Need Field Trip Lunch Ideas

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I have thought about freezing drinks for field trips. Does anyone have a problem with the drink thawing, and the condensation making the brown bad all wet. I wouldn't want it to fall apart. Luckily our schools do use ice chests, so I think everything stays cooler.

I just pack my kid's lunch in a CVS bag or whatever store I have on hand. He brings it home some of the time so it's not totally wasteful, but if he loses it I can afford a new one (bags are 5 cents here now, so not free but budget friendly).

My poor kid gets approximately the same lunch every day, he goes to camp all summer since I work so he must eat this more than 200 times a year: turkey sandwich on whole wheat (holds up fine to the heat of camp), 2 kinds of fruit: usually one processed one not, so apple sauce and grapes or a peach and some raisins, sometimes both are fresh, and a yogurt, which I know is out for your kid, and a frozen water bottle.

 

[RadioNate]

Well I bought a lunchable. I let him pick it out. Of course I've already forgotten which one it was. Looked gross to me.

I'm freezing a Capri-Sun and the Lunchable has one so at least one will be thawed.

We've got an apple and a peach cup.

I think our granola bars are peanut safe, if not I have some graham snacks that should be.

I think that'll be enough. He's a big eater IF it is something he eats. I never really think of him as that picky until I have to do something like this.

The dairy is the big issue, won't touch it at all. Never did, even as a baby. His sister, however, lives on yogurt. He does like vegetables, just not carrots, lettuce or any of the common 'dipping' uncooked veggies.

thanks all!

 

[cybrkitn]

One word: Lunchables

DS8 is a very picky eater and does not like sandwiches (takes after his father on that aspect). He has a field trip already planned for next Thursday and I will be buying him a Lunchable for it.

ETA: Oops , looks like I was a bit late there. Glad to see it worked out.

 

[chamonix]

Really no difference between a lunchable and deli meat. Both technically need to be refrigerated but have so much sodium they are fine for a few hours until lunchtime. Blue ice packs can also easily be thrown away, if you're ok with throwing away all that packaging from a lunchable, and ok with paying for all that excess packaging, just buy a small, soft sided blue ice pack and then pack better food, lol. Same cost to you and the planet either one you choose.

Kids are suckers for advertising though, so your child probably thinks a lunchable is an amazing treat. sorry, those things are just gross to me! YMMV, of course.

 

[golfgal]

I have thought about freezing drinks for field trips. Does anyone have a problem with the drink thawing, and the condensation making the brown bad all wet. I wouldn't want it to fall apart. Luckily our schools do use ice chests, so I think everything stays cooler.

Wrap the drink in a washcloth and put a rubber band around it. If he throws away the wash cloth, oh well, it can also double as something to wipe his hands when he is done.

 

[aprilgail2]

hummus on pita
do it yourself Lunchable- small slices of ham or pepperoni and crackers
plain old turkey/ham sandwich

I can't say I know any kid that eats hummus but I guess to each their own.... I would have to send in a frozen drink for sure if I packed any type of "meat" - the thought of eating warm cold cuts is just gross-especially if there is mayo on them.

I have thought about freezing drinks for field trips. Does anyone have a problem with the drink thawing, and the condensation making the brown bad all wet. I wouldn't want it to fall apart. Luckily our schools do use ice chests, so I think everything stays cooler.

We don't use paper bags- we use the plastic bags you get at the food store or anyplace else you shop.
I would be lost with the standard peanut butter sandwich! My daughter takes some form of peanut butter to school every day, either crackers, on bread or even just the small jar with a spoon! In fact when the kids go on field trips and are "free lunch" kids- they each get a bagged lunch with peanut butter and jelly from the cafeteria!

 

[mhsjax]

I can't say I know any kid that eats hummus but I guess to each their own.... I would have to send in a frozen drink for sure if I packed any type of "meat" - the thought of eating warm cold cuts is just gross-especially if there is mayo on them.



We don't use paper bags- we use the plastic bags you get at the food store or anyplace else you shop.
I would be lost with the standard peanut butter sandwich! My daughter takes some form of peanut butter to school every day, either crackers, on bread or even just the small jar with a spoon! In fact when the kids go on field trips and are "free lunch" kids- they each get a bagged lunch with peanut butter and jelly from the cafeteria!

When DS takes his lunch to school, I do use a regular lunch box with an ice pack, and he buys a water bottle there, or takes one from home.

With field trips they want a brown bag, but I never thought about a plastic throw away from the grocery store. Like I said for us, they take giant coolers so I never thought about keeping things cool and this is the one time that he takes a lunchable. I do hate those things. The one way DS will eat peanut butter is on a spoon. I will have to splurge on field trips and buy the single serving kind and give him a plastic spoon. Has to healthier than a lunchable.

I am just not very creative when it comes to packing a lunch, but I am a wiz at coming up with ideas at home.

 

[RadioNate]

Really no difference between a lunchable and deli meat. Both technically need to be refrigerated but have so much sodium they are fine for a few hours until lunchtime. Blue ice packs can also easily be thrown away, if you're ok with throwing away all that packaging from a lunchable, and ok with paying for all that excess packaging, just buy a small, soft sided blue ice pack and then pack better food, lol. Same cost to you and the planet either one you choose.

Kids are suckers for advertising though, so your child probably thinks a lunchable is an amazing treat. sorry, those things are just gross to me! YMMV, of course.

I'm not eating a lunchable. He picked the "pizza" one so no lunch meat. The whole thing looked disgusting but it is one meal of one day so what the heck. I packed an apple, a peach fruit cup and a nutra-grain bar too. I have a feeling that he isn't even going to like the pizza lunchable but he'll live. He might just dip the "crust" in to the sauce and call it a day. It has an Airhead candy in it, which is likely why he picked it. LOVES those.

I can't say I know any kid that eats hummus but I guess to each their own.... I would have to send in a frozen drink for sure if I packed any type of "meat" - the thought of eating warm cold cuts is just gross-especially if there is mayo on them.

We don't use paper bags- we use the plastic bags you get at the food store or anyplace else you shop.
I would be lost with the standard peanut butter sandwich! My daughter takes some form of peanut butter to school every day, either crackers, on bread or even just the small jar with a spoon! In fact when the kids go on field trips and are "free lunch" kids- they each get a bagged lunch with peanut butter and jelly from the cafeteria!

My daughter loves hummus. There is no way this kid even looks at hummus. Peanut Butter and Jelly is my total go to and what I normally would have sent. It is what I've sent on every field trip for the last 4 years. But he has a peanut allergic girl in his class this year so that is out. They are not a peanut free school and he can bring that for lunch (she is at the peanut free table) but since they are all eating together today PB&J is out.

I even sent the nutra-grain bar instead of the granola bar he wanted because it was questionable as to it's peanut contamination.

I really don't have that much of a problem feeding him at home...he is just bad for on the go stuff.

 

[MomofKatie]

I can't say I know any kid that eats hummus but I guess to each their own.... I would have to send in a frozen drink for sure if I packed any type of "meat" - the thought of eating warm cold cuts is just gross-especially if there is mayo on them.

DD is a hummus lover- but she doesn't like "normal" kid foods. Our local warehouse foods store carries single serve containers of hummus, and that is what DD brings for lunch about every third day. She likes it with pita, pita chips, or fresh veggies for dipping.

I'm totally with you on the warm lunch meat (with mayo-eew) thing. DD has decided that she doesn't want any more meat in her lunches, but when she did, we would either pack a frozen juice box with it or put it in a plastic comtainer with a built-in blue ice block. No mayo, ever, for her- she doesn't like condiments.

 

[cybrkitn]

Really no difference between a lunchable and deli meat.

Actually there is. Lunchables come in more than just baloney, ham and turkey with crackers. They have chicken nuggets, pizza, tacos, hamburgers, nachos, and hot dogs. DS8 will only eat these. I've tried in the beginning with the deli meats and he didn't like them. Can't say that I blame him. I tried it and didn't like it either

I only get Lunchables for field trips for him (which are only about 2 or 3 during the year). In school he gets a hot lunch every day.