Lunch Ideas-Low Sodium

[jgazda]

I had to take my 10 year old son on for a strep test this evening and through this discovered he has really high blood pressure and we now have to watch his salt until it gets under control. Sandwiches, especially lunchmeat, canned soups and chips and pretzels are out. What can I pack him for lunch besides fruits and veggies? I'm at such a loss and I hope some of you guys can help me out.

Thanks!

 

[zeke11]

I am on a low sodium diet. There are some low sodium brands of bread - you have to read the nutrition labels as the packaging doesn't always specify low sodium.

You can get low sodium peanut butter, most jellies especially the natural fruit are low sodium. Also - Sara Lee makes low sodium deli turkey. Swiss cheese is low in sodium.

Have a fun trip!

Kris

 

[Lesley Mahler]

Try grilling him some chicken breast or chicken strips and making sandwiches with that...my DD loves that!!! This is so hard for a child, we have to watch DD sugar b/c her triglycerides were high!!

 

[jgazda]

It is hard. They don't have microwaves at school so I am trying to come up with some tasty yet healthy ideas for lunch. He hates PB&J and sandwiches are out so we are limited and can't think of much to offer him. Grilled chicken is a good idea though, thank you. Next year he will have cafeteria lunches every day but we have to make it through the rest of this school year still.

 

[Lesley Mahler]

They don't have cafeteria lunches where he is now? Because if they do, all you would have to do is bring a letter from the doctor to the school and they would have to accommodate his diet!!! For the grilled chicken, since there is no microwaves where he is, get the small chicken strips and cook them in the morning. I know it will be a hastle, but they don't take very long. Put them in a baking dish covered with the oven on 350 and they'll be done in 30 min and ready to put on a sandwich...or you can even wrap them in aluminum and his bread in a ziploc and then he can just put it together for lunch and the chicken will stay heated and not make his bread soggy!! I'm really sorry you and he is having to deal with this!!! Poor little guy...I'll say some prayers for you that this doesn't take long!!!

 

[jgazda]

No unfortunately it is just bring your own this year. Every Tuesday they have hot lunches but they are things he can't eat now like panzorotti and hot dogs,
etc etc. I do like the chicken ideas though, maybe attempt some low fat chicken salad (if that's possible) and throw it in a pita. I'm hoping his pediatrician will recommend a nutritionist but in the meantime I need to get creative. Thanks for all your help it is very appreciated.

 

[Lesley Mahler]

Low fat chicken salad would actually be very easy to make...grill your own chicken and shred it instead of using the canned chicken...that is a great idea!!!! Good luck to you and to him!! If I think of anything else, I'll let you know. Unfortunately, when you're trying to pack it into a lunch for a child, it's hard!! I was on a low sodium diet when I was pregnant and I ate a lot of chicken breast and noodles!! Very boring!!!!!!! Oh, and try seasoning his food with Mrs. Dash instead of just cutting out the salt. I used it when I was pregnant and it really gives your food good flavor instead of just bland!!!

 

[Lesley Mahler]

I just thought of a possible snack. Don't know if he likes nuts or if nuts are even allowed at his school (they aren't allowed at DD school), but even for at home instead of potato chips, they have unsalted peanuts and mixed nuts...Kettle chips even makes an unsalted chip and I don't know where you live, but here at our Wal-Mart, they make unsalted pita chips!!! DD loves the unsalted pita chips, very healthy snack!!! And it looks like he's just eating regular chips!!

 

[Lesley Mahler]

I'm sorry, I just keep blabbering!!! But another chip that is not high in sodium is white cheddar cheetos...don't know if he likes cheetos, but DD actually prefers the white cheddar ones to the regular ones and they are soooo much healthier!! And for a different twist to chicken salad if you find yourself having to make it a lot and he starts getting tired of it, instead of using mayo, use low sodium ranch dressing to make it...it is really good and has a mexican taste...kind of like a chicken taco, especially on the pita bread, or even the wheat tortillas. That's what we eat it on...or you can do a grilled chicken strip on wheat tortilla with the low sodium ranch dressing, very tasty!! And, they also have no salt pretzels if he likes pretzels!!

 

[jgazda]

Thanks for all your ideas , very very helpful. At least I can make it through next weeks lunches now!

 

[Lesley Mahler]

What about hamburgers? You can premake hamburger patties in the frig and throw them in a skillet in the morning, should take about 10-15 min to cook and wrap them in foil too to keep them heated and put a bun in a ziploc. You can even get wheat buns, they are lower in sodium. Another thing we use for sandwiches and such is light sour cream or guacamole. They are not high in sodium, I just don't know if he likes that or not??? You can also do the same with beef. Cut it up into strips and sautee them, put in aluminum foil and wheat tortillas in ziploc and he'll have fajitas for lunch!!! Then you can put sour cream and guacamole in a little container. Wow, he'll have better lunches than the kids with a boring sandwich!!!

 

[jgazda]

That's for sure! Good idea with the burgers, and I can easily sneak some shredded veggies in there to make it extra healthy!

 

[MasterChief]

I think a lot of baby food has no salt and they come in individual portions that would be easy to pack.

 

[jgazda]

I think a lot of baby food has no salt and they come in individual portions that would be easy to pack.

Unfortunately I don't think my 10 year old would be too happy taking baby food out of his lunch box at school let alone eating it.

 

[clutter]

Do you have a Thermos? (Target has them, if you don't.)

My dd11 loves leftovers for lunch (we eat a lot of chicken w/rice dishes). You boil some water and put it in the Thermos for about 10 minutes to heat it up. Then put the hot food in. It's still warm at lunchtime!

 

[jgazda]

Do you have a Thermos? (Target has them, if you don't.)

My dd11 loves leftovers for lunch (we eat a lot of chicken w/rice dishes). You boil some water and put it in the Thermos for about 10 minutes to heat it up. Then put the hot food in. It's still warm at lunchtime!

That is on our list for things to buy tomorrow. That way the healthy leftovers can go in there, as well as the chicken strips, fajitas, and hamburgers others have suggested. Can't wait to get him eating better and get this blood pressure down.