Lunch Box Ideas

[SuperMom]

Hi - It was suggested to me through email about having something (I'm assuming on the home page) about "Lunch Ideas" with the kids going back to school in September. And it got me thinking..... OMG .... Reagan will be going to school for 2-3 WHOLE days every week!! What am I going to pack in her lunch??

So I need some ideas!! What do you pack for your kids lunch?

edited to add: I will be using these ideas for the August issue!!

[hockeymomof3]

Get the sandwich pockets, my kids love making their own sandwiches in these, you can add lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, or tuna and lettuce, or meats, you can put anything in them, and they don't leak out, cause they are shaped like a half moon. I just send the fixings in their lunch and they make their own, or we make them in the mornings!! I get them at the grocery store they are with the pita breads.

[Zoo]

take anything they like, smear it on a tortilla, roll it up and cut it into 'wheels'. Trust me.

[SuperMom]

Reagan HATES sandwiches... I told her she better learn to like them because she's not getting fried eggs (without the yolk) in her lunch box!

I wonder if she'd like the pocket or rollup idea?? Hmmm.... worth a shot!

[Zoo]

how about scrambled egg whites? Or hard boiled and she can throw out the yolk (or trade it for a seaweed snack from the 'odd' one?)

[SuperMom]

:sign5: Seaweed??
Love it!

[Jodie]

Julian didn't like sandwiches until recently but he loved roll ups. His favourite was banana wrapped in a tortilla that was spread with apple butter and cut into "wheels".

[garthulater]

How about cold chicken nuggets or cold hotdogs> Kids don't care really...it's us that thinks all food should be served hot.

Some other ideas...

~ homemade lunchables
~bagels with cream cheese
~cheese and crackers
~mac and cheese
~soup (in a thermos)
~pizza
~salad
~nacho chips, salsa and cheddar on the side
~beans and weiners
~spaghetti

I'll try to think of more
HTH,
Deb S

[bellyandme]

Loads of kids take lunch meat, cheese and crackers....yogurt tubes are a big hit. Be sure that if a fork/spoon is required that you pack it...some schools do not have extras! Also, a drink that has a lid that can be replaced is a better idea than juice boxes. Tetra boxes usually end up in the garbage full of juice.

[Brekke]

My kids like to freeze their yogurt tubes. By the time they get to lunch time their thawed a little and it's like a popscicle. The teachers seem to like them this way since it's less messy! :P

[Siana]

After cleaning up the neighbourhood school playground on several occasions before my kids can play there, I must say it's much nicer to give lunches in reusable containers!

As for ideas for lunchboxes:
- Fruit (grapes, apple slices etc.) in a lidded container or perhaps on skewers (more fun, but would it be considered a safety hazard?!)
- Granola bars (we make large batches of them and freeze)
- Pea butter and jam sandwiches
- Hummus with carrot sticks or toasted pita wedges or rye crackers etc. or just plain
- Seaweed Which kid doesn't like that?! But in all seriousness, my kids love Dulse, as do I

[SuperMom]

Ummm.... what's Dulse???

[MonsterMom]

Here's a question I have to add to this: what sort of restrictions do the schools out here have? In NJ you couldn't pack any nuts, nut products, anything that may contain or have come into contact with nuts.

Is it the same out here?

[Siana]

Ummm.... what's Dulse???

Dulse is one type of edible seaweed. It's a good source of dietary requirements -- a handful will provide more than 100% of the daily amount of Vitamin B6, 66% of Vitamin B12, a day's supply of iron and fluoride, and it is relatively low in sodium and high in potassium.
http://www.elements.nb.ca/theme/ethn...ulse/dulse.htm

Grand Manan, NB is known for the best dulse because of the geography of the island.

[one ordinary girl]

A lot of the schools here don't allow nuts either,. I am sure you'll find out once your lo start at their new school.