Healthy Lunchbox Ideas!!!

[Rose138]

Hello everyone,

My little boy started nursery 4 weeks ago. He's 2 years old. He goes to nursery Monday and Wednesday.

When he started I was given quite a lengthy lunchbox pack stating what is and isn't acceptable. No crisps or chocolate. Yes to homemade treats.

I could pay for him to have a hot meal but he likes to pick at a range of foods at lunchtime and they can offer it to him again later in the afternoon which they did the other day, which they wouldn't have been able to do with a hot meal.

It is however starting to be a bit of a chore! He's already had ham or tuna sweetcorn in a sandwich or roll. Cubes of cheese. Carrot/cucumber/pepper sticks. Yogurt. Crackers. Strawberries/grapes/blueberries. Etc! So I've been trying to keep it varied! I've been making cakes-simple as I'm not much of a baker-so he has a little treat. But he didn't eat it today so perhaps getting fed up of the same ones.

Any simple and healthy lunchbox foods you can suggest including treats would be very much appreciated! Thank you in advance.x

[Tanito279]

Totally following this because I give DD too many yoyo bear style treats.

[neversleepagain]

Mine are 4, treaty stuff is nuts (not peanuts), dried fruit and sunflower seeds, a tiny pot of Nutella with mini bread sticks, a mix of raisins, saltanas and dried cranberries, dried banana chips. I make home made biscuits when I have time.

[Linpinfinwin]

At 2 I think they do better without too many bits and pieces. It's easy to overcater in a lunchbox. I don't give them 3 puds at home so they don't need fruit and yoghurt and cake in their lunchbox, especially if they are having fruit juice or smoothie which is sugary too. And relax a bit about making it varied IMO. Repetition is fine within reason. At preschool mine had a sandwich plus a 2 compartment box, with savoury bits in one side and sweet in the other. Possibly one more thing.

Popcorn is a good switch for crisps and considered a treat. Buttered ready-sliced malt loaf, full size cheesy biscuits like TUC or cheddars, cheesy oatcakes, bits of leftover chicken or salami, breadsticks. Scones are quick and easy to make but they do go stale quickly - squidge dough into a rectangle and cut into rough triangles rather than cutting out rounds and rerolling trimmings.

If you're determined to cook then think freezable - traybake thing, or jam tarts or welshcakes. However with a child at nursery most of us are working and have enough on our plates without baking specially for packed lunches. Sandwich, something savoury to go with it and fruit or yoghurt should be fine. We like the yoghurt pouches - easier to eat than tubes and spoon free.