School lunchbox ideas? Budget friendly?

[java]

Homemade pizza"lunchable"
I make a crust. Cut it into a couple squares. Each day get one crust, a little container of sauce, a container of mozzarella cheese and whatever topping they are into at the time(broccoli and pepperoni were the most often choices)

I was sick of making pb&j so i started funky cutting them. Into sticks, star shaped, whatever. I even got star wars cutters.

I try to have some treat in there too. I bought some "tubes" off Amazon today planning on using those for applesauce, frozen yogurt, or whatever else i can come up with.

A bagel with butter. Some ham and cheese rollups and some grapes was my on son's lunch often.

 

[got2sammies]

Kroger has Capri sun boxes .99 per box which is 10 drinks if you buy 5... Plus my paper had a $1 coupon off two.. Score!!

 

[EMode]

My ds brings a lunch every day. We do the typical sandwiches a lot. We also do bagels with cream cheese, hard boiled eggs and veggie sticks, raviolis, ramen, mozzerella sticks, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese (homemafe, sometimes with ham in it)pizza and depending on dinner he'll take leftovers. I'll always throw in a fruit or veggie.

 

[Sunnyday3]

I'm joining in! I buy the flavored water "Capri Suns" and keep them in the freezer. It serves as an ice pack, and is then thawed, but still cold, at lunch time. One of our favorites-whole wheat tortillas, spread with flavored cream cheese. Then I add thin slices of cucumbers, sweet peppers, turkey, cheese, and then roll it up and make pinwheel slices. Yum!

 

[jessiesgurl]

just responding so I can follow to get ideas!

 

[DaughteroftheKing]

My school aged child likes grapes or orange slices as a fruit.

For a veggie I can get him to do carrots or salad with ranch to dip in.

We go through lots of granola bars too.

For those whose children like apple slices...how do you get them to not turn brown before lunch? My son would eat apple slices but they will either turn brown OR taste like lemon juice if I spray them. ???

 

[BusyMomX2]

My school aged child likes grapes or orange slices as a fruit.

For a veggie I can get him to do carrots or salad with ranch to dip in.

We go through lots of granola bars too.

For those whose children like apple slices...how do you get them to not turn brown before lunch? My son would eat apple slices but they will either turn brown OR taste like lemon juice if I spray them. ???

If you just put a few drops of lemon juice on them they shouldn't taste like lemon. That trick has always worked for me.

 

[disney212]

My school aged child likes grapes or orange slices as a fruit.

For a veggie I can get him to do carrots or salad with ranch to dip in.

We go through lots of granola bars too.

For those whose children like apple slices...how do you get them to not turn brown before lunch? My son would eat apple slices but they will either turn brown OR taste like lemon juice if I spray them. ???

I actually use orange juice and it works as well as the lemon juice.

 

[wenrob]

I actually use orange juice and it works as well as the lemon juice.

Stupid question, do you leave them in the juice when putting in the lunch containers or will they be fine once treated? And does anyone have ideas for bananas? It seems the second you put one in a lunchbox it turns brown and then my kids won't touch it with a ten foot pole.

I do mostly as others, sliced meat, cheese sticks, crackers, carrot sticks, a small treat. Following for some fresh ideas!

 

[disney212]

Stupid question, do you leave them in the juice when putting in the lunch containers or will they be fine once treated? And does anyone have ideas for bananas? It seems the second you put one in a lunchbox it turns brown and then my kids won't touch it with a ten foot pole.

I do mostly as others, sliced meat, cheese sticks, crackers, carrot sticks, a small treat. Following for some fresh ideas!

I sprinkle the juice over them, there is normally a bit of juice in the container (I dont actually dry them off) but they are not swimming in juice.

 

[wenrob]

I sprinkle the juice over them, there is normally a bit of juice in the container (I dont actually dry them off) but they are not swimming in juice.

Thanks.

 

[msmama]

I was sick of making pb&j so i started funky cutting them. Into sticks, star shaped, whatever. I even got star wars cutters.

My son rarely finishes his requested sandwich, EXCEPT when it's cut into a fun shape (I have Star wars ones, too).

For those whose children like apple slices...how do you get them to not turn brown before lunch? My son would eat apple slices but they will either turn brown OR taste like lemon juice if I spray them. ???

Target sells bagged apple slizes (not individual bags but bulk bags) and I use those, but a friends told me that fresh lemonade (not like koolaid or crystal light though I suppose those may work) keeps apples from turning and her kids like it more. She uses the Simply Raspberry Lemonade and her apples do taste yummy!

 

[sherry7]

I'm joining in! I buy the flavored water "Capri Suns" and keep them in the freezer. It serves as an ice pack, and is then thawed, but still cold, at lunch time. One of our favorites-whole wheat tortillas, spread with flavored cream cheese. Then I add thin slices of cucumbers, sweet peppers, turkey, cheese, and then roll it up and make pinwheel slices. Yum!

Those roll ups sound delicious! My roll ups always unroll. Is there a trick to it, other than stabbing them with toothpicks?

My school aged child likes grapes or orange slices as a fruit.

For a veggie I can get him to do carrots or salad with ranch to dip in.

We go through lots of granola bars too.

For those whose children like apple slices...how do you get them to not turn brown before lunch? My son would eat apple slices but they will either turn brown OR taste like lemon juice if I spray them. ???

I tried this for the first time last week, and it worked well. I mixed 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice with 1 cup of water, and let the cut apples soak for about 10 minutes. I tried a couple the next day, and really couldn't taste the lemon.

 

[sherry7]

I have to pack DD4 a lunch for day camp this week. We have a container like this.

In the 2 small sections I packed grapes, baby carrots, sugar snap peas, and sliced cucumbers. In the large section, I packed a homemade Lunchable, using Wheat Thins, cut up cheddar cheese and ham. I have some silicone cupcake liners, and put each component of the Lunchable into one of those to keep them sectioned. The lunch box came home nearly empty, which means that she liked it. This is much less expensive than buying a pre-made Lunchable, and much healthier as well.

 

[MrsPooh]

I've been packing school lunches for nearly twenty years (yikes). At this point I think I've packed nearly everything imaginable.

What has worked best for me recently was sitting my daughter down and making a list. I would name a "category" and then we would brainstorm ideas of what she likes that would work for lunch - also for snacks at aftercare when needed. I made a master list that hangs on our fridge. Works perfectly because I can choose to mix and match from her list and she is happy because it is always something she chose.

Our categories - main course, fruit, veggie, snack/dessert, crunchy, and aftercare snack.

For fruits she listed grapes, banana, applesauce pouch, oranges, peach cup, and strawberries.

For veggies she listed celery sticks, carrot sticks, and salad (she's not a big veggie fan).

Main entrees included ham rolls (just ham rolled up and held with a toothpick), cheese cubes, turkey sandwiches, ham sandwiches, pizza bites (I make homemade bagel bites with bagel thins), rotisserie chicken chunks, homemade lunchables with crackers, and uncrustables (our splurge when mom is out of time).

We did this with each category and then I can shop and pack using it as a guide. It has worked great throughout the school year and for summer day camps.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

My school aged child likes grapes or orange slices as a fruit.

For a veggie I can get him to do carrots or salad with ranch to dip in.

We go through lots of granola bars too.

For those whose children like apple slices...how do you get them to not turn brown before lunch? My son would eat apple slices but they will either turn brown OR taste like lemon juice if I spray them. ???

For apples I use an apple corer and then rubber band the apple, core and all, back together. It keeps the apple from turning brown.

 

[DaughteroftheKing]

Thanks to all for the apple suggestions, I'll give them a try and see if we can figure out a way to keep ds's apples from turning brown without him being able to tell I've done something to them.

 

[Granfan]

Pineapple juice works well for me on apples.i like to make a mixed fruit salad and include pineapple and some of the juice.

 

[tikitorie]

My kids' favorite thing that I pack them are english muffin pizzas. when I get up I make up mini pizzas on english muffins and throw them in the oven, they only take about 10 mins to cook. when done, I put one on top of the other and wrap them in foil. they are still slightly warm at lunchtime. I also do this with cheese quesadillas!

 

[set1208]

Those roll ups sound delicious! My roll ups always unroll. Is there a trick to it, other than stabbing them with toothpicks?

I add mayo to the edge of the wrap to act as a glue.