Interesting ideas for Kids lunches

[Jenlyn9483]

Hello my son is in Kindergarten and I am making most of his lunches since school lunches have gone up. I dont want to make the same things all the time and was wondering you any of you had any ideas outside the box of peanut butter and jelly and ham sandwiches.

 

[SourRoses]

My mom always made the best lunches!

and always the little note to say "I love you"

Containers. Gather yourself some tupperware/ziplocks/whatevers in a range of Smaller sizes. Also a couple of thermoses/insulated bowls. Insulated lunchbox.

What my mom always made me was nice things that I would have for dinner at home, sometimes what we had the night before

. If it was spaghetti, that was fine by me!

Hot stuff in the insulated containers, then in the insulated lunchbox, and it was still nice and warm-hot by lunchtime. Tupperware would have maybe a little salad and a side of dressing... maybe some carrots and celery to dip in another container of dip.. maybe some garlic bread... ect.

With the right equipment at your fingertips, you can make your kid whatever you want

 

[chicmom]

Well, how about trail bologna and cheese and crackers?

How about celery sticks with some peanut butter in them, or maybe cream cheese in them?

How about a wrap instead of sandwich?

You could give them a serving of some healthy nuts, and some grapes or a fruit cup, and some cheese chunks.....

My kids liked those cheese sticks or string cheese too.

Mom used to pack a thermos with soup in it when we were really little and had those lunch boxes with a matching thermos.

Think outside the bun! LOL

 

[peeplessinNC]

There was a good link on a recent discussion of packing lunches for kids but I can't find that post. So here is another link I found by doing a search:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=240590&p=1

My boys loved Barbecue Cups when they taking lunch to school each day. You can also make them Pizza Cups by using pizza sauce, cooked ground beef or Italian sausage, and mozzarella cheese.

Barbecue Beef Cups

3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup barbeque sauce
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 (12 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit dough
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease the cups of a muffin pan.
2.In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, cook beef until evenly brown. Drain excess fat. Stir in barbeque sauce and dried onion. Simmer for a few minutes over low heat.
3.Flatten each biscuit, and press into cups of the prepared muffin pan. Make sure the dough comes to the top of the pan. Spoon a portion of the meat mixture into each dough cup.
4.Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 3 more minutes.

Look on the Pillsbury web site for more recipes using canned biscuits and pizza dough to make little hand held pies or buns, just the right size for little folks.

 

[ChickiKat]

I bet those pizza cups would be good. And I echo the wrap instead of a sammich... Like burritoes. And maybe have the kids help you, whatever they make they may like eating it more if they have pride in creation....

 

[Carolyn]

Homemade mac and cheese, soup, casserole or pasta dishes, etc will keep warm in a thermo cup. Also packing lunch in a soft bag that is insulated will keep some items at correct temp better than the standard lunch box.
Homemade cookies or his fav store cookies, granola bars. Fruit fresh or canned. You can sprinkle a little lemon juice and sugar over apples to keep them from turning dark.
I keep plastic silverware, napkins on hand when I pack lunches and also left over ketchup, mayo, mustard packages. If you are worried about something spoiling that can be served at room temp, fix it the night before and refrigerate it, add to lunch box next am. It will probably be just right by lunch time. There are a lot more creative options out there now than there used to be.
One of my sons has been eating oriental food since kindergarten. He had Japanese classmates who loved the thought of a P & J or bologna sandwich and a little Debbie cake and mine was the only one in class brave enough to trade lunches.

 

[peeplessinNC]

My younger son didn't like sandwiches in kindergarten, so I fixed him little kabobs of cubed cheese, ham, bologna, etc. on wood toothpicks. He was old enough then not to play with the toothpicks and hurt himself or another child. You could make veggie kabobs of grape tomatoes, cheese, pickle cubes, carrot coins, green beans or any other vegetables he likes. Kids aren't as picky about having food hot or cold as adults are; room temp is often just fine with them.

 

[vfem]

My youngest gets lunches to the baby sitter's house at this point, but she likes finger foods. We do things she can dip. I'll put in a bunch of her favorite veggies and make her hummus or homemade ranch dressing. She absolutely loves it!

We also make trail mixes, like with dried fruits and cereals she likes... so its more like a snack then lunch, but its packed with good stuff!

 

[caspernc]

Shoot. Here kids even kindergarden can't wear pointy toed cowboy boots, for the fear of one child kicking another. I'm pretty sure tooth picks would be out. But I love that idea for a picnic! I want the pizza cups for dinner!

 

[menageriemama]

There is an old bento thread on here somewhere...