What do your kids like in their school lunch?

Question

Ok so I know what I can pack my kid for lunch but I'm just wondering what other parents pack for their kids. Anyone have any creative ideas?

right now based on what he likes I have PB&J, juice or milk, carrots or grapes, chips or pretzels. my son is starting kindergarden(full day schedule) on tuesday and we're going shopping for lunch stuff this weekend.

Answer 1

I have 3 kids taking lunches to school every day this year.  They all have a thermos so that they can take hot items like...

leftovers

hotdogs (pack a bun and little packets of ketchup seperately)

chicken nuggets

Chef Boy-R-D

mac-n-cheese

They also like

cold pizza.  I will even make a frozen pizza the night before just so they have cold pizza in the morning;)

Whole wheat crackers with deli meat and cheese (sometimes I get cold cuts and use a cutter to make shapes out of the meat and cheese similar to lunchables)

use pita pockets, tortillas, mini bagels...instead of sandwich bread.

crackers and tuna, chicken,or egg salad

pasta salads

lettuce salads with chicken or ham slices and sliced boiled eggs.

a small box of cereal and they buy a milk at school-with fruit

bagel with cream cheese (my boys like veggie and my daughter likes blueberry)

sliced veggies and hummis

fresh fruit

string cheese

I put the juice boxes in the freezer so they keep the lunch cold and thaw in time to drink.

I freeze mini candy bars for a treat.

finger jello

pudding cups

mandrin oranges

rice cakes (the carmel corn ones are yummy)

apple slices or celery sticks with pb to dip

we make trail mix with cereal (usually cracklin oat bran), nuts, dried fruit,pretzles, m&ms...whatever

fruit newtons

Thats what I have in my head right now.

Answer 2

Try Lunchables occasionally for a quick and easy meal. If it keeps well and isn't something that has to be reheated, try giving him leftovers from dinner the night before. You could also make some pasta salad or potato salad if he likes it. Celery with a little cup of peanut butter is also yummy. But basically, the PB&J and fruit is what I always wanted in my lunchbox! And once a week(usually fridays), my mom would throw in a cupcake or other dessert.

Answer 3

My kids love it when I pack them a salad with a packet of dressing or left over pizza!  We also do bagels with cream cheese, yogurt, and a thermos of soup.  Don't forget to put a little note on his napkin telling him to have a great day and you love him!!

Answer 4

My son was in nursery with a child who had severe peanut allergies, and will attend school with a peanut - allergic child this year.  Needless to say, we had to come up with something other than peanut butter!  Fortunately, my son is a very adventurous eater.  He likes vegetarian California rolls (inside - out sushi) filled with avocado and carrots, pieces of organic lunch meat (such as ham or turkey) spread with soft cheese and rolled into little tubes with a side of whole wheat crackers, and mini bagel pizzas served either hot in a thermos or cold.  I think those were among his favorite lunches.  Also, I found a sandwich cutter that cuts the sandwich into the shape of a dinosaur - he loves it!  I often make him an avocado/cream cheese spread, and he really likes it.  He also likes hummus and sprouts in a pita, cream cheese and jelly, warm turkey with melted cheddar and apple, and sunflower butter as sandwich fillings.  

Since your son likes fruits and vegetables, that should be pretty easy.  My son likes all fruits and veggies, but I found a snack that he really loves - dried green beans.  Sounds weird, right?  But they're crunchy, delicious, and he'll gobble them up the way another kid would devour a bag of Cheetos.  I've found them at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods on most occasions.

Other than that, another favorite is the organic milk boxes from Horizon Organics.  They're completely shelf stable, so you don't have to worry about them spoiling.  They're healthier than a box of sugary juice, and they taste great!

Finally, don't underestimate the power of a good thermos.  You can pack spaghetti, mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, pizza, soup, grilled cheese, etc. with the help of a child - sized thermos.  Make sure to get one that is good quality, and do a test run at home to make sure it keeps the food hot.

Good luck, and I hope your son has a great first day of kindergarten!

Answer 5

My kids normally have a sandwich, some fruit, yogurt, and juice.  I'll put some chips occasionally. I let them buy a school lunch once weekly.

Answer 6

I like to inculde some type of main thing, a fruit/veggie, snack food, and a drink. Try some of the following. Even ask your son, he might have a couple good ideas you never thought of.

bagel with cream cheese, yogurt, grapes, and milk

salad with some italian dressing, carrots with ranch, pretzels, and juice box

pasta salad (yumm), cut up veggies, snack size bag of chips, and a juice box

rolled lunch meat, celery and soy bean butter (my kids are allergic to peanut butter, and that's almost the same thing), snack size bag of chips, and juice box

ham/turkey sandwich, apple, Babybell cheese, and milk

tuna in a bowl, crackers, an apple, and milk

EDIT: I just remembered, you can buy a themos and give them a "hot lunch" that's not bought. Try things like soup, pasta, Ramen noodles, or even mac and cheese.

Answer 7

My mom gives me before sandwich....with milk....

hahaha

but if you want look at the food pyramid...:)

Answer 8

My kids love any type of sandwiches cut into any shapes like stars or stick figures, although their 11 they really grown out of it because you know not having sandwiches cut into stars isn't "cool". LOL but i found this great recipe website for picky eaters or kids lunches.

here ya go!

http://eatingwell.com/recipes/cooking_fo...

Answer 9

One thing that was a great purchase for us was a small thermos.  My son then could take: mac and cheese, Roman noodles, chicken noodle soup etc.  It was great to be able to send "hot" lunch to school.  

Other ideas

Apples slices with peanut butter

Meat (salomi) and cheese cabobs; small cubes on a toothpick

Answer 10

3 of mine take school lunch but one takes lunch from home because he is picky. He usually takes rolled up lunch meat or pepperoni or tunafish, a couple slices of cheese, an apple, grapes or some other frruit, raw carrots or cucumbers and then a snack like peanuts, popcorn, pretzels or tortilla chips. He's funny because he likes lunch meat and cheese but he doesn't like sandwiches LOL.

My youngest will take a lunch from home occassionally and he'll eat any kind of sandwich.

I usaully just make sure there is a little of everything such as a meat, dairy, fruit, veggie and a healthy snack.

we tried the thermos thing but the food never stayed hot enough even in the thermos.