Ideas for pack lunches

[The Nappy Lady]

Help! Have given up on full time school lunches as there are too many meals that O just isn't eating....but as I suspected I'm now getting into a rut of same old things every day (not that she minds), but I'd like to offer some variety.

She always has school meal on a Friday (fish and chips)....so I could do with 3 or 4 good suggestions to rotate through Monday to Thursday - any suggestions?

Molly

[candj]

Do you have a wide thermos? You could do a variety of pastas, fried rice or soups. Our lunch boxes are limited to the school's no nut policy which includes hummus and so no peanut butter sandwiches for us (which is a fav). Other things I've put in lunch boxes are samosas (because eldest loves them), sandwiches of all varieties (ham, chicken, cheese, smoked salmon, etc), brioches with jam, pastas (with parmesan cheese in a separate container so they can add it themselves), fried rice. I then load the lunch up with little tupperware containers of cut fruit, cheese cubes, one sweet biscuit, and yoghurts of some variety, etc.

I know what you mean about the rut and it's difficult being creative at 7am before the coffee has settled into my system. On some days I'm really inventive and some days I forget to put the fork and napkin in. Duh!

Hope that helps.

Edited to add, I once had cold fried chicken (American style) from the previous night's left over and it went down really well in the lunchbox!

[Ondine]

Mine liked the same sandwich everyday with different accompaniments. We freeze a week's wholemeal cheese rolls and then DD2 gets to select the extras.

[sillywoman]

Hi Molly,

I empathise deeply. Every school morning I hit the kitchen at 7.15am and begin the tyranny that is packed lunches for 5.

Mine tend to be fairly conservative in their tastes though. Eldest likes pasta or rice salads (leftovers from night before rehashed with chopped fresh veg & salad dressing), or a PBJ sandwich, or a salad-y wrap. Boy likes a plain bagel (he's odd like that), but bagels are very versatile I find, middle boy likes either hot pasta in a flask with grated cheese - parm if we have it or more usually cheddar- or cheese & crackers, youngest has pitta with various insides, currently mayo & cucumber), or hot pasta with sauce (he & middle boy take it in turns to have the flask). Sensibleman has brie & tomato chutney, or pickled onion (oh yeah - thank goodness I don't work with him), or coleslaw, sandwiches. All have some fruit (various depending on person & taste), a yoghurt or frube (age dependant), a chocolate biscuit or bit of cake, & sometimes some mini cocktail sausages or whatever little bits I've got in the fridge I think they'll like. Sometimes those snack-a-jack packets, or something like, can be a treat too.

I barely open my eyes till it's done & my kids/husband have learned not to expect conversation until it's all over & I have my first cup of tea in my hand!

I bet you soon find a rhythm to it, and it's quite nice to be able to send in a little bit of home for them to have in the middle of the day. I once knew someone who used to put little notes in her child's lunchbox. I thought that was quite sweet, but usually only get it together to do it on birthdays or if I think they need a boost.

[Fuschia]

Not much variety her ebut he's happy with a healthy lunch

Brown bread hummous sandwich often with salad

Bag of salad (tomato, cucumber or pepper)

Pot of nice fruit (gtrapes, raspberries etc)

Yoghurt

Sometimes a biscuit

Also takes a satsuma and an apple for playtime...

Nice to feel he has had 4/5 of his fruit and veg! (But he likes fruit and veg, it's variety of saindwich fillings he won't do)

[dullwitch]

You could use wholewheat tortilla wraps instead of bread sandwiches, for a change.

I tried this and my boys loved it. Tuna and sweetcorn went down well.

[madmum]

Gosh reading your posts has made me feel terrible lol! my little mans lunch looks very sad in comparisson...but im with you guys its a defo prob,,bet even Jamie Oliver gets stuck in a pack lunch rut..his kids are prob crying out for a frube or a rocky bar.

mad son tneds to like chesse and crackers, cheese and ham wraps, cheese cheese and a bit more cheese! I gave him tuna once just to jazz things up but it did not go down well he sad" what the hell was that stuff in my roll, cheese mum you cant go wrong with cheese".I switch treats jelly, mini cheeders, chocy bar..but much to his disgust the fruit is always in there. His excuse for not eating them is they take to long to eat and he misses football! Im a pack lunch making machine always done the night before and most nights I havent even taken my coat off!

I have at least 10 years of lunch making ahead of me....theres a fun thought for a wednesday

xxx

[Fuschia]

MM: Try fruit like grapes, chopped mango? Mine likes fruit but I still think a nice little poit of something easy to eat is nice when he wants to hurry out to play

[EDmummy]

Couscous with peas, sweetcorn, cheese, lemon juice and a little olive oil (cold); cold pasta pesto; very occasional treat - small sausage rolls.

We also try wraps (tuna or cheese and ham), crackers (high fibre) with cheese, all sorts of fruit (melon, mango, grapes, strawberries), baby bell cheese, pots of vegetables - we find celery, tomatoes, carrots, cucumber and peppers work best. Sadly neither of them like dips. Also recently tried Yo Yo fruit roll ups which went down a treat (nothing but fruit in them). If no fruit in pack give them a carton of Innocent smoothie.

Hard mummy only gives then a treat like chocolate brioche or biscuits once a week and they sometimes get a pack of crisps if on a school trip.

Looking forward of hearing other suggestions!