Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

[jkpescador]

We have to make lunch for our son attending preschool. So far he has eaten a coldcut & cheese sandwich every day so far. Any suggestions for meals? He has a classmate who is deathly allergic to peanuts, eggs and barley. Maybe we'll switch to tortillas from bread. No meals with eggs or mayo are allowed.

[infinitypro]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

It really depends on your child's tastes.

Here's a menu from the kitchen of Papa and Tutu for the lil ones:

MAIN DISHES:

Mac 'n cheese
Mini crab rolls
Spam musubi
Spaghetti
Miso soup w/rice
Squid luau
Tuna sandwich (I know...mayo.)
Hamburger Steak
Meat Jhun

SIDES:

All lunches came with fruit, gogurt, crackers, juice and water.

Hope this helps.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

I seriously recommend this website for homelunch ideas:

http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/

it is run by a mother who takes pics of the lunches she makes for her kid each morning, complete with recipes and stuff.

yes, it is a vegan site, but thatʻs a good thing--who among us hasnʻt been stumped at one time or another over getting enough variety of healthy foods into our diets (and into our kids' mouths)? Can always add a musubi on the side.

[scrivener]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

How about cold pizza and Jolt?

Okay, that's not very helpful. I like the site Pu`ai mentions, but I also think a little bit of leftover meat from dinner the night before and some veggies with rice packed in a nice little bento box would be great. How's your kid with chopsticks?

[Pomai]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

How about cold pizza and Jolt?

Good God. That sounds like the juvenile equivalent of someone drinking a case of beer and doing crack at the same time.

Okay, that's not very helpful. I like the site Pu`ai mentions, but I also think a little bit of leftover meat from dinner the night before and some veggies with rice packed in a nice little bento box would be great.

Whatever happened to the good 'ole American lunch box? You know, that painted metal box with a hinged lid, handle, a whimsical cartoon or movie theme on it and a matching thermos inside with a snap ring to hold it in place. I haven't noticed whether they still sell those in stores or not.

I remember as a kid in school, something about opening that up for lunch when you're hungry was like opening up a treasure chest. The thermos keeping my fruit juice chilled was also a nice touch.

The vintage one in that link above is selling for over $300! Wish I kept all mine.

The cold cut & cheese sandwich sounds perfect, except if it were my child, I'd also put lettuce & tomato in it. Kids are just as finicky about taste as we are, so don't skimp with low fat mayo'... use the regular stuff. You don't want them to throw the sandwich out because they don't like it! You should also add his/her favorite fruit to go along with that.

IMO, kids have to learn from a young age to eat fruits & vegetables. My folks did that to us growing up, and to today, I can't go without it in my daily diet.

Of course, another sandwich fav' for kids is the PBJ! That, along with a Banana is perfect.

[tutusue]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

Pita bread can be fun for a child 'cuz, cut in half, it's the right size and kids seem to like the "pocket". Fill the pocket with what your child likes, including non-traditional sandwich fillings like small pieces of fruit mixed with some sweetened, plain yogurt.

Depending on your child's age, maybe make your own 'trail mix' of favorite, allowable goodies...granola chunks, acceptable nuts, raisins or other dried fruit...well, you get the idea! Plastic snack bags will hold just the right amount for a young child.

I remember when my kids were in kindergarten and how so many little students had whole oranges or apples in their lunch pails that ended up in the trash. It's far healthier for the child to eat a couple of included slices rather than throw away a whole fruit!!!

If your child likes raw veggies then veggie sticks are easy. Also easy are the 100 calorie snack packs mentioned in this thread. How about cubed pieces of cheese?

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

I know it doesn't solve the poster's problem, but one of my favs was peanut butter and honey. The honey soaks into the bread by lunch time. Ohhhhhhhh. Lots of honey on mine please.

[tutusue]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

[...]so don't skimp with low fat mayo'... use the regular stuff.[...]Of course, another sandwich fav' for kids is the PBJ! That, along with a Banana is perfect.

Psssssst...Pomai! Mayo isn't allowed and one child is terribly allergic to peanuts so that, too, may not be allowed due to kids sharing their food! </pssssst!>

BTW...this food allergy thing can be a terrible problem. Whenever I audition for a commercial involving food I always clear food allergies before I allow someone to book an audition appointment. I have one, very talented little boy who can't even be in the same room as nuts...so I leave! <drum roll!> Seriously, if I plan to have nuts on the table for clients and I know that little guy is coming in I won't even have nuts in the office at all.

[Pomai]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

Psssssst...Pomai! Mayo isn't allowed and one child is terribly allergic to peanuts so that, too, may not be allowed due to kids sharing their food! </pssssst!>

Oh shees. I missed the most important part of his query! My baaaad! Well, personally I don't have any food allergies, so that's why I overlooked that. Sorry.

K, skip da' mayo'. Still, gotta' add the lettuce and tomato, and don't let the kid say they're allergic to that!

[Lei K]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

I seriously recommend this website for homelunch ideas:

http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/

I LOOOOVE this blog, it gets me to think out of the box not only for packed lunches but for meals at home as well. The St. Patty's Day lunch this woman made was particularly creative.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

yep. Out of the box and allergy-considerate and increasing one's palette for really healthy additions to the diet.

I really love the lunch ideas, particularly as I never seem to have any.

[jkpescador]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

We were told that even traces can be bad. Ex. Your kid eats something doesn't wash his hands good and plays with a toy. The Allergic child touches the toy and ... AiSus! The couple explained what it was like in their household. They probably go through a lot of wipes.

[infinitypro]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

We were told that even traces can be bad. Ex. Your kid eats something doesn't wash his hands good and plays with a toy. The Allergic child touches the toy and ... AiSus! The couple explained what it was like in their household. They probably go through a lot of wipes.

We just got this month's memo from the preschool to remind all parents to wash their hands at first arrival, as well as the students, to avoid food allergies.

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

Pack a fruit leather or two.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Suggestions: Lunch for a Preschooler

Along with the sandwich, you can pack snack bags of carrot sticks, grapes or orange wedges. Boxed raisins are always a treat if your child likes raisins. South Beach has a pretty good pita wrap which includes cold cuts, cheese and a couple of pita wraps. You can take the box apart and pack only what you want to feed your child as it does include packets of mayo. I'd buy SB only if it's on sale. Regular price is over $5 per box of 2 wraps. String cheese is also another neat little lunchbox item.

If can, consider getting a lunch box/bag that can handle one of those cold packs. We send cold cut sandwiches with Mel only in a lunch bag with a cold pack. It's too darned warm to leave a cold cut lunch out for a few hours.

Pb&j is great if there's no refrigeration available, but some schools are going the route of banning any food stuffs containing anything to do with peanuts. Thank goodness for those cold packs.

Another neat little lunch item is a cheese quesadilla. Just buy those 8" flour tortillas, sprinkle some 3 cheese Mex mix on one, cover with another and nuke for a minute so the cheese melts. They taste good at room temp as well.
A variation is to use an Italian blend of cheese, place a few pieces of pepperoni and finish the same. Mel loves these and they make great after school snacks. Good for the kids to eat before they have that afternoon meltdown.

On occasion and only if we find them on sale, Mel gets a treat and takes one of those Luncheables for her lunch. Most of the time, it's homemade lunches.