Picky Kids! Wont eat her lunchbox

[JontheParent]

Are there any tips you can give to the difficulty of preparing a lunchbox that your child enjoys eating. We are getting to the point where we put in the effort to make healthy food, but it often comes back uneaten.

Any one else going through this dilemma?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

JontheParent.

[MsHippo]

What sort of things do you currently put in? What are hits and what comes back untouched? That should give us an idea of DC's tastes.

[Sirzy]

What foods will they eat is the key issue?

[ShowMeTheElf]

How old? Are they able to tell you what they would like or help in the preparation? Is it just that school is so exciting they can't be bothered to eat and just want to get out and play?
What are you putting in that gets left? Is it things that they will eat at home?

[kateandme]

what does dc like at home?age?few more details would help me think

[kateandme]

is there anything "her pals have that looks nice to her?"this can often ge tthem excited if they have the same or similar.
we roasted peppers carrots and other veggies the night before when cooking tea and she took it in little tubs.love it with naan or pittas.
are they an age where you can ask them.say what colour theme today?how about red...so what red fruit or veg would they like.
at the supermarket ask them to choose which veggies or fruit they want.makign them feel important can sometimes help as if the are making the decisions.
cutting the fruit or veg or sandwhiches with cookie cutters.
could you prepare a tub of fruit salad for "mum" or "dad" and say would you like some...has helped them think they are having grown up or sharing our yummy foods.
depends on the age of course to what advice

[JontheParent]

Hi all,

Thanks for your responses.

DC is around 8-9. The problem is that DC will selectively choose foods that her friends eat, but this isn't always the healthy choice (i.e. sausage rolls). I try and educate her on eating healthy, but DC just believes that if her friends eat it, it must be the norm (and I am in no position to influence what DC's friends take to school!)

I try and make healthy lunches for her to take to school, but she often doesn't eat much of them. I don't know if i should try and be persistent or too cave in to what she normally eats.

What do you all do?

[Sirzy]

What do you normally send her with?

[TinselAngel]

"DC is around 8-9?"

[EduCated]

What do you send?

What does she eat?

[calzone]

Get her to choose and make her own lunches.

Chicken satay
Cucumber
Pitta bread

Frube
Blueberries


Tell her she has to eat something or the consequences are......

[NoStraightEdges]

Eh? I love the evasiveness about DC age! And what you put in the lunch box.

If breakfast and dinner is truly healthy you could relax a bit on the lunch box contents.

A peice or portion of fruit, a spoon less yoghurt and whatever else is fine-even if there's the odd sausage roll!

[EduCated]

You wouldn’t, by any chance, have an article to write, would you?

[NoSquirrels]

At that age, give them limited choices and let them get on with it.

It’s fine to say they can choose their sandwich filling and make it - as long as not Nutella! But it’s also fine to say you won’t but sausage rolls.

But if you’re sending them with quinoa salad and tofu cubes cos it’s “healthy” then it’s no wonder a sausage roll seems “normal”.

[JontheParent]

The main bulk of my lunches are
a) Sandwiches -> these can range from egg fillings, tuna mayo, chicken, ham
b) Left overs (from dinner) -> pasta, roast chicken, cous cous
c) Sweet -> often fruit, maybe some homemade goodies (rare occasion)
c) Side Dish -> Carrots/hummus, cheese & crackers.
d) Drink -> milk, juices.

However I just finished reading a book based on health for kids.
They encourage a more balanced diet - with good carbs, lean proteins and healthy fats. So i really want to push her into the habit of enjoying this early.

Also based on the answers given (thank you for those who helped!) these are a few things I might try going forward.

1. Fun themes are good! These can be based on anything ranging from colour, produce or country
   
2. Get them to play an active part in choosing their school lunches
   
3. Balance & moderation is key - they can eat what they want as long as they compromise.

[ShowMeTheElf]

Ah, right 8/9 year old. Very conformist with what friends are eating and cool is good.
If you want to make sure that healthy elements get eaten first then make them cool:
A chicken salad wrap can be cook if it has a bit of sauce in and gets called fajitas etc. At that age mine really liked flask food, especially at this time of year, but nothing too weird. Have you tried sushi?..veg or smoked/tinned fish rather that fresh raw. Making it is fun and at 8yo they will have little fingers to make it easier!

[Blondie1984]

Try reading this

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/what-to-put-in-kids-lunchboxs_uk_5a72fb42e4b0bf6e6e221756

[JontheParent]

Thanks for the help everyone!
I will let you all know of the progress :)

Jon x

[kateandme]

be firm with some things.at that age you do (if there isn't real fussy issue) have to do as shes told up to a point
do supermakrt sweep.ours loved it at that age.limited time. as we enter the isles and they havr to find there lunch box options.fruit veg,filling drink.
fruit skewers also got really poplular with chunks of brioche bread.
also loved starberrys and raspberries and cherries covered in yoghurt and frozen just take out in Tupperware just before going.
pastry and wrap pinwheels can also be frozen and gotten out as and when.
would she like to cook with you.how bout makig your own sausage rolls? your her own mini pies quich tartlets etc.
in general too get her interested in food at other times.so cookig the tea with you.ask to pick a new recipe to try,so that at other times she is learning the love of food and the process of having nice good meals.and new tastes.so its not just a forced or pushed process at lunch times then it will just become an associated stress whereas loving food at other times might help.