Ideas for packed lunch for a 2 3/4 year old

Counting_Pennies_2

Can anyone come up with some appetising suggestions.

My son has just started at preschool and he takes a packed lunch.

So far he has had

cheese sandwiches (always returned with one bite)
Cheese and grape sandwiches (ditto)
cheese and crackers (ate them all)
fruit kebabs (strawberries blueberries and grape on cocktail sticks) loves them
malt loaf
raisins

I want to give him some variety and also to try and get a good savoury item into the box.

This is the first time he has really had picnic style foods, so it is a trial and error.

I guess I am after some inspiration for other healthy options

Any ideas?

Rachie_B

Some ideas my 4 yr old has :

Filled pitta bread
Tortilla wraps,rolled up ( whatever filling you like) then cut in half ,or you can wrap in clingfilm,chill in the fridge then cut into pin wheels
Crackers
dutch crisp bakes
rice cakes
filled bagel

or sometimes for a change,he wont have a sarnie / pitta / bagel etc

but i will put in a piece of HM pizza or HM sausage roll / HM savoury muffin etc as his main savoury item.

Then he always has a pot of yogurt,cereal bar ( or HM sweet muffin / HM flapjack etc ) and a mini box of raisins.
Flask of water.


would he eat a little salad ? could chop up cucumber,cherry toms,apple,etc and put in a little plastic lidded container

my youngest son wont touch fruit and veg with a barge pole ! but the eldest loves his veggie sticks with a little pot of dip,and salads ,cold pasta salad / rice salad / cous cous etc

Jay-Jay_4

My (almost) three year old won't eat sandwiches either.

A packed lunch for her usually consists of some of these....


cubes of cheese,
Soreen,
breadsticks,
ricecakes,
a yoghurt,
a handful of grapes,
slices of apple,
a box or handful of raisins,
sliced banana,
a sports bottle of water,
a bottle with two thirds water one third fruit juice,

sarymclary

All the above suggestions are ones I would have given. What about a hotcross bun (my boys like them without butter too), tortillas are great. I do crackers with cheese and small slices of ham/chicken.

Try to include fruit. I have small plastic pots which I put sliced strawberries with a sprinkle of sweetener on (put in a plastic fork to eat them with). Cucumber cut into long chunks. Apples sliced. Satsumas peeled. Grapes.

If you're not sure what your kiddie likes, why not try some picnic type foods at other mealtimes at home to try him out. I found out at Christmas that my youngest loves cold Italian style pasta salad, so that's another thing to put in the plastic tubs for me. One son prefers sandwiches, the other prefers rolls. One loves tuna, meat, cheese, etc., the other only marmite or jam, but he likes a side serving of cold meat, or cheese rather than as a filling.

Smooth yogurts, fromage frais in tubes are easy for small hands.

Don't worry about there only being one bite taken. Some children who aren't used to eating with little supervision or encouragement, and with lots of distraction from other children will not eat as much as others. My youngest was the best eater in his class at pre-school, but this was due to having attended a day nursery from 8months and having stayed for meals there, which were monitored on a more 'mum' like basis, where they were encouraged to eat up, and try new things. He used to fall asleep at the table at teatime, but the staff remarked he always woke up when sponge and custard was mentioned!

HTH.

Woby_Tide

our 2yo normally takes sandwiches some days, others we've been giving im crackers/breadsticks with philadelphia/dairylea and making his own dunkers> Other popular one at moment is tuna pasta, just cook some pasta evening before then we add tuna/mayo/chopped pepper/sweetcorn etc. Either he likes it or someone else does as the box keeps coming back nearly empty. Can also do it with ham instead of tuna or any meat, or even just peppers/sweetcorn other veg

crispeater

i used to do pitta bread cut in half and filled with tuna & mayo with cucumber or blucumber as she calls it pitta with grilled chicken & red grapes.
tortillas cut in half and wrapped in clingfilm with dairylea & ham.
also little portions of pineapple in tuperware a yoghurt & a kiwi

dd rarely came home with food in her box lol but then this was for her tea rather than lunch an now she is at a nursery where they provide it all for me

sticher

How do those of you who put sliced apple/banana in the lunches stop it from turning brown? I have tried lemon juice, but if there is just one hint of brown my youngest won't touch it. (Have also tried taking all the air out of the bag, but still no luck!

jezebel

What about mini sausage rolls (like party food) or cheese and onion rolls.
Flapjacks or marshmallow crispy cakes (get kids to help you make them)
Sandwiches cut into shapes using cookie cutters (much more interesting)

looneyleo

You could also try dried fruit...raisens etc. Apricots are also good (I cut them up into the size of raisens using scissors and mix them with raisens). You can also buy fruitbars made of dried fruit. How about a small tub of dried cereal? My little girl loves to snack on a few cherrios etc. There are bread sticks, cheesy bread sticks for savory. You could try getting young one involved in making lunch and maybe cutting the sandwich with a shape cutter chosen by him/her to encourage them to eat it...time is of the essence though I know...good luck...

lil_me

My son takes

6 slices of ham (small slices)
6 slices of cucumber
Tub of grapes
Tub of jelly, raisins or another fruit dried/fresh (not apples or pears as won't eat them)

Takes this everyday with fresh fruit juice.

With slices fruit I use half lemon juice and half water, put in immediately after cutting and soak for at least half an hour, usually works.

Moonbeam

My son likes crackers/oatcakes/cheddaries with dairylea or cheese strings - also have tried cutting sandwiches into shapes to encourage him to eat them - at Halloween I found some pumpkin and bat shaped cutters which helped - christmas was stars and snowmen....

He also really likes humous with bread sticks or baked crisps (sainsbury's do child size pots, but I generally buy a big tub as it's cheaper and put it into tupperware)

He also likes to help make up his packed lunch and that generally encourages him to eat more - no longer give him juice with his lunch (only water) as he was filling himself up with it and refusing to eat.

Favourite puddings are Jelly, frubes and pancakes and loves to snack on yoghurt covered fruit pieces.