Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Help with packed lunches

111 replies

CantMeatWontEat · 22/02/2024 16:28

I know it's not a real AIBU, but I am struggling.

DD12 is vegetarian (only in last 9 months) and I am struggling with packed lunches.

I'm divorced. 50/50 split. DC have school meals one day a week. This effectively means I only have to make packed lunches on two days of the week. Please don't suggest more school meals. This is the agreement with XH, daily school meals aren't in my budget, and she would probably just eat chips.

XH gives her hummus and bread whenever he does a packed lunch. So I don't want to repeat that.

She was having "chicken" wraps with Quorn nuggets in the wrap a lot (because she liked them) but became bored.

She doesn't like anything with seeds in (crackers, bread), egg mayo, shortcrust pastry (if I make quiche, the pastry is always left).

She does like crisps, crackers (fairly plain ones), cheese, olives, reasonable range of veg and all manner of sugary junk.

Is funny about bread. Sometimes loves it, sometimes hates it. Not a fan of sandwiches (hence the wraps).

I'm currently mainly doing crackers and bits but worried she will get bored. Sent a hard boiled egg today as a variation on the bits, but it has come home uneaten. Apparently, the last time I sent an egg, someone commented on it so she didn't eat it today because she doesn't want people to think she's "weird".

Now she's upset because she thinks I'm upset she didn't eat her egg.

She has some mental health struggles, and is waiting for an assessment to see what we do next to help her. She gets quite paranoid, so anything that she thinks makes her look different is a big no.

I work full-time and usually cook from scratch. Sometimes we have pizza and she takes leftovers the next day. I really don't feel like I have the time to also be making/baking other types of lunch. Especially as DS is a confirmed carnivore and complains about anything that doesn't have meat in.

Sometimes DD takes a vegetarian sausage roll, but they're expensive and she never finishes them so I'm not convinced she likes them.

I am desperate for more ideas!

I do sometimes pick up falafel if it's on offer.

Have tried leftover pasta in a flask in the past but she complains it doesn't stay hot until lunch.

Does anyone have any easy, affordable suggestions?

Thank you for reading my essay!

OP posts:
Original poster
CantMeatWontEat · 22/02/2024 17:46

Leeds2 · 22/02/2024 17:26

Veggie samosas or veggie spring rolls from the deli counter.

Tomato, with just salt and pepper, on whatever bread she will eat. I don't think it would work with a wrap though.

Soup.

Cheese triangles with cherry tomatoes. Maybe Dairylea Dunkers.

Cheese on a croissant. Tastes nice even if not heated.

Veggie samosas might work.

The trouble is that a lot of these suggestions (not yours specifically, but everyone's in general) sound quite expensive, but maybe I just have to accept that it's going to cost more to make a lunch she likes.

OP posts:
MrsPatrickDempsey · 22/02/2024 17:45

I had cold stir fry today - just veggies and noodles with a shop bought sauce left over from last night. It was delish.

Original poster
CantMeatWontEat · 22/02/2024 17:42

I absolutely understand why people are suggesting that she takes more responsibility and makes her own.

However, until I get to the bottom of (or make progress on understanding) her mental health issues, this is not something I'm going to push. She's only in Y7 and the step up from primary has been a real challenge. I am tackling one issue at a time and, at the moment, any additional responsibility would be more or less guaranteed to cause increased anxiety.

She is leaving the house on time more often than not at the moment, which is a big deal, but that needs to be a comfortable normal before I change the morning routine in any way.

Just asking her for ideas has caused a panic. She's really pretty good at hot, main meals, but has a very limited range of foods she will eat for breakfast or cold.

Please believe me when I say that if it were as simple as getting her to make a list of things she'd like for lunch then I wouldn't have to ask Mumsnet for suggestions!

OP posts:
takealettermsjones · 22/02/2024 17:36

snoopyfanaccountant · 22/02/2024 17:30

Not all schools allow peanut butter.

Show quote history

Ah good shout, I forgot about that.

PoppingTomorrow · 22/02/2024 17:31

Grown up lunchables/ ploughman's so cheese crudités crackers olives celery etc

Pasta /couscous /rice salad

Frittatas (can batch cook in muffin tin) with salad/crudités

Bean salad

ItsReallyOnlyMe · 22/02/2024 17:31

A supermarket veggie pizza cooked and eaten cold is always a convenient solution.

LoveFood · 22/02/2024 17:31

CantMeatWontEat · 22/02/2024 17:28

OMG, this is a genius idea! Why didn't I think of that?!? I have an instant pot with an air fryer function. It's quite small, so I tend to use it more when it's just me or for cooking the Quorn nuggets quickly in the morning, but I could try that.

I think it's something she'd quickly tire of if I did it too often, but definitely a good idea to break up the routine.

Show quote history

DD will only have baguettes. But the rest of us like different types. Sourdough baguette one day, roll one day, ciabatta one day etc etc. Doesn'thave to be a proper sandwich - DS went through a phase of taking a ciabatta/flat bread by itself with bits on the side - some cheese, some olives etc.

snoopyfanaccountant · 22/02/2024 17:30

takealettermsjones · 22/02/2024 17:18

Lots of suggestions already mentioned but the one thing that struck me as the easy option is peanut butter! (On a wrap, bagel, sandwich thin etc)

Not all schools allow peanut butter.

Tuturkeykey · 22/02/2024 17:29

Also coleslaw with cheddar, very filling and yum

Original poster
CantMeatWontEat · 22/02/2024 17:28

LoveFood · 22/02/2024 16:57

Doo you have an air fryer? I ask because we do par-baked rolls/baguettes as a sandwich alternative. It's helpful for DD who can be fussy with bread and they only take 5 minutes in the air fryer.

Turn that into cheese sandwiches or whatever your preferred veggie option is?

OMG, this is a genius idea! Why didn't I think of that?!? I have an instant pot with an air fryer function. It's quite small, so I tend to use it more when it's just me or for cooking the Quorn nuggets quickly in the morning, but I could try that.

I think it's something she'd quickly tire of if I did it too often, but definitely a good idea to break up the routine.

OP posts:
Tuturkeykey · 22/02/2024 17:27

fruity couscous salad with feta, apricots, cranberries, pine nuts

teriyaki noodles with stir fry veg/tofu in a flask

pasta pesto is good cold

cheese and veg tacos

chapattis with chilli paneer

try different types of bread, brioche rolls with cheese and tomato

greek salad, lentil salad

I second others, at twelve she should be making her own lunch

seriallylurking · 22/02/2024 17:27

pasta salads? roasted veg with feta and couscous/chickpeas? soups in a thermos? salads with cheese/chickpeas/grains if no meat? Halloumi/falafel wraps?

Leeds2 · 22/02/2024 17:26

Veggie samosas or veggie spring rolls from the deli counter.

Tomato, with just salt and pepper, on whatever bread she will eat. I don't think it would work with a wrap though.

Soup.

Cheese triangles with cherry tomatoes. Maybe Dairylea Dunkers.

Cheese on a croissant. Tastes nice even if not heated.

Ariona · 22/02/2024 17:23

At 12 she needs to be taking more responsibility about her choices and you need to stop indulging her fussiness. She needs to give you at least a few options and you can also make a few too. I find that with using a flask this always works - if needing it to be hot, boil water and pour it into the flask for 10min and then add food to it.

takealettermsjones · 22/02/2024 17:18

Lots of suggestions already mentioned but the one thing that struck me as the easy option is peanut butter! (On a wrap, bagel, sandwich thin etc)

MumMumMumMumMumMumMum · 22/02/2024 17:15

Lots of suggestions here so won't add any more but you need to be pushing her to come up with suggestions and having a bit of responsibility. She could pack her own lunch at that age?

Moneybum · 22/02/2024 17:14

Rice salad. Cold rice with spring onion, mayo and chopped peppers stirred through. Add tuna if she is pescatarian. Sounds awful but honestly is yum!

mumonthehill · 22/02/2024 17:13

ds takes pasta but is happy for it to be cold. He also makes a rice salad and adds in what he fancies so veg, feta, Korean sauce. He sometimes makes flatbread and then fills with halloumi and salad.

Catatemysandwich · 22/02/2024 17:07

Ready cooked frittata with salad - super easy, just cut into pieces and eat cold

Pasta salad with tuna (if she eats it) or bits of feta, salad

Hot pasta with tomato sauce in flask

mum2three48 · 22/02/2024 17:07

Mini pizzas
Frittata
Pizza wheels ( puff pastry spread with tomato paste, sprinkle over grated cheese roll up and cut into thin slices and cook) you could add ham to it for meat eaters
All the above can be cooked and frozen until required so you could make a large batch with meat and veggie alternatives.
Soup
Pasta with mini sausages or veggie alternatives (I by a tub of mini sausages and keep in the freezer so I only use what I need.

Pjmasksonrepeat · 22/02/2024 17:05

If she likes quorn you can get various 'ham' slices which taste ok if in a wrap with salad. Or a cold quorn sausage cooked the night before goes nice in a wrap.

Has she tried tofu? Loads of different kinds but the hard already flavoured ones work well chopped up in a salad as do any beans or pulses. You can get ready cooked pulses in tins that you just rinse.

With the hard boiled egg have you tried slicing it with sliced tomato?

greenacrylicpaint · 22/02/2024 16:59

'leftover' bakes.
mix whatever you have left from dinner with egg and bake in muffin tins.
my teens like those and they are always different.

LoveFood · 22/02/2024 16:57

Doo you have an air fryer? I ask because we do par-baked rolls/baguettes as a sandwich alternative. It's helpful for DD who can be fussy with bread and they only take 5 minutes in the air fryer.

Turn that into cheese sandwiches or whatever your preferred veggie option is?

OldTinHat · 22/02/2024 16:54

Roasted veg in a wrap?

Frittata?

Beamur · 22/02/2024 16:50

Cold pasta salad - pesto maybe?
Hummus and crudités
Crackers and babybel
Leftovers from dinner
Dahl and flatbread
Bagel and soft cheese
Tortillas and salsa with cheese for protein
Veggie spreads and crackers

Swipe left for the next trending thread