What do you pack that is better than the school lunch?

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Val_from_OH
Val_from_OH Posts: 447 Member
in Food and Nutrition
There is a very interesting topic ongoing about the new gov't guidelines for school lunches, and many parents have said that they are switching to packing their kids lunches. I have packed my kids lunches for years for daycare, and have always been able to send "heat-ups", which are typically the healthy leftovers from last nights dinner.

With my son now in elementary school, I am wondering what parents pack that is better than the school lunch? Without being able to heat anything up, I feel like I am limited to packing salads or sandwiches for my (very picky) son, and honestly, I'd be just as happy with him having chicken nuggets as a deli meat sandwich.

Replies

  • aewhite01
    aewhite01 Posts: 1
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    You can still send the "heat ups." All you need is thermos. Usually if the heat-ups is leftovers like spaghetti or soup or chili or something like that, all you would need to do is heat up the thermos with hot water for about 5 minutes while warming up the food on the stove, then place the hot food in the thermos and viola. It usually keeps the food warm for up to 5 hours so depending on what time lunch is for your child, they can still have a warm lunch and at least you know what they are eating.
  • DoomCakes
    DoomCakes Posts: 806 Member
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    You can still send the "heat ups." All you need is thermos. Usually if the heat-ups is leftovers like spaghetti or soup or chili or something like that, all you would need to do is heat up the thermos with hot water for about 5 minutes while warming up the food on the stove, then place the hot food in the thermos and viola. It usually keeps the food warm for up to 5 hours so depending on what time lunch is for your child, they can still have a warm lunch and at least you know what they are eating.

    That sounds like a winning idea. :D Better than the schools mystery lunches and high sodium crap! And I'm sure he'll appreciate it more so too.
  • SarahD59
    SarahD59 Posts: 42 Member
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    My son is VERY picky, and he hate sandwiches. I make him grilled chicken strips. I just buy the organic white meat chicken tenders and then just cook two in a skillet with light seasoning in the moring. It takes almost no time, and by the time he eats them at lunch, they're a little warmer than room temp which is fine for cooked chicken tenders. I add to that various fruit (depending on what's in season or what he prefers) with a bottled water and pretzels or nuts.
  • assymcgee
    assymcgee Posts: 3 Member
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    my daughter will eat most foods cold or at room temp, so the only things i put in the thermos really are soups/stews/spaghetti sauce. so she still gets a lot of leftovers. also: salads with cheese /chicken/beans, etc...hummus with bread/veggies/crackers...hardboiled eggs...sushi...yogurt parfaits with fruit, granola, etc...meatballs with sauce to dip...pasta with pesto...kebobs...and she does get sandwiches too. my daughter isn't really a picky eater, so as long as i keep lunches interesting and i vary the contents, she's usually happy.
  • AndiJoy812
    AndiJoy812 Posts: 236
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    My son is pretty picky, but I know he will eat this every day - still a little high in the sugar content, but overall much better than the crap they serve at his school. All natural peanut butter/sugar free jelly on wheat; pretzels; manderine oranges and I put a yogurt in the freezer the night before and by his lunch it is thawed out. I at least know he is going to have a full belly - and that it what is important to me at this point. (He is in kindergarten).

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