Whats in your lunchbox?

Neyite

Inspired by Pwurple's Quest for the Perfect lunchbox (which I'm avidly following for inspiration) I'd like to gather ideas for what to put in it. As he's been in a creche, I've not needed to worry about feeding him Monday -Friday as they had an onsite chef.

Hes in Junior Infants. He's as fussy as fcuk, but I do want him to have a healthy lunch so a lot of variety of lunch ideas that I can try and he can reject are most welcome.

January

My son is starting pre-school next week and I've to provide his lunch (an unknown for me because up until now all my kids have had lunch provided for them in pre-school and school!) so I was thinking of a sandwich or wrap (cheese, ham, pepperoni, turkey he's not fussy about that thankfully!), a piece of fruit or handful of grapes etc, cheese cubes or sticks, and maybe hummus and dippers like pitta/carrot sticks/cucumber. He'll only have one lunch thankfully though not small break and big break!

jlm29

My son has a sandwich (ham, every single day, I don't know how he sustains it, but he refuses point blank to want anything else between his two slices of bread), a piece of fruit (grapes, berries, banana usually) and an actively. Maybe raisins sometimes.
They did food dudes in junior infants, and he actually agreed to eat carrot sticks too, so sometimes he will take these as well as the fruit.

January

Food Dudes is great, mine all did it at Early Start. One has SPD and DCD and just wouldn't try the stuff though. She's verrrryyy particular about what she eats.

2xj3hplqgsbkym

jlm29 wrote: »

My son has a sandwich (ham, every single day, I don't know how he sustains it, but he refuses point blank to want anything else between his two slices of bread), a piece of fruit (grapes, berries, banana usually) and an actively. Maybe raisins sometimes.
They did food dudes in junior infants, and he actually agreed to eat carrot sticks too, so sometimes he will take these as well as the fruit.

Yes mine like the same all the time too. I always give;
1 fruit ( orange banana, grapes or pear) 1 veg ( carrots, olives or cucumber )
1 protein- ( slice of cheese or ham)
1 Carb ( 2 to 4 cream crackers, and or plain rice cake / bread stick or half a kids wrap)
1 treat ( always a frube)

Would love if they ate sandwiches but they don't .
Nuts would be handy but banned in school due to allergies.

When they started school we made a little chart and drew the fruits and veg etc... In the categories and explained that they had to have one thing from each every day, so if they go off carrots for example they can't switch to having a fruit instead it has to be another veg.

painauchocolat

Sophie Fierce Jaw wrote: »

When they started school we made a little chart and drew the fruits and veg etc... In the categories and explained that they had to have one thing from each every day, so if they go off carrots for example they can't switch to having a fruit instead it has to be another veg.

Stealing this! Fab idea

Neyite

painauchocolat wrote: »

Stealing this! Fab idea

Me too!

shesty

Love this thread!Mine is starting preschool next week, and she dismantles sandwiches rather than eating them.So glad somebody else's kids don't eat sandwiches.

pwurple

The hunt continues Neyite...

Lunchbox contents here Keep me on my toes. My girls want very specific things (to trade I found out later!) and the school has a No Packaging rule.

The tradeable items are crackers. Cream crackers buttered, or the rosemary ones from aldi, or cheesy ones like ritz.

Wrap or sandwich, always cheese or chicken here. Sometimes I put a ricecake in here too.

Fruit, i used to give something like apples and pears but the loose teeth at the moment don't like that. So it is now banana, satsuma or soft fruit like blueberries/strawberries.

Dried fruit is the treat, because no packaging. Raisins, dried apricots, dried banana.

Veg. Carrot sticks. Cucumber slices. Cherry tomatoes. My eldest bizarrely loves rocket and grows it herself, so sometimes a bunch of that. (I know, not all are veg there)

Bottle of water... and reusable water bottles wreck my head as well by the way.

pwurple

I'll just leave this here:

Neyite

He wont eat cheese any more and doesn't drink milk unless the moon is aligned with Saturn either. So I'm stuck with yoghurt. I've managed to wean him off the sugary frubes /petis filous stuff onto proper yoghurt finally but I've to blitz the fruit bits in it first with my hand blender. That's where the big Lidl tubs of yoghurt come in handy.

I've already got some stackable jars from Homestore at home with the screw lid that I can put a yoghurt into.

My pro-tip for actually remembering to bring the lunch you lovingly assembled the night before is to put it into the car the night before.

Usually night time temperatures are not far off your fridge and a couple of ice packs help on a warmer night but during winter it's fine. I learned this the hard way when I'd usually remember to bring it when I was halfway to work and would have to make do with a soggy sambo from maxol, while my gorgeous homemade Greek salad languished in the fridge.

Neyite

Smoothies! - Little fella does love these, how could I forget? He thinks they are a treat and begs me for them.

Hulk Smoothie: Fresh Spinach, Avocado, OJ and Greek yoghurt.
Ironman Smoothie: Fruits of the forest berries, OJ and Greek yoghurt.
Minion Smoothie: Banana & Mango OJ and Greek yoghurt.
Flash Smoothie: Strawberry, Carrot, OJ and Greek yoghurt.

I'd imagine you could change the names to make them more appealing to girls though.

Neyite

http://cf.diaryofarecipecollector.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Lunch-Calendar.pdf

This is a good template for inspiration I think.

shesty

I was buying lunch boxes and contemplating lunches and mentally hearing the voice of several family members (who are teachers) on things to not give your child......ie:
Anything they can't open themselves.

Which when you think of a junior infant (never mind a preschooler!!) Means frubes, fruits with skin on (like small oranges, maybe not bananas though), packets of raisins etc., complicated lunch boxes, some yoghurts (and you want to be fairly sure they can feed themselves the yoghurt too...), and possibly some cheese stick type snacks.

In other words all the stuff that's handy and that they love the packaging on 🙄

If I was a teacher, I'd do my head in at having to open 20-something frubes and small oranges every day.I have a lot of work around 'independence' to do with my child!!!

jlm29

My little guy loves those yoghurt lollies, (yollies, I think they're called). He can open them by himself, so sometimes I give him those. Actimel are high risk for mess. I'd say there's as much sugar in a packet of skittles though. It's hard to find a balance with yoghurts!

Neyite

Actimel was opened once in my car.

Once.

Sunny Dayz

You'd think after 8 years of lunch making I'd have it sorted. But making lunch for his first day of secondary school last night and I just drew a blank! Secondary school days will be longer and busier plus he's a growing boy, he'll need something substantial. Before was just a sandwich/bagel and a cereal bar. He won't eat fruit, salad or yoghurt. Loves meats, cheeses and breads.

nikpmup

Oh man. My lad's starting preschool on Monday, I went into supervalu yesterday and spent 45mins wandering around realising I have no idea how to lunch. I'm thinking rice cakes or crackers and hummus/nut butter (if there's no nut restrictions) fruit (berries, satsuma segments, banana, apple) cheese & ham tortilla pinwheels, cheese cubes etc. I'll throw in some veggies but I know they'll be laughed at. Might as well go along with the pretence. There's a fridge so he can have a yogurt or milk as well.

Does anyone know where you can get mini rice cakes that aren't coated in chocolate or yogurt?

Roesy

nikpmup wrote: »

Oh man. My lad's starting preschool on Monday, I went into supervalu yesterday and spent 45mins wandering around realising I have no idea how to lunch. I'm thinking rice cakes or crackers and hummus/nut butter (if there's no nut restrictions) fruit (berries, satsuma segments, banana, apple) cheese & ham tortilla pinwheels, cheese cubes etc. I'll throw in some veggies but I know they'll be laughed at. Might as well go along with the pretence. There's a fridge so he can have a yogurt or milk as well.

Does anyone know where you can get mini rice cakes that aren't coated in chocolate or yogurt?

Boots have the plain mini rice cakes.

Roesy

pwurple wrote: »

I'll just leave this here:

I can confirm that opening many, many frubes is not my favourite part of my working day!!!

sillysocks

nikpmup wrote: »

Oh man. My lad's starting preschool on Monday, I went into supervalu yesterday and spent 45mins wandering around realising I have no idea how to lunch. I'm thinking rice cakes or crackers and hummus/nut butter (if there's no nut restrictions) fruit (berries, satsuma segments, banana, apple) cheese & ham tortilla pinwheels, cheese cubes etc. I'll throw in some veggies but I know they'll be laughed at. Might as well go along with the pretence. There's a fridge so he can have a yogurt or milk as well.

Does anyone know where you can get mini rice cakes that aren't coated in chocolate or yogurt?

I'd imagine the majority of schools and preschools restrict nuts.

You can get mini rice cakes in the baby section - either 'proper' brands or ALDI etc sell their own brands. They might be apple or a slight flavour but no actual coating on them.

eviltwin

Mine is very fussy but we tend to go with smoothie, hummus with breadsticks, fruit that has be cut up, sausage roll, homemade tortilla chips, popcorn, homemade pizza slice and a sandwich. The school doesn't allow nuts, yogurts that can spill or sweets.

January

Notice up in child's pre-school today that they've banned grapes from lunchboxes. It's about the only fruit (that and banana) my little guy likes. I always, always quarter his grapes before giving them to him... has anyone else come across this?

jlm29

January wrote: »

Notice up in child's pre-school today that they've banned grapes from lunchboxes. It's about the only fruit (that and banana) my little guy likes. I always, always quarter his grapes before giving them to him... has anyone else come across this?

No! That's a bit crazy. It'll be orange segments next!

Digs

January wrote: »

Notice up in child's pre-school today that they've banned grapes from lunchboxes. It's about the only fruit (that and banana) my little guy likes. I always, always quarter his grapes before giving them to him... has anyone else come across this?

Yes my daughters preschool last year banned them in any shape or form. I suppose I can understand a blanket ban as some parents might be lax about cutting them. The wording in the letter was pretty gutsy, along the lines of we can't save them if they choke on a grape!!

She started primary school this year and no ban.

shesty

I did give grapes today actually, cut in half longways but it did cross my mind that they mightn't be mad about it....
I think crisps and sweets and fizzy drinks are banned in our place (and possibly juices).I'm surprised that popcorn was mentioned previously, I'd have thought that would be on the choking list too (altho my little one loves it.).
So far this week we've done ham and cheese/ham and ballymaloe relish sandwiches (she rejected them, despite liking the relish), a cheese 'stick'(tesco do mini cheddar sticks which are great), carrot sticks, chopped grapes and a peeled orange which i broke in half and left for her to peel the segments off.So far, so good, it was all devoured apart from the sandwiches with relish.

Neyite

I've been giving grapes whole. No danger of him choking though - he'd have to actually put one in his mouth first.

pwurple

I chop grapes up to age 5 or so.

Letter is daft. Reply with, "I chop them."

I got a bollocking there yesterday for putting a handful of almonds in. She loves those. There is a boy with a mild peanut allergy in her class, this was given as the reason by this years teacher. His mum (who i know well!) isn't bothered by almonds at all.

jlm29

pwurple wrote: »

I chop grapes up to age 5 or so.

Letter is daft. Reply with, "I chop them."

I got a bollocking there yesterday for putting a handful of almonds in. She loves those. There is a boy with a mild peanut allergy in her class, this was given as the reason by this years teacher. His mum (who i know well!) isn't bothered by almonds at all.

How do they even realise. Like do they actually have time to examine the contents of thirty lunchboxes. My 5 year old came home one day last year and said "Mam, don't ever give me chocolate cake going to school. It's not allowed". I said "I never would, I know it's against the rules". I realised afterwards that I'd given him a slice of fruit cake (which is allowed), but it was Christmas cake, so quite dark in colour, and he'd obviously been pulled up on it, by someone who didn't look hard enough and thought he was scoffing chocolate cake

shesty

I'm all for healthy eating and I understand the rules are in place to prevent some kids from getting boxes full of rubbish (among other reasons) but I found myself wondering last night were crackers allowed, to go with her cheese.It can be a bit annoying.

Digs

My mam is a primary teacher and some of the stories she has of parents trying to justify food items are mind boggling. Fig rolls as one of a five a day even though biscuits are banned :O no joke.

As a result the bans don't bother me a bit and I can see the need for blanket bans. For every 9 parents who follow the rules or use common sense there'll be 1 that won't and needs it spelled out in plain English. They're the ones that will consistently send the grapes whole or cut them width ways instead of length. I can see why places need to cover themselves. I don't lose sleep over the few food items she can't have for those few hours a day.

Romantic Rose

Digs wrote: »

My mam is a primary teacher and some of the stories she has of parents trying to justify food items are mind boggling. Fig rolls as one of a five a day even though biscuits are banned :O no joke.

As a result the bans don't bother me a bit and I can see the need for blanket bans. For every 9 parents who follow the rules or use common sense there'll be 1 that won't and needs it spelled out in plain English. They're the ones that will consistently send the grapes whole or cut them width ways instead of length. I can see why places need to cover themselves. I don't lose sleep over the few food items she can't have for those few hours a day.

My sister is a teacher in a school in Dublin who initially had a one treat per week rule on a Friday. What did some parents go and do...Send whole packets of biscuits as the treat. A whole packet of biscuits for an 8 year old! You wonder why you see children waddling around. The school had to stop the treats completely then.

Some of the lunches I see would actually make you vomit. Like zero nutrition. Beige beige beige. Some schools monitor them, some schools don't. I wish every school would. A spot check here and there.

Homemade bread is easy to make and will last a good few days. Stuff like blueberry and banana bread is great. I love the Green Spoon recipe.

Toots

January wrote: »

Notice up in child's pre-school today that they've banned grapes from lunchboxes. It's about the only fruit (that and banana) my little guy likes. I always, always quarter his grapes before giving them to him... has anyone else come across this?

I'll be fecked altogether if they introduce that in my school! In pre-school I can kinda see it, cos apparently grapes are a big choking hazard, and I suppose there might be some parents who wouldn't be conscientious enough to cut them before packing them in the lunchbox, cos their kid can eat them without problems, but if others try one, they might not be able.

Peanut products are a no-no in my son's primary, which he wasn't a bit pleased about. He always had a peanut butter sambo for playschool lunch, but there were only 10 in his class, and no allergies so it was all grand for them to have it there.

For school now he has a sandwich which has to have a protein and a veg in it - last few days it's been cheese and lettuce. Then I give him a little tub with either grapes or cherry tomatoes or orange segments in it. Today he came home and announced that one of his classmates had pasta for lunch, and he wants that tomorrow, so I told him to pick what he wanted in the pasta - sweetcorn, cherry tomatoes cut up, and avocado cut up. Going to also stick in some leftover chicken to give a bit of protein too.

lonestargirl

My guy loves pasta, with pesto and chicken. The basic Lidl pesto had no nuts in it.

Neyite

Mine loves pasta, but baulked at it last week because it had a tiny fleck of herb on one bit. I suspect pesto would tip him over the edge Plain with some ham or chicken might work though.

I wonder was he a food taster for a king or something in a previous existence...

Ms2011

Neyite wrote: »

Mine loves pasta, but baulked at it last week because it had a tiny fleck of herb on one bit. I suspect pesto would tip him over the edge Plain with some ham or chicken might work though.

I wonder was he a food taster for a king or something in a previous existence...

Do we have the same child :pac:

Neyite

Ms2011 wrote: »

Do we have the same child :pac:

We must do. I keep telling myself it's a phase!

AidanadiA

Mine is now in 5th year in secondary school she has DCD which is a royal pain when it comes to food, and has now become a vegetarian. Texture is a huge issue so most things are homemade. My freezer is packed with homemade sauces and soups that the texture is just right.

This has been typical for Lunch since 4th class in primary school.

Lunch box has a few varieties
Rice-cakes / Popcorn
Apple Slices and Melon Slices / homemade smoothie
Cubes of cheese / yogurt
Wholegrain Pasta with either homemade pesto or tomato sauce / Avocado sandwich.

Hot Lunches in a thermal container

Soup with side of bread
Hot pasta with homemade sauce
Spuds gravy and veggies (corn, carrots, peas)
(Once in a while I cave and allow noodles)

Almonds and walnuts used to be in there but there's a child with serious nut allergy, she was hospitalized after lunch one day from crumb's on the desk from another child in a different years lunch.

fmpisces

My youngest is in 6th class and is a nightmare to prepare lunches for in that he will not eat a sandwich and fruit/raw veg like any "normal" child :D:D

So, found out during the Summer that he loves pannini's so he has them twice a week at the moment (his preference is chorizo and cheese) and the other two days he has those Chicago Town toasties (little pizza's really). Not the healthiest I'll admit but at least he's eating his lunch now. I'm sure he'll get fed up of this within the coming weeks or months but for now it's working. He loves those Jacob's Tapas roasted tomato and basil crackers with the Mediterranean tuna spread on top as a snack.