Hot lunch ideas for 2.5 year old 4 October 2017 at 10:06AM in MoneySaving mums 8 replies 3.8K views

MrsSippi

Firstly, I apologise if this has been done to death before.......

I am a bit stuck for ideas for lunches for my 2.5 year old. She has a healthy appetitite and breakfasts and dinners are sorted but I'm stumped with lunches. She isn't keen on cold lunches and hates sandwiches so I am trying to do her a hot lunch but need ideas. So far she has: eggs (scrambled or boiled) with toast, spaghetti on toast, pesto pasta, dinner leftovers if there are any but I desperately need more ideas. I have tried cheese on toast but she wasn't keen.

Any ideas would be massively appreciated

Kynthia

My daughter hated sandwiches until she turned 3 so I sympathise. We also gave her omelette with grated carrot or chopped peppers in, beans with toast (not on the toast), microwave jacket potato with various toppings, ham and mini babybell with crackers, or when out sometimes we'd resort to an Organics oat bar with fruit and a yoghurt.

kingfisherblue

Warm quiche with peppers and cucumber.

Soup, maybe with a roll.

Pasta with sauce made from passata. Add extra veg such as grated courgette, peppers, onions, mushrooms.

Baked potato - you can change it slightly by scooping out the potato and mixing in some cheese and ham, before popping back into the skin. Grill lightly iof required.

Cauliflower cheese.

Fishfingers, maybe with peas and sweetcorn.

Omelette.

Scrambled eggs, chopped bacon, mushrooms and tomato.

Mini pizza - half a roll spread with tomato paste. Add cheese and toppings of choice.

Rice with veg and ham.

Potato wedges with egg, ham, veg, or whatever you have in.

MrsSippi

Thank you both for the fab ideas - all of which I will try. I was feeling like I had hit a wall thinking of new things - when my eldest was the same age she hated hot lunches and always wanted packed lunches and sandwiches for nursery but now I've got the opposite problem! Every day I dread trying to think of what to do for her lunch so at least now I have a few ideas, thanks again.

Kynthia

I forgot about pitta bread or english muffin pizzas with tomato puree. A very quick option and you can vary the topping according to what's in the fridge and then grill. I'd keep some English muffins in the freezer and defrost one at a time.

Savoury drop scones are an option. They're just pancake mix with self raising flour, so very simple. I've made a batch with spring onion and lots of peas and sweetcorn but you can add any fruit or veg, or cheese. Top with creme fraiche if you're fancy. I made breakfast ones for my baby using frozen raspberries (much cheaper than fresh) and blueberries.

thecoffeehouse204

What about beans on toast or my daughters favourite crumpets and beans.

atolaas

I use to arrange the food into a smiley face when my DS was having a cold lunch - 1 cherry tomato halved for the eyes - grated carrot hair - cucumber eyebrows. He use to make his own sandwich using the face!

tiz

Have you tried wraps? You can add hot chicken, fish fingers etc. and salad but they don't resemble sandwiches. Also my favourite - wrap pizza's - use the wrap flat as a base, add pizza style toppings (a smear of tomato paste, some fresh toms, peppers, sweetcorn etc. and a sprinkle of cheese and then grill for a couple of minutes.

TBagpuss

what about things such as casseroles, (mild) curry, spaghetti bolognese etc - you can make a batch and freeze single portions.
Also consider things such as warm falafel, rice or cous cous with vegetables.
What kind of things do you cook for family meals? Plan for left overs, and for anything that is freezable, make a bit extra.