packed lunch ideas for children?

missindecisive

has anyone got any ideas for cheap/filling/nutricious food for pack lunches? trying to get away from crisps,penguins etc...all ideas welcome.:j:j:j

VfM4meplse

Hummus, wholemeal pita bread and carrot sticks.

SailorSam

mostof_childrenlunchbox.shtml

Lunar_Eclipse

I think pasta and rice based salads are often more filling than sandwiches, or potato salad with ham/salami and chopped tomatoes & cucumber.

Not sure how old your children are. Mine are 7 & 9 and have the following:

- main element; wrap/pitta/sandwich/salad/crackers & cheese with sausages & ham
- one or two portions of fruit/veg: bananas seem to be the most filling
- dairy portion: cheese or yoghurt
- pudding: wafer/muffin etc
- drink: water/juice/smoothie depending on what is in the lunch and how filling it is

They both have some fruit or crackers at morning break; youngest then has a very good snack when school finishes (packed lunch size) and then dinner around 6pm. Eldest doesn't eat quite as much after school, but has two portions of fruit/veg in her lunch box when youngest typically has one. I have girls, I know boys can eat a lot more than this at the same age.

HTH

ETA: I'm sure I 'only' had a ham sandwich, apple, packet of crisps & juice box as a teenager, although it was never enough given all the sport I did. Mine definitely eat more.

WET-HOT-DRIPPING-TEABAG

pasta keeps you fuller for longer and contains energy, i always find it good in pack lunch, especialy penne with tomato sauce,
cheese strings are good, yogourts...........they are cheap

Alleycat

It's a ham or salami sandwich, yoghurt, piece of fruit, cherry tomatoes and some cheese with a carton of juice in our dd's lunch box every day and she has actually chosen it over school dinners. She doesn't seem to get bored with it (yet!).

tiamai_d

Mine get

Sandwich, wrap, bagel or baguette with filling (cheese, ham, tuna, chicken etc)
Fruit (apple, bananna, mixed fruit whatever is there)
Frozen yogurt choob (I keep them in the freezer so they keep the lunch cool and defrost by lunch time)
Drink
Bit of fruit cake, crackers/digestives and cheese, muffin, or something like that.

They would not thank me for pasta or rice as 'it's not lunch' according to them.

mrcow

Mine have had sandwiches, fruit and sometimes yoghurt for years now - and they are not bored of it. If it's not broken, don't fix it.

Giving kids crisps and/or chocolate bars every day is unnecessary. Just cut them out and stick an extra piece of fruit in instead.

tiamai_d

mrcow wrote: »

Giving kids crisps and/or chocolate bars every day is unnecessary. Just cut them out and stick an extra piece of fruit in instead.

Actually DS2's nursery won't give the children chocolate and crisps that are in their lunch boxes. At first I didn't agree with it, but came round to it. They are unnecessary and usually just lead to hyperactivity after lunch. Besides they don't notice that they don't get them if nobody else does.

HariboJunkie

Mine get a banana and apple/orange/pear for snack and then a combination of the following;

1. sandwich or wrap or roll or pasta salad or crackers and cheese or flask of soup or food flask of pasta

2. Fruit salad or couple of pieces of fruit

3. Carrot sticks/cucumber/celery and dip

4. yoghurt or jelly in a tub

5. some type of home baking a couple of times a week.

6. Bottle of water


Have a look on Old Style for more ideas.

Janepig

DD has ham or cheese sandwiches cut up into "interesting" shapes with a pastry cutter. Also a couple of cocktail sausages and the little mini party egg things. Perhaps some raisins and an oaty biscuit type thing, and I also keep yoghurt tubes in the freezer (I buy them when they're £1 a box in Asda) and it helps to keep stuff cool and has melted by lunchtime. She also has fruit at morning break (banana/strawberries/grapes/apple or satsuma).

She only has a packed lunch one day a week but I think it's her favourite meal of the week!!

Jxx