My son is starting Kindergarten this year and I plan on sending his lunch. I want him to eat healthy and I was wondering what do you send your child for lunch?
I would incude something like applesauce, sandwhich, a fruit, and maybe a veggie. For the veggie my kids love snacking on grape/cherry tomatoes or cucumbers. I would also probably include a sm bag of chips or something fun too.
Here are ideas I've sent with my daughter to school...
sandwich (ham or turkey and cheese, PB&J, PB and honey)
cheese stick
applesauce
mixed fruit in single-serving cups
pretzels
crackers
raisins (or other dried fruit)
banana
granola bars or Nutri-grain bars
yogurt
homemade oatmeal-raisin cookies or peanut butter cookies
That's all I can thilnk of right now. On a side note, I always buy the big boxes of crackers or whatever and just divide them into snack-sized baggies. It's tons cheaper than buying the single-serving packages =)
Lots of yummy suggestions so far - the only thing I would add is that we do lots of "roll ups" in our house - turkey and shredded carrots rolled up in a tortilla, my kids even like peanut butter on a tortilla and rolled (they call them peanut butter pinwheels).
About once every other week, I send it a super surprize like a Little Debbie treat or some Oreo cookies. It makes their day to see something so unexpected.
Check out the website weelicious.com - she posts kids lunches all the time!
Have you tried the school cafeteria lunch, is one provided? I know a lot of schools are lacking in the taste of their food. And many perceive "cafeteria food" to be just awful. But, unless you give it a try, you'll never know. You don't say if you son has eating restrictions, so I assume not. Check out the school menu, ask around to other parents.
My son, who will be a 3rd grader, eats in the cafeteria every day. We live in Galveston and have found their food to be pretty good. They get a choice of 2 entrees, vegetables, fruit or another small sweet treat. They can choose a sack lunch instead which consists of a hoagie sandwich or pb&j with chips, carrot sticks with ranch dressing, and a fruit. They also, if parents allow, can purchase a bag of chips, ice cream, or pickle. Depending on what they are serving for the entree he picks that or the sack lunch. He went through a period in 1st grade that he only ate the sack lunch. Last year the only time he ate the sack lunch was when they had Mexican food, he hasn't really developed a taste for that yet, though he is beginning to try it.
When I was doing my student teaching and subbing, I would always eat in the cafeteria. It was definitely more nutritious than what I eat on my lunch break at my office job.
School food is a lot more nutritious than anything that is served in restaurants. They can't fry food, they have to serve wheat instead of flour based products.
My son's school also serves breakfast each morning to all students. He eats them as well, except burrito days and I send him something else.
After Ike, at his evacuation school, they only served one option a day. If it was something he didn't like, I would send his lunch. I got him a thermos bowl and would send spaghetti-o's or ravoli. He could eat that morning, noon, or night. I would heat it really hot in the morning and it would still be warm by lunch.
Check out the school cafeteria, give it a try. The school where I did my student teaching served homemade chicken enchiladas. Man, that was a good day to eat.
You could send a sandwich (Ham,cheese,turkey,cream cheese are some suggestions) , a piece of fruit like a banana , some grapes , strawberries etc , a yogurt or yogurt drink , crackers such as Ritz or some bread sticks , maybe some baby carrots or peppers to snack on. Also things like pancakes are ok cold (as long as you have not put maple syrup on them). Cold rice with a selection of veggies in.
I'm glad you asked this question because I wouldn't mind some new ideas. I usually send a sandwich or crackers with cheese and turkey/ham/pepperoni. I will usually cut the cheese and ham out with a mini cookie cutter. They like that. I will always include a fresh fruit (usually berries, sliced oranges, grapes, kiwi or a banana). Lastly, a carb like Pirate's Booty, pretzels, popcorn, etc. This year, I think I'll get a thermos bowl and send pasta with red sauce or pesto. My child is still annoyingly picky so I'm hoping he'll venture out a bit so I can send soups, cold pasta salads, etc.
Here are some lunch ideas and link below has more info:
http://blogs.goddardsystems.com/Cedar-Park-TX/2010/08/12/...
Avoid brown bag boredom and try the following healthy, easy and fun options. Bonus – your children will want to eat these choices!
Turn lunch into an adventure:
* Cut sandwiches into playful shapes with cookie cutters. Children are more excited about eating a star- or dinosaur-shaped sandwich because it makes the experience fun! Choose cheese or deli meats to replace breads and cut them into fun shapes, too.
Make lunch fun by including a dip:
* Yogurt is a great dip for fruit.
* Provide hummus for veggies.
Use a variety of ‘sandwich’ options:
* Bagels, pita bread, wheat wraps or crackers.
Consider packing applesauce or yogurt as a treat in lieu of a ‘sweet’ dessert.
Meat/cheese/yogurt/fruit/granola bars etc... I try to mix it up as much as possible but I can not control if he eats it or not. My son wasn't eating last year because of his meds and before meds he wasn't eating because he was talking and enjoying lunch as social time : ) So, I don't pack a lot so he doesn't waste anything and make sure that I have protein and fruit when he gets home. It has worked so much better that way.
