HELP! Need school lunch ideas

[minniebeth]

My daughter has a peanut/tree nut allergy...her school has gone nut free in serving food with nuts (cafeteria, parties, etc.) but has not gone completely nut free by not allowing anyone else to bring it. They do have a "nut free" table so that if kids who have nut allergies can sit there without the danger of it. It makes it hard though, because they can't sit with their friends.
Thankfully, so far, her allergy isn't that bad that she can't be around it, just can't eat it. But I feel for those kids that are that sensitive and I feel for the kids who can't bring any nut products in their lunches when so many of them truly enjoy just PBJ. (My younger DD...that's all she ever ate!)

But interesting point about the other "butters"...it probably isn't addressed into the category of the "nut ban" as we call it, but many children who are allergic to nuts are allergic to soy and sunflower products as well. Our allergist told us that they have similar compositions to peanuts.

It's just nuts! (Ha ha) It seems like we moms (and dads!) have so much more to deal with these days...what would June Cleaver do????

Anyway... my kids fortunately like sandwiches, but to mix it up a little, I make things in the morning and put them in foil that they would eat if they were home, like a hot dog, pizza, taquitos, quesedillas, and thermos filled with mac and cheese, soup, etc.
Someone else mentioned to bring cereal and buy milk....my DD LOVES to do this....at first she felt like the kids would make fun of her, but so many of her friends thought it was cool and now they do it too!

Happy Lunch Packing!

 

[minniebeth]

emma'smom,
ooooh, wee brie cheese trianges...my kids love brie! A great lunch idea...

Where would you find these?
Thanks!

 

[FreeTime]

I have been struggling with what to pack by 6 year old also. She cannot eat gluten and I have been trying to express the importance of not sharing food with others. She is already getting tired of her rice bread and PB sandwich. I like the ham rolled over stick cheese id. I will have to see if she will go for that.

 

[Barbers2005]

Another alternative nut butter idea- Nutella. It is a mixture of hazlenuts, cocoa and skim milk that is sooo delicious. Dd will eat that over peanut butter any day. As far as sugar content, it stacks up pretty close to regular peanut butter. If you get a wide mouth thermos, you can put tons of stuff in it, like stew, soup and chili. Pasta and rice dishes go pretty well in a thermos, too (spagetti, goulash, risotto). Stromboli is pretty good cold and not too messy.

 

[minniebeth]

I have been struggling with what to pack by 6 year old also. She cannot eat gluten and I have been trying to express the importance of not sharing food with others. She is already getting tired of her rice bread and PB sandwich. I like the ham rolled over stick cheese id. I will have to see if she will go for that.

FreeTime,
I don't know where in Ohio you live, but we live in the Columbus area.
A Whole Foods store just recently opened up her and they have a decent sized sections for all kinds of gluten-free foods...

 

[crazymama]

Just a note about Nutella. It IS deeeeelicious but also uses peanut oil in it... or at least it used to. I once bought a Costco sized one for our family and didn't read the ingredients till I got home. Peanut oil....darn it all. My DD6 is allergic to peanut, sesame and salmon/trout. She tested negative for tree nuts but I am nervous to give her them. Same with tuna. She has had two accidental exposures at school... once required the Epipen. No fun... that's for sure.

 

[LuvOrlando]

A DF of mine just showed me some neat thermos type containers that have a cold cup for milk and a top for cereal(although they are called cookies & milk containers). She also bought a similar container for soup & crackers. Very cool I thought when I saw them yesterday. DF got both at Walmart, I'm getting mine today .

 

[flipturngirl]

First off you need to consider what time your childs lunch is at. I would have my lunch around noon or so and then we had a snack before hand in the classes.
Some lunch ideas are:

Meat and mayo sandwiches
1/2 a bagle and cream cheese
left overs
cereal
instant breakfast...is good if the child has braces along with soup
lunchables

Not so good
things that need to be heated up or intstant cups of soup since at my school we had to pay to get hot water and only certain teachers had microwaves..

 

[emma'smom]

emma'smom,
ooooh, wee brie cheese trianges...my kids love brie! A great lunch idea...

Where would you find these?
Thanks!

I buy them at Wal-Mart. They are usually in the deli-dairy section where the more gourmet kinds of cheeses are (as opposed to the regular dairy/cheese section that has all of the different shredded cheeses and pre-packaged cheese slices). They aren't all that pricey--gourmet at Wal-Mart isn't the same as gourmet at Trader Joes!

 

[weirdpaintballr]

Ok...I've got a question. I'm in 9th grade and I have 4th lunch (1:40-2:10). Does anyone know of any snacks that I could take and eat while walking to class? I've already come up with rice crispy treats, and I don't like granola bars. So any ideas?

 

[newtowdw1]

DD makes her own lunchables. I refuse to buy them as they're expensive.

Crackers with jelly in one container and pb in another. a plastic knife and she's all set.

English muffin pizzas

left over chicken legs

Macaroni and cheese and hotdogs (yeah, real nutritious, I know! )

Crackers and ham, salami, cheese

Pieces of fruit

Frozen go-gurt

cheese sticks (string cheese)

Slices of ham and cheese without the bread
Pepperoni, too

Almonds, carrots, grapes, apples

Occasionally cookies (grandpa just sent two bags of Oreos as we don't buy them...not nutrition issue there, just a "Mom's a pig" issue!)

She likes almost anything in a wrap (we use tortillas).

If you don't want to buy the apple slices that won't turn brown, simply soak your slices in pineapple or lemon juice.

 

[newtowdw1]

Ok...I've got a question. I'm in 9th grade and I have 4th lunch (1:40-2:10). Does anyone know of any snacks that I could take and eat while walking to class? I've already come up with rice crispy treats, and I don't like granola bars. So any ideas?

Generally, my students snack (in class, we're laid back here ) on dry cereal, apples, bananas, string cheese, almonds, carrots, cut-up fruit (in little containers), go-gurt (frozen, it'll thaw by the time you want it). They love those 100 calorie packs of oreos and chips ahoy and sun chips. Generally, many of my students eat lunch throughout the day at their desks. Guys tend to just make extra sandwiches, though the girls generally don't.

 

[MissyPrissy]

My step kids LOVE the Perdue Shortcuts Chicken. We just put it in a ziplock with an ice pack against it, throw in some baby carrots and wheat crackers, a juice box and an "I love you" note and they are good to go!!

 

[coach's wife]

OK! I need some ideas. My son starts school soon and I need some ideas on what to pack for lunch. Are there foods that are easier then others to pack? Are there foods I shouldn't even consider due to mess?
My son has a sensory issue with vegetables..(He gets physically ill even with the smell of them...it's a long story) so vegies are out. He loves fruit so we are safe there.
He likes PB sandwiches but it's a PB free school. SOOOOOOO......what ideas do all you have. Any ideas you can give would be great.

Thanks for the help

Just wanted to send a thanks to all the people who helped with ideas on what to send for lunch. My son brought lunch today for the first time.. (he was very excited ).

I'm not sure if this is how or where you thank some one sorry if it isn't. But a BIG THANKS for all the ideas.

 

[misshilda1]

If there is some kind of a sandwich that you can make that your child may like than her is something I do that my daughter likes and she even eats somethings she dosen't like. I used to work in school nutrition and I learned sometimes the way things are packaged or presented will have alot to do with what kids eat. If there is a particular character your child likes for example Mickey Mouse go to your local Wal-Mart or a store that sells candy making and cake decorating supplies like most craft chain stores and buy large cookie cutters preferably the metal ones and after you assemble the sandwich cut it into that shape not only does it make it more appealing to your child it adds a one of a kind touch that will make your child feel special and when they open their lunch they'll remember you.....