Yes, I am talking to YOU!
What do you prepare your kids for their school lunch?
I am sitting here stressing out because school starts tomorrow. I know, I should have thought about this way before now. I should have made them try new things this summer so I wouldn't have this problem. Well, I didn't, and now I am stuck! My kids (like most) won't try new things very easily. My kids really don't enjoy lunch either. They will eat a big breakfast and then a huge dinner. Well, they have to take a lunch to school, so what am I going to do? I have never really thought about it, but as I write this I am thinking, I guess you would call them picky! I do make them eat and try new things at dinner. AND have never prepared them something other then what we are eating because they don't like it. They like all meats, except for maybe lunch meat. They are NOT big sandwich eaters and that is all I am coming up with at this point...that is what I grew up eating. Spencer would only eat PBJ for a while, so he kind of got sick of that.
See, if you ask Melanie what she wants for lunch she would reply … “a hot dog or a quesadilla”. Now, I am a lover of the hot dog too, but I also know they are very bad for you. Even the healthiest hot dog is packed with sodium and cholesterol. I would make a quesadilla, but I know she won't eat it cold. I just can't give that to her everyday anyway. If you ask Spencer, he will say, "chicken nuggets or grilled cheese." I guess my problem is, if I did make these "hot" meals, I don't know how to keep them hot. If someone knows how to keep a hot dog, chicken nuggets, pizza, or grilled cheese hot, let me know. Let them buy at hot lunch at school, you say! No, we are broke! It is so expensive now days. They just raised the prices of school lunches again this year.
Does anyone have any other ideas for my picky children? What does one pack for a school lunch now a days?
Since we are chatting about foods, what are you making for dinner this week? I am getting sick of the same old meals I make.
So tell me blogger friends … What ‘cha got cooking?
13 comments:
Tonight it's called PAPA JOHNS. And it's good. :) Highly recommended.
you can check out my food blog for some dinner ideas.
my kids take sandwiches for lunch. lunchmeat, pb&j, tuna.
abbie does have a thermos and i'll make ramen and send it in that... lunch is at 10:30am, so it's still hot.
How about you let them pack their lunch...they'll come up with something kid-creative and then if they're hungry after being picky, they'll let you do it the next day and be happy with great 'old pb&j:) Buy one of those sandwich sealers from pampered chef and make your own pb&j....or ham & cheese or whatever and it seals it (like smuckers pb&j). That way you can use wheat bread. It makes it exciting and new to eat!
My kids actually love taking the top ramen (25 cents, sometimes 10 cents on sale, and they seriously eat the noodles raw after sprinkling the spice packet all over it. NASTY, but they LOVE it....and everyone's doing it. They love peaches (costco), cucumbers with a little ranch packet, stretch island fruit leathers (all fruit..costco), albacore tuna packs (costco). Did I tell you that Costco is my friend? Good luck! As for dinners...that's gone out the window this summer. Pizza, chicken dinos and bfast for dinner rules this house.
I'll post one of my kid-friendly/budget friendly dinner ideas tomorrow on my blog, Lisa...
http://retiredintherockies.blogspot.com
(Ben's mom)
Hi Lisa, I have this issue with my oldest...we are now trying bagels plain and w/cream cheese. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how long this one lasts. P.S Who ever said they HAVE to have sandwiches in their lunch anyway????
I have no kids in school, but maybe these ideas might appeal to them...
Crackers and hummus
crackers and cheese and salami, or other meat
triscuit with tuna/celery
bow tie noodles or other pasta with veggies and cubed cheese (with a little italian dressing)
fruit salad
BLT
Chicken tastes good cold -- grill it the night before.
If I think of anything else, I will email you.
Marylyn
almonds
dry fruit
Soup in a thermos
Instead of lunchmeat, will they do slices from an actual ham or turkey or roast?
Maybe try new things over the weekend to see if they will actually eat it at school.
As for dinners -- I am a crockpot lover because of my time and it makes great leftovers -- roast, stroganoff, soup ... or grilling outside.
Oh as I was packing lunches tonight the terror struck- Another year of daily quandaries: what to pack! They do better when they pack their own, or at least help. I sometimes alter it afterwards especially if it's too heavy on the sweets side. Tonight was "Taco Tuesday" and we made homemade tortillas, which they loved, so they packed a tortilla and some filling (separately) in the lunch boxes.
Sometimes we just do yogurt, fruit, etc. Nobody ever said it has to be sandwiches! They get old fast. They like tuna salad in an ice cream cone instead of on bread. If they love a dinner one night, then pack leftovers in the lunch and use an insulated container to keep it warm (if they won't eat it cold). Mel loves tomatoes, so pack some to snack on, some rolled up ham (or is it turkey she'll eat?), a piece of fruit and you're good to go!
Good luck! And if you come up with any brainstorms, do share! We're all in this boat!
Here are a few things that my picky eaters will eat:
Ramen in a thermos
Apples and peanut butter
carrots and ranch
cauliflower and ranch
bagel and cream cheese
ham rolled up
crackers and cheese or meat
yogurt
graham crackers and milk
oranges
nectarines
grapes
beef jerky
those are some of the things that I pack for mine. I have a book that I found on fun things to pack for kids, I will send you some ideas soon.
have fun
Dad and I pack a lunch every day now as we head for the all-day temple assignments. And sandwiches do get old...so thanks for some new ideas. Luckily we have a microwave in the cafeteria that we can heat up soups, left overs, etc.
If you go to the today show online they did an exerpt on fun lunch ideas today!
Do you have a fresh and easy near you? They have these cheap chicken nuggets that are meant to be eaten cold. Also, I make some myself. Chicken pieces marinated in buttermilk, eggs and dijon mustard (don't tell the kids.) then, dip in flour, corn flake crumbs and parmasan cheese. Spray with PAM, and cook them and they are SOOOOOO good cold. Even my picky kids eat them. Also, they like string cheese cut up, rolled in ham. And mini bagels from Target with flavored cream cheese. ONLY mini ones, though. Kids are weird. If the food is cuter, it tastes better.
If the food has to be hot, they sell these thermos bowl things at Target (Alladin brand.) They work really well, and it may be a good investment. $10? You warm them up in the microwave and they stay warm all day long. Sorry for this long book I wrote. :)
First off, I am guessing mom was signed in as me when she posted the previous comment that says it is from "Ruth."
I have a hard time with lunch for Ashley. I feel like I give her the same thing every day: cubes of cheese, a piece of bread (she's not in to sandwiches, either), pieces of fruit (apples, grapes, watermelon, nectarines, etc.), and crackers.
Is there anything in that First Meals book you recommended to me? I know there's stuff in there for older kids, I just can't remember what.
Lisa, my kids are not big sandwich eaters either. But sometimes Elise will tolerate them. When I had some zucchini bread I would send a slice with her to school instead of a sandwich. Also, a bagel works. She likes toast and will sometimes just ask for toast with butter on it to take to school. Juice, fruit cup, crackers, and fruit snack usually go with her too. Sometimes carrot sticks make their way into the lunch too :)
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