cooling lunch boxes

winniepooh

My ds starts primary school next week and we've decided to send him with a packed lunch (the dinners would cost us nearly 20.00 per week :eek:) Hes got cerebral palsy and can only use one hand so I've spent all my time working out things he could take that he can open with one hand(containers and drinks bottles etc) that I have completely over looked the problem of keeping it cool for lunchtime for him. I've got a freezer pack thingy that we use in the coolbox but I think it would freeze everything in his lunch box and take up loads of room.

Any tips and advice would be fab......I know I'm leaving it a bit late :rolleyes:

chmmy

If you freeze a Frube or a carton of juice that sometimes can help to keep the lunchbox cool. Or even a bottle of water that's been in the fridge overnight.

Whilst it's obviously better if he can open everything by himself, if he needs a little help the meal time supervisors will be watching the kids and helping out where needed, especially for Reception kids.

jackieglasgow

! second freezing frubes or juice cartons, or keep the in the fridge over night. I was really wary when mine started school about chicken and cheese being unrefridgerated for us to 4 hours before they eat them, but they've been absolutely fine. I also make the sandwiches the night before and refigerate them, which keep sit cool longer especially when we don't do Frubes, as my kids are now off the juice and onto reuseable water bottles, although I do poop ice cubes in these which does the trick!

HTH Jackie X

davetrousers

jackieglasgow wrote: »

, although I do poop ice cubes in these which does the trick!

Oh my
:eek:

jackieglasgow

oops!

I must have been still thinking about the faecal coliforms in the cleaning toothbrushes thread!

My bad.

lickylonglips

winniepooh wrote: »

My ds starts primary school next week and we've decided to send him with a packed lunch (the dinners would cost us nearly 20.00 per week :eek:) Hes got cerebral palsy and can only use one hand so I've spent all my time working out things he could take that he can open with one hand(containers and drinks bottles etc) that I have completely over looked the problem of keeping it cool for lunchtime for him. I've got a freezer pack thingy that we use in the coolbox but I think it would freeze everything in his lunch box and take up loads of room.

Any tips and advice would be fab......I know I'm leaving it a bit late :rolleyes:

A school dinner in your child's school in nearly £4? Are you sure?

zippychick

The yoghurt tube thingies sound great idea!

My Mum bought me this which is great. Not very MSE in the short term though - but its such a g reat pack. you can put the ice packs in the bag (little pouch for it) or in the top of some of the containers. Possibly not for a child either but that idea....

Good luck, im sure he will do great!

winniepooh

Thanks everyone, great ideas I will go and stock up on frubes

Lippylonglips .....great name by the way. Yeah i'm sure well its not 4.00 its 3.85

CRANKY40

Do a trial run at home first. My ds starts school next Monday, so today he had a packed lunch in his school lunch bag to make sure he could open and eat everything. He was very pleased with himself.....

lickylonglips

winniepooh wrote: »

Thanks everyone, great ideas I will go and stock up on frubes

Lippylonglips .....great name by the way. Yeah i'm sure well its not 4.00 its 3.85

I'm stunned.... At my school (I'm a teacher, by the way), I believe a school dinner costs £9.00 approx. per week, or £1.80 a day.. If a member of staff gets a school dinner, then even then it's only £2.60, well under the price you're being expected to pay for your child.

Was just reading on a Jamie Oliver forum that the average price is £1.75. If you're being expected to pay more than double that, then there's something seriously wrong. I would ask the school how they can justify charging so much?

For the £1.80 at my school, the children get salad bar, bread roll, juice box, main course, piece or fruit or yoghurt and desert (flapjack, biscuit, sponge, carrot cake, etc.)

merlin1

we pay £2.20 a day for ours - alhough he doesnt get them every week, just now and then. this includes a choice of mains and pud. its all home cooked farm style stuff and delivered on the day as our primary doesnt have a canteen.

on packup days i have got a few very small ice packs, for the warmer weather we'll chuck one of those in for sarnie packups. or use the flasks i'm about to waffle about!

on colder days or in winter i always cook more than i need of spag bol's, casseroles, soups etc and have invested in hot food flasks for each of us. they are short dumpy wide neck flasks that keep food hot or cold (think pasta salads etc) for 8 hrs with a lifetime guarantee. trust me they keep food that hot you have to leave the lid off for a bit after 6 hrs!

not to sound too much like a saleswoman, they are made by 'stanley' - and you can get them in places like blacks/millets.

dont get the cheaper ones that look cute with the spoon included - mildly warm is what i found after 4 hrs, but then the chap i work with who does allsorts of mountain climbing and camping in far off places told me about the stanleys and i've not regretted buying them! :cool: