Packed lunch ideas

Spendless

jellyhead wrote:

i've not heard of a school not letting them have anything but water before. ours lets kids have anything but most seem to limit the drinks and snacks to healthy options, nothing at all sounds very harsh to me - how do the little 4 year olds in reception class cope for so long without a snack?

At sons school he has a piece of fruit mid-morning (fruit box scheme) and milk(which I pay for him to have).

He also has a drinks bottle in class which they are only allowed to have water in.
He isn't allowed to take anything in nor is there a tuck shop.

Not sure about whether you're allowed to put in juice for children on packed lunches.

Water is available for all children at lunch time( school dinners or packed lunch).

I've no idea what happens in the junior school as they don't have milk or fruit mid-morning.

jellyhead

ah, right, the fruit scheme. ours seem to hand the fruit out at hometime, everyone takes in a snack for morning break. the fruit scheme stops at around age 7 i think, i don't think my 8 year old would concentrate too well before lunch if he hadn't had a mid morning snack, i doubt there's a breakfast that's so slow release it could actually last until lunchtime? staggered lunch means he's never eating before half twelve, breakfast is at 8. lots of kids have a snack at hometime too, the free fruit or something their mums bring, or some kids save something from their lunchbox for the walk home, at 8 a lot of them still seem to get hungry in between meals, even those who eat healthy meals.

ditzymuppet

Another thing my mum used to do was get pineapple chunks from a tin and put them in cling film... these used to be yummy...would work for most tinned fruit

I was also allowed (in place of chocolate) yogurt covered banana chips (from the health food shops) these were SOOOO yummy :rolleyes:

I used to love it when my mum chopped up fruit and put it in clingfilm... finger sized pieces so you could nibble on it throughout the day... might be easier for children that take ages to eat food

hope that helps :rolleyes:

~ditzy~

Edinburghlass_2

I was searching the old forums for something else and came across this old thread about packed lunches.

Interesting to read now we have all watched Jamie Oliver's programmes on school dinners

medical

Dear All
which drinks are the better ones to buy for childrens packed lunch?
which crisp is better nutrition wise as well
ta
medical

mummysaver

For lunch boxes my children take orange juice - just the value stuff from Tesco's, but not the orange flavoured stuff! In individual cartons, or if I'm organised I pour some into bottles! They also take in water. My children are only allowed crisps 3 times a week, much to their annoyance, usually I buy Tesco value plain crisps, if they're embarassed by these decant into another container! They are fairly small bags and not full of additives, simply potatoes, oil and salt. You could try the crips with the little blue salt bags, don't know if these are any healthier, and yesterday I saw some hula hoops in Tesco with little blue salt bags to tip on yourself.

My children don't eat a completely healthy diet all the time, occasionally I'll buy Potato Heads or whatever just to stop them moaning, and sometimes dd2 gets away with a very diluted squash instead of water, but most of the time I try to limit the "rubbish" foods.

I usually put some kind of a treat in too, but make it fairly small - mini gingerbread men are quite popular (though now ds 12 I'm not sure that he's too impressed!), I just have to be very careful as dd3 and ds react really badly to some additives and are awful when given chocolate! Not so bad if they're at home and can be sent off to calm down, but not so great if they muck about and get into trouble at school.

mummysaver

Penny-Pincher!! wrote:

Hi There

Been reading this thread and your ideas are great!!

My daughter is 10 and quite fussy.

I normally give her a sandwich/roll with either marmite, cheese, ham or choc spread. She also has a piece of fruit, squash, crisps and raisins in a bag. Reading all your suggestions-Im now unsure whether this is a healthy packed lunch

She eats well at home and eats her 5 portions of fruit and veg a day etc, we dont have take aways and I make everything from scratch. All meals are what I call "normal" meals, roasts, chops, toad in hole, spag bol, curry, chilli, cheesy pasta, etc, etc. Normally all meals are served with potatoes and at least 2 veg, unless pasta or rice etc.

I was thinking about cooking up some chicken pieces and doing rice/pasta & chicken for her packed lunch, but unsure how I should store this, can I freeze it etc etc???? Also, was thinking about making some HM sausage rolls & quiches-but have never made these before and was wondering again-how do I make these and how should they be stored??? Also the cheese straws???

If anyone can suggest any other ideas-I would be truly grateful!!

I wouldnt say my daughter is overweight-she is 10 and has size 4 feet :eek: She is very tall for her age and weighs 6 stone 8lbs. She is developing and know she will be starting her periods soon :eek: I was 11!! She has a multi vit each day and a large glass of milk as a top up.

Am I doing OK?? Im disabled and would hate to think Im hurting my daughter in anyway or stunting her growth etc.

Thanks in advance
Penny-Pincher!!
XXX

Hi Penny-Pincher - I think you're doing a great job, and congratulations to your daughter on her test results. Can I move in with you, your meals sound great!

gravitytolls

Years ago, I happened to see a lunch box of another child (it spilled open in th eplayground). It had a rol, yoghurt, crisps, choccy bar thing, fruit and a cake.

Well, I felt ashamed of myself. All mine had was a sarnie, crisps, and a piece of fruit.

So I set about improving their boxes, and every day they brought home the sarnie and the fruit, having eaten only the goodies.

The goodies were enough to fill them, so they didn't need anything else, but htey weren't getting any nourighment.

Now they get a nice sarnie; I don't buy deli stuff any more, I get a small chicken, bacon/ham joint etc, cook, slice and freeze into portions. Also, tuna, egg mayo, sausage etc.


With this they may have mini cheddars/quavers etc (depends what's on offer) or nuts, fruit (oranges quatered and wrapped cos they take too long to peel) and maybe a home made cake or biscuit, which they help to make.

The rule is, if at least 3/4 sarnie isn't eaten, they don't get goodies the following day.

You're righ tbaout time too. If there isn't enough time in the dinner hall, they should be bale to sit in the playground (in summertime), or in their classrooms, they should all have the chance to eat a good lunch, and shouldn't have to wolf it down either.

Post-It-Note_3

Sorry if this ideas already been posted........so much to read!

When I was at primary school and parents didnt have much money my mum used to make me jam swiss rolls. To do this you roll out a slice of bread with a rolling pin, cut the edges off, spread on the jam and then roll into a swiss roll style!!

I know it sounds like alot of messing aroung but its a cheap snazzy idea. I know all my friends were jealous!!

gravitytolls

Mmm, good idea. They're called jammy pin wheels, the children can help roll them up too. Easy peasy cooking.