she doesn't go anywhere without me yet!
Beth I am just seeing that you are pregnant again, I'm so pleased for you. Wishing you a healthy and happy pregnancy, wonderful news.

raynjen
09-28-2004, 10:23 PM
We generally have PB&J or BBB (baloney, butter, & bread) sometimes turkey & cheese. One thing I do to vary it up is use different forms of bread - she really likes tortillas (and PB&J is cleaner in a tortilla), pitas, hot dog buns, as well as her regular bread. I also cut the sandwiches up differently (squares, triangles, or use a cookie cutter to cut a heart or circle in the middle).

For 'sides' she gets lots of raw veggies - carrots, celery, cucumbers, bell peppers (her favorite is orange), and broccoli. She also gets fruit - apples (if you pack them tight they don't brown too badly), bananas (whole in the skin), grapes, and, if I'm in a bind, canned peaches. For grains she'll get pretzels, cereal (cheerios with low-sugar fruit loops for pizazz), and dolphins (cheapo goldfish). Depending on what else is in there she sometimes gets a cheese stick or yogurt.

Another thing I do to 'dress up' her lunch is put a sticker on her napkin (I'll eventually graduate to a little note from mommy when she can read).

Jen in Okinawa
Mom to a wonderful preschooler,
who is almost three, Noelle!

nitaghei
09-29-2004, 01:29 PM
DS often gets the same lunch either DH or I have, with a few more veggies. Typically, rice, beans/lentils/meat and assorted veggies. Today he has pasta primavera (heavy on the veggies - mushrooms, peppers and asparagus). Fruit today is plums. Yesterday it was rice, chicken korma and spinach with potatoes, with grapes to follow. Thanks to DH, he had hamburger, baked potato and green beans on Monday, with mango to round out the meal.

I probably have the only toddler who doesn't eat sandwiches (not that I blame him) or mac and cheese. But I do wraps for him sometimes, generally smoked turkey and grilled veggies.

DS's daycare has a little microwave where they can heat up the kids' meals, so I have a lot more leeway than many people. OTOH, we are also restricting foods, trying to figure out what he's allergic too (most likely eggs), so the Indian food's a lot easier to make.

Not sure if this helps in any way!

Nita
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

Jeanne
09-29-2004, 04:42 PM
Charlotte's not so much a picky eater as she is an "in the mood" type. We don't want to indulge that behavior but there are times when she comes home having only eaten half her packed lunch. She'll go crazy for carrots and dip one day but not want it again for weeks.

Aside from PB&J, we rotate between a square of Ellio's Pizza, a breaded chicken patty with tater tots, turkey sandwiches, cooked ham but only rarely, hot dog but only rarely, and other chicken dishes with noodles and veggies in them.

They will reheat lunches at my preschool so we aren't limited in that respect.

calebsmama03
10-03-2004, 04:47 PM
Thanks for starting this topic! I've been in such a rut lately. DS won't eat meat so lately lunch is either:
mac n cheese (w/whole wheat pasta)
grilled cheese sandwhich
pasta with sauce
almond butter/preserves sandwhich (just introduced these)
and always cheese, veggies (peas, green beans, carrots), yogurt and fruit (for lunch and snacks throughout the day. We definitely need more variety!
Lynne
Mommy to Caleb 3/3/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif[/img][/url]