Lunchmeat alternatives?

[kellia]

Geez, lunchmeat is so darned expensive! Seems like most are about $6/pound, doesn't make taking lunches to school and work very budget friendly. Any alternatives that are healthy? My kids won't eat peanut butter!

 

[java]

yogurt, Raisins, carrots, bagels with whatever on them, soup, mac and cheese in a thermos, cheese, fruit and crackers.

My kids are not big on sandwiches- so I have to be very creative on the lunches.

 

[twinnersmama]

My kids like to take pasta salad -- rotini noodles, ham cubes, cherry tomatoes, italian dressing.

IF you are looking for a sandwich, what about egg, ham, tuna, or chicken salad?

 

[Mom23Disneybelievers]

It depends on how picky your kids are....but my kids like:
tomato and mozzarella sandwiches
tunafish sandwiches
yogurt
carrots, crackers and hummus

 

[DawnM]

Real sliced meat is healthier anyway. Cook a chicken and slice it up or make into chicken salad sandwiches.

Dawn

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Leftovers. My kids all have a thermos for food (and another for drinks). I send them in with pasta and meatballs, tacos etc. If they liked something for dinner they usually ask to have it for lunch. You could also make stuff like Chicken salad yourself. Make an oven stuffer, have dinner, use the leftover for chicken salad and then make chicken stock with the rest.

 

[2Blue1Pink]

My non-meat eaters like an occasional bagel with cream cheese!

 

[Minnie M6]

cream cheese and olive sandwiches- yum!

 

[crisi]

Real sliced meat is healthier anyway. Cook a chicken and slice it up or make into chicken salad sandwiches.

Dawn

Or ham. Or corned beef....or pretty much anything.

Think of your grandmother making sandwiches. She'd cook a turkey for dinner on Sunday and grandpa would have turkey sandwiches all week. Saturday afternoon there would be turkey soup with the carcass. A ham on Sunday became ham sandwiches and ham salad for a week, and ham and bean soup on Saturday.

 

[a1tinkfans]

My ds gets no lunch 3 days a week (his choice to instead take college courses and ap's) and is a picky eater to boot!
He gets:
snack sized bag of pretzels (I buy those large containers at bjs and scoop it out)
2 bags of small organic bite size carrots, he is a Carrot King!
bottled water with a crystal light pkg
small applesauce (I also buy bulk at bjs) CHEAP and so healthy( no sugar kind!
3-4 cookies (thats ME more than him, but I do want him to get a sugar boost as its a long day...).
On days he gets "Lunch time"
I add in a snack sized bag that has grilled chicken strips cooked with mrs dash, spicy. I make TONS of it, and then freeze individual bags and pull it out when needed.
Its like one of the only things he actually likes, not a sandwich kid, no bagels, no junk food...WHERE did this child come from, not me for sure! too funny
EVEREY once in a while, I actually will go to McD's and pick him up something (2 hamburgers, NOTHING on it and apple pie) and drop it off just to change it up....I feel bad, it does not seem to faze him, he'd just skip eating....till he got home........

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Or ham. Or corned beef....or pretty much anything.

Think of your grandmother making sandwiches. She'd cook a turkey for dinner on Sunday and grandpa would have turkey sandwiches all week. Saturday afternoon there would be turkey soup with the carcass. A ham on Sunday became ham sandwiches and ham salad for a week, and ham and bean soup on Saturday.

yum!

 

[pyrxtc]

I think if you even out $6 a pound wiht 2 lunches for 5 days a week, you are looking at 50 cents a sandwhich. That's not too bad. Add the bread and cheese and stuff and you are still looking at about the same you pay for a school lunch. The way my kids eat, school lunch is cheaper than them taking one every day.

 

[GinCar]

My DD loves taking quesadillas. She only wants cheese on them, but it is a little different.

 

[Ericandus]

What about "pocket" sandwiches? I buy the grands biscuits on sale, then stuff them with leftover taco meat or BBQ, sloppy joe meat, or a little pizza sauce and cheese (add whatever your kids like, pepperoni, veggies, etc). Then fold them over, seal the edges with a fork and bake at 350 until they are lightly browned. My kids don't seem to mind eating them at room temperature, so I usually heat them and put them in their lunchboxes in the mornings and they are fine by lunchtime! (my 1st grade daughter eats at 10:15am!)

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

My ds gets no lunch 3 days a week (his choice to instead take college courses and ap's) and is a picky eater to boot!
He gets:
snack sized bag of pretzels (I buy those large containers at bjs and scoop it out)
2 bags of small organic bite size carrots, he is a Carrot King!
bottled water with a crystal light pkg
small applesauce (I also buy bulk at bjs) CHEAP and so healthy( no sugar kind!
3-4 cookies (thats ME more than him, but I do want him to get a sugar boost as its a long day...).
On days he gets "Lunch time"
I add in a snack sized bag that has grilled chicken strips cooked with mrs dash, spicy. I make TONS of it, and then freeze individual bags and pull it out when needed.
Its like one of the only things he actually likes, not a sandwich kid, no bagels, no junk food...WHERE did this child come from, not me for sure! too funny
EVEREY once in a while, I actually will go to McD's and pick him up something (2 hamburgers, NOTHING on it and apple pie) and drop it off just to change it up....I feel bad, it does not seem to faze him, he'd just skip eating....till he got home........

My DD15 did the same thing, but she never has a lunch. She keeps a case of granola bars (from Sam's) in her locker and takes baby carrots, fruit, etc that she can eat in the halls on the way to class. Can't argue with them for doing it, but I don't think I could. I'd want the break mid-day.

My younger 2 LOVE PB&J, the youngest has it every single day. She wants nothing else. But sometimes DD10 wants things in her thermos or a salad or pasta salad. The onl yone who really takes lunch meat is DH who takes turkey just about everyday, but it is still way cheaper then going out to lunch.

Another thing my kids love is what they call veggie dippers. Carrots, broccoli, celery, cucumber, grape tomatoes, califlower, etc all with a side of light ranch. They love it and it can easily replace a sandwich, though isn't going to be any cheaper.

 

[disneydreamersx4]

the baked chicken and the pasta salad are great ideas, thanks!

I've been buying the Costco brand chicken in a can for a change from tuna.
my DD#2 can't take a thermos for hot lunch because she has last lunch at 2:15 so things don't stay hot.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I have one with a late lunch too (1:50pm). I bought our Thermoses (is that a word) in the camping department (arge mouth ones for easy cleaning.) They were a little pricey but say the keep foods hot for 24 hours, and while we have not tested if that is true, they have brought home what they didn't finish at lunch and finsihed as an after school snack and the food was still hot. I got one for around $20 but then got 2 more on clearance for $4, so you might get lucky and hit a sale. Also, remember to heat the thermos with hot water before you fill it. You may know this but I have a friend who didn't know so you never know.

 

[brandylouwho]

My daughter loves pasta salad too...noodles, cubed ham, shred cheese and peas (fresh or use frozen ones that you thaw out). I prefer it with ranch dressing, but she eats it with no dressing. Sometimes I add in shredded carrots or use chicken instead of ham.

But she still likes a plain ham sandwich and would eat it every day. bread & ham (no butter, no cheese, no mayo). I think she is wierd.

 

[spare+a_pair]

Here is what we send when sandwices get "boring". We have a funtainer and they do a good job of keeping things warm

Pizza pocket - pita pocket with spaghetti sauce, mozelrella, and pepperoni - heat in oven on 350 for about 10 min
Mac n Cheese - you can add diced ham or diced hot dog
Chicken nuggets
Spaghetti w/loose ground meat
Diced chicken w/taco seasoning on it wrapped in tortillas
Taco meat with cheese on top, baggie of tostada chips on the side
Chicken noodle soup
Chili
Jambalaya
Apples and celery with peanut butter
Hot dogs

If I think of more, I'll post. DS LOVES to bring leftovers too

 

[Darcy03231]

I started making my own ham salad, chicken salad and egg salad and its so much cheaper. I get boneless skinless chicken when its on sale ($1.88 - $1.99/lb) and use that for chicken salad. I get the ham shoulder (.89-.99/lb and use that for the ham salad (I also use the leftover bone/meat for soup). My kids would rather have chicken salad or ham salad then the sliced meats anyway.