What do you pack for kids school lunches??

ilfaith

My kids buy hot lunch more often than not...but today I packed them each a turkey sandwich (on marble rye), a string cheese, a clementine and a Z Bar, plus a pouch of fruit/veggie juice. This is pretty typical, although sometimes they get tuna or roast beef rather than turkey, a yogurt instead of cheese, a different fruit or carrot sticks, some other "sweet" (cereal bar, cookie, mini muffins) and milk instead of juice.

DawnieB1977

I sometimes cut up a couple types of cheeses and some ham and send it with triscuits or wheat thins. Then I would put in some orange slices, grapes, apricots, or strawberries (if I sent a whole orange, apple, or pear it would usually come back home in their lunch bags.) You can do this the night before if you like, if your mornings are a little rushed. Oh, in winter, soup was always a big hit.
Good luck.

This actually sounds nutritious for a kid.

to be honest, many of the ideas given thus far sound like they are just SUGAR and prepackaged unhealthy items. I don't eat "clean" or anything extreme but WOW...I'm genuinely surprised that MFP-ers are okay with their kids eating so many sugary snacks for lunch daily.

Stepping back because I am not a mom and don't want to get slapped.

I said my son has a tuna or ham sandwich and a yogurt. How is that pre packaged and unhealthy? The sandwich is on whole meal bread, and the yogurt is a Greek yogurt. As he's only in reception class (1st year of primary school in England) they get given a piece of fruit at break times, so he'll have a pear, apple, banana etc.

For breakfast he gets egg and beans, or porridge, or sometimes shreddies (we don't often buy cereal). Dinner is usually something like fish or chicken and veg, or occasionally pasta if I don't have much time.

He takes his bottle filled with water to school every day. He rarely drinks anything except water or milk. He occasionally gets a hot choc babyccino as a treat when we go to Costa (a UK version of Starbucks).

Jen800

Try making the food "Fun size". This doesn't even have to take a lot of time, just make things look "Cute".

A good thing to try would be whole grain wraps with natural peanut butter and jelly in them (optional: add a banana in the center too!) and cut into little "PB and J sushi rolls". Kids tend to like eating things that are small and cute. This works for tons of stuff.

Also, sometimes the only option you have is "If you don't like it, too bad." policy. She can eat what you pack or not eat at all. That sandwich won't go to waste.

Try not to pack the little "fruit snacks". They're full of sugar and syrups, and may be a contributing factor as to why she's not eating the other healthier food you make. Try cutting up fruit and putting a toothpick in them.

ShannonMpls

I realize we're not "fun" but I don't really believe in kid food. My preschooler's lunch is the exact same thing my husband and I pack for ourselves - leftovers from the day before, with a fresh fruit. Today, my son's lunch is burrito filling (a mix of beef, onion, black beans, roasted sweet potatoes), cheese, and a tortilla, with pineapple. Yesterday he had leftover pesto pasta with red pepper, spinach, and chicken sausage with a banana.

When we don't have leftovers, he gets a sandwich (cheese, spinach, some kind of meat) or something from the freezer, which is also normally leftovers frozen into preschool-sized portions.

If he doesn't eat, he doesn't eat - though I do take his preferences into account when making food for the family, just as I take mine and my husband's likes and dislikes into account.

dawnari

My kids are like that too. I think they're just too busy & distracted to eat much at school. So I just make sure they eat a good breakfast and have a big snack as soon as they get home from school.

I second this. My son is a horrible eater. I still ask him every time I go shopping what he wants in it and ask him every morning what he will eat. It still comes home uneaten nearly every day (there was a crack in it, a fly was in the room, it looked funny, "I suddenly don't like what I asked you to buy and requested in my lunch" are all excuses I've gotten). I've tried everything to get him to eat (including bribing him with other privileges and taking them away). Now I've decided it's not a battle worth waging. He eats a good breakfast and has a big snack (aka lunch) when he gets home now. Kids will eat if they are truly hungry, so don't worry about it too much!

Four_Leaf_Clover

Absolutely get her involved. I make lunches for 4 kids - often it is not very inspired, but they eat it (and it is much better than our cafeteria food). At the start of school, we sat down and made a list of all the things they like to eat. I occasionally throw something new in there to see what they think. I do use a bento style box or a box with several dividers just because I find it easier and less wasteful when making 4 per day. Plus I can include a good variety of foods.

My kids get a fruit or veggie, yogurt, a drink (milk, water, sometimes juice), and a main dish (sandwich, chicken with dipping sauce, cheese and crackers, tortilla roll up, mini corn dog muffin, etc.) About once a week I will toss a treat in there.

My kids love when I cut their sandwiches with cookie cutters or even do simple things like putting white chocolate chips inside raspberries. This takes very little time.

Things I have learned - kids do not get a lot of time at lunch to eat. They do A LOT of talking (my daughter rarely finishes all her lunch) - so things that are easier/quicker to eat work well. It is ok if your kid wants PB&J every day - eventually they will move on to something else. Keep trying new things - you never know when they will start to like something!

Most of all - get her involved - make a list of what she likes, take her to the store, pick something new out - let her help you make them.

Crohns2013

I pack lunches for both my girls everyday, we don't have a cafeteria, though my oldest buys her lunch at the canteen once in awhile. Lunch kits almost always come home empty.

They usually take a homemade granola bar or muffin, or crackers (rice or graham) pretzels, or a rice cake, a fruit or veggie (carrots, celery, orange, apple, berries, banana, applesauce) a protein (ham, turkey, leftover chicken breast, chicken drumstick, salami, hard boiled egg) My youngest will take a jam sandwich once in awhile. They also get a small treat- jolly rancher, cookie etc.

My oldest also likes things like leftover soup, rice, or stew in her thermos, cold chicken nuggets, salad with chicken, ham/turkey sandwiches, cheddar cheese.

WinoGelato

I also have packed a piece of leftover pizza in my son's lunchbox because cold pizza does not bother him and it is usually a huge hit!