Probably stupid question about packed lunches

[RubaiyatOfAnyone]

Okay, i know i’m probably just being dim here but...
I have to make pack lunches for dd every day. Ham (nitrate free for those about to say ham shouldn’t be given to children) says on the packet it should be used within 3 or 2 days of opening (depends on brand). This means i always end up throwing loads away. Is there any alternative? I don’t want just do cheese sandwiches everyday, as i’m sure she’d get sick of it. What does everybody else do?

Ummmm, buy a smaller pack of ham (or a few slices from the deli) and when it's gone use a different filling for a couple of days - cheese, cream cheese, tuna, peanut butter, marmite, egg, etc. Mix things up a bit and give cheese and crackers or hummus and breadsticks or pasta salad a couple of days?

That must win oddest question this year award. Why do you think?

I genuinely don't understand why anyone who has chosen not to eat meat - whether for ethical or health reasons - would choose to feed it to their child. So I asked the OP - what with this being a chat forum.

Take it out the packet and put it in a airtight box and it will last at least a week, rather then in the packet it came in.

I think it is smoked ham that is not good for you in excess - same with bacon - but it has to be in excess.

i would just mix up the fillings
so Ham on a monday and tuesday (buy just a couple of slices from the deli)
then the other days
Tuna mayo
egg mayo
Cheese
houmous and grated carrot

etc

No idea but ham sandwiches every day is surely as boring as cheese ones? Cheese is much nicer...

Peanut butter and Marmite. Unless there's a nut allergy, of course....

My youngest will only eat ham sandwiches. Anything else and it comes home uneaten. As her packed lunch consists of ham on a bagel and nothing else I’d prefer her to eat something.

We freeze it. You can even put the frozen slice in the sandwich and it’s defrosted by lunch.

I think it is smoked ham that is not good for you in excess - same with bacon - but it has to be in excess

There was a study recently which found that eating processed meats on a regular basis significantly increased your risk of bowel cancer. Not even excessive. Just regular.
Cancer research link: scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2019/04/26/bacon-salami-and-sausages-how-does-processed-meat-cause-cancer-and-how-much-matters/

My DC have:
Cheese, onion,mayo salad
Quesidillas
Pesto, mozarella and rocket pannini
Peanut butter and cucumber
Tuna, mayo, sweetcorn
Prosciutto ham and salad (prosciutto is sodium nitrate free)
Chicken and salad

I like to change things up for the kids. They like salami and salads, fresh baguettes and ham and southern fried chicken wraps etc.

I have a sort of packed lunch phobia if you will. As a child I got soggy unknown animal paste gloop sandwiches that were smooshed and warm, a funsize packet of puffed crisps and a cheap orange quenchy cup. Every single fucking day. It never altered. All year. Sometimes I got stale bread which made a soggy yet stale confusing sandwich... just the thought of my kids having that makes me retch. So it's fresh crusty bread and deli style sandwiches if I can. Even just using ham as the main filling I could make 5 completely different sandwiches.

In your shoes OP, I'd buy a couple of fresh slices of ham from the butcher and mix up the sandwiches. Cheese one day, coronation chicken, savoury cheese, ham, beef or depending on age (and the weather) a hot soup in a flask with a buttered roll.