lunches for picky eaters

[fanofdisney]

I was just reading the thread about what kids are bringing for lunch- whoa! My son is 5, eats less than 10 items. I've never made him eat anything, either. I'm concerned for when he does go to school. He won't eat bread unless it's grilled cheese. Should I just roll up ham and cheese or what?

He is so determined not to try new foods that he skips lunch at daycare. He eats as soon as he comes home. Just looking for tips on lunches and getting him to try more. Thanks!

 

[Pugdog007]

Well whatever you do, just don't send lunchables.

 

[Disney Hot Mama]

I was just reading the thread about what kids are bringing for lunch- whoa! My son is 5, eats less than 10 items. I've never made him eat anything, either. I'm concerned for when he does go to school. He won't eat bread unless it's grilled cheese. Should I just roll up ham and cheese or what?

He is so determined not to try new foods that he skips lunch at daycare. He eats as soon as he comes home. Just looking for tips on lunches and getting him to try more. Thanks!

Why don't you ask him what he wants for lunch and then let him 'help' you pack it. That might help him to want to eat it if he helps pack it. My kids will eat just about anything so they are easy. We do sandwiches, soup in thermos's, our own version of Lunchables, sliced apples and peanut butter and/or carmel for dipping, veggies with ranch dip etc. They enjoy helping make their lunches too.

 

[pat fan]

As another poster said, let him help pick things out. Take him to the store with you (preferably over vacation so you have plenty of time to experiment) and let him pick out things he think he might like and try them. Some suggestions are bologna on mini-bagels, just lunch meat meat rolled up, left over chicken (cut up) with b-b-q sauce on it in a wrap and the old stanby, pb & j. Of course, I send other stuff with it. Jello,fruit or pudding cup,a baked chip or rice cake bag,granola bar and usualy one "sweet", like a roll-up or cookie.Then add a bottle of water (flavored or plain) and that's my kids lunch.

I missed the other thread, hope I'm not on the "bad lunch" list!

BTW, I work in an elementary school cafeteria and we don't let kids not eat lunch. They have to have something to eat. Just not good to try and go all day with no fuel for their little minds.

 

[Christine]

I had a thread on this a few months ago.

Now, my son is not a picky eater and he does just fine at home. What he doesn't like are sandwiches that have been sitting in a bag for 6 hours, leftover thermos lunches, or basically anything traditional. He loves grilled cheese too!

After getting a lot of different responses on my thread, I realized that I had to think "outside" the box of giving him a traditional lunch. So, now he gets odd things but he's happy.

He likes these "bread twists" that Target makes (Archer Farms) so he takes one or two of those. I also give him a Special K cereal bar, a mozzarella cheese stick, a yogurt, and a drink. Of course, he picks out little changes here and there, but that's basically it and he's happy with it.

 

[debster812]

After getting a lot of different responses on my thread, I realized that I had to think "outside" the box of giving him a traditional lunch. So, now he gets odd things but he's happy.

This is us too. DS often has a couple of pieces of leftover cold pizza, cheese and crackers, lots of fruit and some crackers, baby carrots with a small amount of ranch dressing to dip, etc. Not a big sandwich eater. He'll take the ocassional Peanut Butter sandwich (no jelly) but we do lots of 'non traditional' lunches as well.

 

[Hannathy]

Your son sounds like my son! except mine will eat pb&j. I have given him just ham and cheese in a baggie. He will eat spaghettio"s with meatballs in a neat bowl type thermos I found by the cambell soup so that helps. He pretty much has 3 lunches and seems to not mind the repition. He eats very little so he gets 1/2 a sandwich or the pasta, doesn't like fruit so I don't bother he will eat apples at home and veggies so I don't worry, a rice crispie bar, fruit roll-up and a couple cookies or chips or something (rarely eats these) brings most things home. I only want him to eat something, it is so small of a component in his whole diet that I don't care put me on the bad Mother/bad lunch list. He is healthy, growing fine and does well and well behaved so I gave up worrying.
My guy won't try new things either and it is frustrating but I have learned everyone is different and he is who he is and not stress, Is he your first? cause kids are so different I have a DD who will try anything and eat anything! what a contrast. Good luck but don't worry too much he'll be fine.

 

[MsLeFever]

My DD doesn't do bread either. She usually takes string cheese, yogurt and some crackers (the kind with PB already on them).

Also sometimes we make our own "lunchables" I bought tiny containers and will cut up lunch meat and cheese.

 

[GJM]

I am so worried about my DS also - he is in Kinder. at this Daycare, but he will stat lst. grade in Sept. At his daycare they normally have chicken nuggets, mac & cheese and pizza. He will eat this.

But when he starts regular school I don't know what he is going to do. This kid eats nothing. He did just start eating ham & cheese sandwich, but now he says he doesn't like it anymore?! I can't figure him out -

I can count on my hands what he will eat. I am dreading Sept.!

 

[powellrj]

we have done some really odd lunches. My kids don't get cereal for breakfast very often, so I will pack a tupperware bowl with cereal and let them buy milk at school, add some fruit and they love it. We also do the thermos with soup and then add cheese and crackers and fruit. We do salad a lot. Pasta salad, toss salad, taco salad are all popular.

You might try grilled cheese. They sell them as uncrustables, so maybe its ok to pack. I would hate it, but I am not a grilled cheese fan anyway!!

 

[pumba]

when my granddaughter started school, she didn't like sandwiches back then or even mcd's ....so we are talking so fun to fix for. My daughter asked her what she would like to eat. So bagels went into a baggie with peanut butter on them or cream cheese. She would eat a tossed salad with cut up cheese. Hard boiled eggs...This little girl is now 16 and she has probably eaten two or three hamburgers in her life. She is a chicken eater though. She just finished working at Mc Donalds in town and still has not had a hamburg. she loves food but not sandwiches or hamburgs......ask your child and I bet that they will come up with some really good items to eat for lunches and snacks

 

[RadioNate]

I'm dreading kindergarten next year too. We aren't allowed to send pb&j or any other peaunt products which are about the only thing my DS will eat.

he'll eat cooked veggies but nothing raw so those are out. The only fruit he eats are apples but he likes them with peanut butter so that's out.

He will occasionally eat those peaches cups or applesauce cups so I'm going to send those with lunchmeat and crackers. He doesn't do bread or cheese. His school provides milk but he doesn't drink it. I need to see if they will provide water or if I need to send a water bottle.

I've had to go the 'allergy' route at preschool so they stop trying to force milk on him. I'm hoping I don't have to next year.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

My DD takes a bagel with butter every day. And a slice of American cheese in the wrapper. She will eat bread or a bagel and she will eat cheese. I'm just not allowed to put the cheese in the bagel. She also like fruit, found she loves pears. I've found that she's willing to try more things since she's been at school. I think its probably the peer pressure of what the other kids are eating. Oh and my DM got her addicted to Devil Dogs. What's with that? She never bought us Devil Dogs when we were kids. Thanks Mom!!
And my DD loves water and actually prefers it in her lunch box. I found a cool looking water bottle at target with a built in straw. If sealed correctly it won't leak. She takes this everyday which is what the principal recommended - Water or milk.
Good Luck!

 

[fanofdisney]

He likes these "bread twists" that Target makes (Archer Farms) so he takes one or two of those.

What are these? I love Target, but haven't seen them.

Everyone: these are all great ideas, thank you.

 

[Swimnoid]

DD18 and I were discussing the "bad parent lunch" thread the other day. While she was not too picky she wasnt much of a sandwich eater either She said her favorite lunches were home made lunchables, soup in a thermos and....best of all....spagehtti in a thermos There was a while when she wanted a grilled chicken sandwich on a hoagie roll every day. I remember when I was in 3rd grade I had 1 slice of american cheese on white bread EVERY day for the whole year! How weird is that. But thats what I wanted and I ate it.

 

[Imzadi]

At his daycare they normally have chicken nuggets, mac & cheese and pizza. He will eat this.

You could still make these for him to take to school. If he will eat the nuggets cold or at room temp, just put them in a baggie with sauce on the side. Or if he wants them warm, put them in the disposable styrofoam soup containers, like from Chinese take out. There are also soft-sided, insulated lunch pouches which can keep the nuggets & pizza semi-heated. The mac & cheese can go in a wide mouth thermos.

 

[Christine]

What are these? I love Target, but haven't seen them.

Everyone: these are all great ideas, thank you.

In the cracker aisle of Target (depends if your Target sells a lot of food), there are some different varieties of Archer Farms crackers, cheese straws, bread sticks, etc. These are bread twists and they are seasoned with different cheeses and spices depending on the variety you choose.