Lunch struggles

[SAHMIL]

Almost teenager is complaining about lunch items . He will not eat soup, sandwiches or salads . He had Mac and cheese today but I am not sending two days in a row . Ideas ? The don’t have hot lunch at his school . ( Catholic school ) so while I am tempted to send without lunch I know that tat won’t fly . Suggestions please !!!!


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[gymnbomb]

I would either keep sending mac and cheese or let him pack his own lunch. It won’t kill him to eat the same thing for lunch every day.


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[KpbS]

Meat and crackers?
Hummus with veggies and chips to dip?
Nut butter with crackers?

[jgenie]

Could he pack miscellaneous finger foods? Pepperoni, cheese, olives, crackers, fruit, etc. I would let him do Mac and cheese if that’s all he wants. He’ll get tired of it and move on to something else before you know it.

[ang79]

Could he pack miscellaneous finger foods? Pepperoni, cheese, olives, crackers, fruit, etc. I would let him do Mac and cheese if that’s all he wants. He’ll get tired of it and move on to something else before you know it.

Turkey Pepperoni w/ cheese, fruit, and fresh veggies, along with some crackers or pretzels is in my girls' lunches at least once a week! Another staple is fruit and yogurt parfait (vanilla yogurt with frozen berries, add granola when they eat it). Hummus and veggies and pretzels are what my fifth grader is taking tomorrow. Sometimes we do hard boiled eggs. I like to do wraps with hummus, chopped up cucumbers and tomatoes, avocado, and some shredded cheese for myself, or a salad. DD1 takes peanut butter sandwiches often, but DD2 and I are at nut-free schools and can't do that this year

[twowhat?]

Lunch IS a struggle! My kids don't buy the hot lunch - they simply don't want to because it cuts into eating time and they are starving by lunchtime and want to eat and not wait in a line and then only have 5 min to eat. Here's stuff I pack:

In thermos:
Mac and cheese
Pasta and cheese (DD especially loves a fun pasta shape lightly tossed with olive oil - spirals or whatever - and a separate container of just shredded cheese and eats that. Gag.)
Butter pasta (again, a fun pasta shape lightly tossed with butter, and a separate container of parmesan cheese)
Dinner leftovers, sometimes (e.g. rice with broccoli chicken, meat loaf and mashed potatoes, chicken & spinach pasta, curry chicken, spaghetti, etc)
Potato soup, with a small separate container of sour cream at the bottom, green onion (middle layer) and shredded cheese (top layer). Bacon if we have it. I know you said no soup but my kids don't usually take soup either but will take potato soup because it's so hearty and thick.
Potstickers (DD1 loves)
Baked potato - hot potatoes and butter in thermos. Pack separate container of toppings (layer sour cream, green onion, cheese like above). Bacon if we have it.

Not in thermos:
Ramen. Yep - Ramen. Make it dry/cold so that it doesn't get soggy (cook without seasoning, drain, cool with cold water, drain very well, sprinkle seasoning on top of dry noodles).
Crackers and cheese. You can vary this - different kinds of salami, cheddar, swiss, etc. DD1 loves Brie and crackers.
Snack lunch: String cheese, veggies & hummus, fruit, yogurt, Luna bar.
Tortilla roll-up: mayo, cheese, lunch meat, lettuce wrapped in a fresh tortilla. Even I like these and we pack them for picnic lunches.
Sushi: sometimes I'll buy sushi and let them bring it for lunch as a special treat.
Grilled cheese: this actually holds up OK at room temp but has to be made fresh in the morning and let cool before wrapping in parchment, then foil.

Following, as I always love more packed lunch ideas.

[ang79]

[QUOTE=twowhat?;4352734]
Pasta and cheese (DD especially loves a fun pasta shape lightly tossed with olive oil - spirals or whatever - and a separate container of just shredded cheese and eats that. Gag.)
Butter pasta (again, a fun pasta shape lightly tossed with butter, and a separate container of parmesan cheese)
/QUOTE]

Plain pasta sprinkled with parm. cheese is the only way DD2 eats pasta, LOL! DD1 (13) is just now starting to like pasta with marinara sauce but used to eat it just like DD2. We have found the we can get DD2 to eat most things at dinner if we just let her cover them in parm. cheese or shredded cheese (she is not a huge fan of most meat, so this is what she does to tolerate a few bites of whatever meat we serve at dinner.)

[elbenn]

I do many of the meals suggested in this thread. One that hasn't been suggested is chickpea salad. Open a can of chickpeas, drizzle olive oil, lemon juice, and salt on it (also Greek seasoning if you have it). This works with cannelloni beans also.

I sometimes make Amy's burritos and send them for lunch.

[Kindra178]

I have two kids that won’t take sandwiches and prefer a thermos lunch. These are things I have sent in the last week or so.

Trader Joe’s mini tacos, taquitos or burritos in a thermos.

Pasta alla oglio with cut up chicken (rotisserie or roasted) and fresh parm. This is my teen’s fav. He takes 3 times a week at least. I

Chili

Spaghetti with turkey bolognese

Tj orange chicken with rice

Chicken quesadillas (or whatever leftover meat I have)

Frozen pizza cooked in the am and wrapped






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[#2ontheway]

I have two kids that won’t take sandwiches and prefer a thermos lunch. These are things I have sent in the last week or so.

Trader Joe’s mini tacos, taquitos or burritos in a thermos.

Pasta alla oglio with cut up chicken (rotisserie or roasted) and fresh parm. This is my teen’s fav. He takes 3 times a week at least. I

Chili

Spaghetti with turkey bolognese

Tj orange chicken with rice

Chicken quesadillas (or whatever leftover meat I have)

Frozen pizza cooked in the am and wrapped






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This is so creative! I've never done food in the thermos that isn't like pasta or rice/beans or chili. If you do mini tacos or pizza you just kind of roll it up and stand it on end in the thermos? Do you need to make sure it fills the space?