Major Frustration: I need new ideas for my kid's school lunches... please help!

[Grumpy's Gal]

tiny little pancakes with peanut butter - make them into sandwiches.

 

[ElizaB39]

Plain cold pasta, sometimes with shredded parmesan cheese. I just send it in in a baggie with a fork.

 

[Traveliz]

Sorry if this has been mentioned - I skimmed over the posts and didn't see - my little one is starting college so I haven't packed a lunch for awhile but when she too was very picky. I used to do spaghetti in the wide mouth thermos (she is a spaghetti only, no sauce person) and sent a separate container of parmesan. Mac and cheese also works well in the thermos.

Liz

 

[sk!mom]

I'm the wrong person to ask- My DD9 has taken peanut butter on whole wheat every day for 4 years. It's healthy and she doesn't like soup or any other kind of sandwich.

My suggestion would be to have them buy lunch a few times. If their cafeteria is as bad as the one at DD's school, anything you packed would soon be appreciated.

 

[SaraMc]

Have you tried Family Fun.com? They have tons of recipies for all sorts of fun things and there were some great ideas for lunches.
We always have my two nephews for about a month while thier parents are at work ( they are both in the army on assignments and there is a one month gap every year that no one is home so we being the gaurdians take them for a month) We try to vary it.. We made little Fingers near halloween ( you take Pillsbury cressent rolls put ham and cheese inside them and shape them like fingers, then take some green food colouring and give them green nails and nuckles. ) My nephews loved that they were taking Frankenstiens fingers for lunch. We gave them some mustard to dip and veggies etc

 

[canwegosoon]

My Lunch schedule (you can get through 2-3 weeks with no repeats)
Week 1
1. You must get a sandwich cutter from Pampered Chef...make your own crustables.(PB/j day1)
2. BLT: just dont put the tomaton one..put it in a seperate baggie and they will put on at lunch (BLT day 2)
3. Pepperoni/cheese slices and cubes..also crackers if you like.(day3)
4. Chicken Nuggets/popcorn chicken (thermos)(day4)
5. Buy Pizza at school.(day5)

Week 2
Mini pancakes/French toast sticks (Thermos)((day8)
Cheese sandwiches(day9)
Ham sandwich or pita(day 10)
Ravoli or spagettios (Thermos)(day11)
Pizza at school (day 12)

Week 3
Turkey with Honey Mustard rollup or sandwich or pita(day 15)
Tuna sandwich(day 16)
Soup(thermos)(day 17)
Chicken Chef Salad (use salad in a bag and left over chicken/min tomatoes/cheese/cucumber)(day 18)
Pizza at School (day 20)


To this they get: (I only give them a choice of 2 in each catagory (eg..do you want cucumbers or tomatoes with your lunch)
A veggie choice: Carrots, celery (with dip or ants on a log), cucumber, grape tomatoes
A fruit: Apple sauce, fruit cocktail, watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, cantalope, pineapple, apple slices, kiwi or oranges.
A dairy: Pudding, youghart, cheese cubes, string cheese, drinkable youg.

If in a growth spurt(or for snack): Trail mix, nuts, peanutbutter crackers, ceral, brownie, cookie, or krispie bar. The deal is if they do not finish the good parts of their lunch, they will not get a snack for the rest of the week.

Beverage: Water, lemonade, low sugar twister.

I like a menu it helps keep me organized.

 

[mum4jenn]

The deal is if they do not finish the good parts of their lunch, they will not get a snack for the rest of the week.

How do you know if they eat the "good parts" or not?? I am the lunchroom manager at my school and during lunch I am basically on trash duty and I am AMAZED at the things kids throw away every day. I ask them why they don't eat it or what their mom would say and they tell me that they tell their mom they eat it. A bunch of kids will have their friends bring them "bad snacks" from their home. Just yesterday I witnessed a young girl throw away all kinds of fruits and veggies and she was cramming cheetos in her mouth that her friend brought!!!!!!!

 

[canwegosoon]

How do you know if they eat the "good parts" or not?? I am the lunchroom manager at my school and during lunch I am basically on trash duty and I am AMAZED at the things kids throw away every day. I ask them why they don't eat it or what their mom would say and they tell me that they tell their mom they eat it. A bunch of kids will have their friends bring them "bad snacks" from their home. Just yesterday I witnessed a young girl throw away all kinds of fruits and veggies and she was cramming cheetos in her mouth that her friend brought!!!!!!!

Mine have to bring their container home!!! SO I can tell...I know many throw away their lunches, but if they are hungry..they will eat. I don't mind they not finishing something, but the rule is the dessert is for dessert, and if you can't finish lunch you shouldn't have dessert. So I remind mine to eat their fruit or veggie at snack and then they know they can have dessert. BTW I also have 1 with severe reflux, so I need to allow him as much time as possible for lunch, and the lines at his school are long. I know you are very proactive about school lunches...I wish I could (but at least I look at the school menu for ideas )in their school there is less than 20 minutes for lunch...so I think my reflux boy needs every minute he can. Also at their school there is a policy of no sharing...and the lunch ladies enforce it...due to food allergies.

 

[momoftwins]

Do you use the microwave pancakes in the Thermos? Are they soggy by lunch time? My DS loves those mini pancakes, but won't eat them soggy.



Also, does anyone have any tricks on how to keep apple slices from turning brown without using lemon juice? My DS who is the pickiest eater on the face of the earth does not like the taste of the lemon juice - ugh!

 

[princessmomma]

Also, does anyone have any tricks on how to keep apple slices from turning brown without using lemon juice? My DS who is the pickiest eater on the face of the earth does not like the taste of the lemon juice - ugh!

Wow, it is nice to see my thread resurrected, just in time I might add.

I cut up apples and put them in a ziploc baggy. Then using a straw, I suck the air out and that seems to keep them from browning up.

 

[momoftwins]

My guys don't go back to school until 9/5 (got out 6/30), so I will try the apple trick!

Let's keep this bumped up. I have to have the pickiest DS in the world (no meat, no pasta, no cheese, no eggs, no veggies - I really mean none on all of these!). This thread gave me some other ideas!

 

[jeankeri]

This thread is new to me- great ideas in time for school!! My boys love sports/nutrition bars for the bread/grain part of their lunch. Clif bars have come out with Z-Bars for kids. No hydrogenated oils, no high fructose corn syrup and they taste great. They will pack one with a yogurt and some fresh fruit. There are some grown-up sports bars they like too; Luna bars are one brand.

 

[lbgraves]

OK, I see that some of you have put chicken nuggets in a thermos. How do you keep them from getting soggy? Does a paper towel in it work?

 

[canwegosoon]

Do you use the microwave pancakes in the Thermos? Are they soggy by lunch time? My DS loves those mini pancakes, but won't eat them soggy.



Also, does anyone have any tricks on how to keep apple slices from turning brown without using lemon juice? My DS who is the pickiest eater on the face of the earth does not like the taste of the lemon juice - ugh!

I toast the microwave pancakes (less soggy)
Certain apples brown less readily...I like Gala, HoneyCrisp, or Washingtons. You can use Fruit fresh as a wash also.

 

[canwegosoon]

OK, I see that some of you have put chicken nuggets in a thermos. How do you keep them from getting soggy? Does a paper towel in it work?

I boil the water and leave it in the thermos as long as possible, then dry, at the same time micro the nuggets...I find the Tyson work well with out being all bread...also chicken tenders work good too. I think maybe my boys are not too selective about their sogginess aw:

 

[kelsco99]

Just subscribing to this thread... these ideas will come in handy when school starts in September!

To the OP, thanks for the great post!

Kelly

 

[kidshop]

Also, does anyone have any tricks on how to keep apple slices from turning brown without using lemon juice? My DS who is the pickiest eater on the face of the earth does not like the taste of the lemon juice - ugh!

Pineapple juice or orange juice. Soak for a few minutes and you are good to go!

 

[jlb]

I agree, the crustable sandwich cutter from Pampered Chef is a must, even during the summer every once in a while my dd will request a circle sandwich.

I have the problem of my daughter only eats a few things...so my plan this year is:

different fruit every day (dd only eats a half of apple so will have to offer a pb dip after school as snack)
saw a cute idea with cookie cutters turkey and cheese in family fun mag, I hope it works.
PBJ Crustables are good for 2x a week (made from the PC Cutter)
My DD loves Pasta Salad with fresh veggies...thinking of giving that a try.

The plus in my situtation is I work in the district she goes to so have an inside track on the kitchen, occasionaly I let her buy lunch.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

whole grain crackers

cold pasta (my kids love this--so sorry if it sounds weird).

 

[Junebugwv]

Cheese cubes in one baggie and stick pretzels in another. They can jab the cheese cubes with the pretzels. Put egg salad in a container and let them use crackers or wheat thins to dip the egg salad.