If you have teens, what do they take to school for packed lunch?

[Lazymorningsareover]

My almost 12yo is at secondary school now. He's always been a bit fussy when it comes to anything healthy, but I think he's reached peak junk food.

At primary they weren't allowed junk food in their lunchboxes. Now I feel under pressure to give him chocolate and crisps. If he buys dinners he buys junk food.

He will eat fruit, a bit of veg at home, but at school it always comes home uneaten.

Any ideas appreciated.

Atm he has a sandwich/wrap, baked crisps, yoghurt, carrot/cucumber sticks and a piece of fruit.

I went through this phase at age 12 but by age 14-16 I was buying the school meals (craving them now). I was fed up eating cookies and chips for lunch! I wouldn’t worry about it x

Yes nsav, I think there is an element of novelty when they start secondary school of being in control of their food choices and that can lead to poor choices for a while!

@ILikeyourHairyHands yes!! The thought of being able to just LEAVE school at lunch and go to the shop/McDonald’s/Chinese and pick whatever I wanted for lunch actually BAFFLED me! I was more shocked when I realised my house was a 5 minute walk so I could just leave school and go home for half an hour?! AMAZING!!

Dd1 ham wrap, baked crisps, an apple and a soreen malt loaf/eat natural cereal bar.
Dd2 cheese wrap, pistachios, satsuma and two bourbon biscuits.

I thought most secondary schools are cashless now? And my DC aren’t allowed off site in the lower years. So it’s easy not to top up their account if they are buying junk with it. And they are too budget conscious to spend their own money!

Our secondary is not close to any main shops so it takes too long to go out for food. Queues are too long for the canteen so mine prefer to take a packed lunch

DD-sausage roll, bag of crisps, apple juice.
Ds-sandwiches, crisps, tomatoes, apple juice, piece of fruit (usually satsuma) chocolate biscuit/piece of cake.

DS 12 who’s in year 7 takes, a piece of fruit, sandwich or finger foods (sausage rolls, sausages, chicken bites) some crisps, a chocolate biscuit or cake bar, either mousse, fruit in jelly or custard and a smoothie. He’s autistic so we can’t change it up too much so certain days we have certain things.

He also t@kes a bottle of water with him too.

Jeez ....these are growing children. Mine had wrap or bun with ham and cheese (one soft cheese the other hard) babybel or cheese string, yogurt, popcorn, homemade flapjack or brownie and fruit.
They are 12 and 9...... they do have lots if after school clubs so maybe dinners are not massive !
My 12 year old probably wants double the amount I eat and is stick thin !

Icebear.
Every child is different. At 9-12yo I took a single digestive biscuit and a drink as that was all I wanted. My sister took 2large rolls, because that was what she needed.
I don't recall being hungry.

@IceBearRocks

Totally agree. I suppose level of activity is key. My son goes to a prep school that is sport obsessed, as is my son. He’s almost 10. He has cooked breakfast, they give a snack, hot lunch (3 courses) and then a snack post match / mid afternoon and then I do a hot dinner and pudding. If ever a packed lunch - I ran it, and it’s devoured.

The boy is pencil thin. But the emery he is using up in a day is like an Olympian! However I get that those children doing much less activity, probably not nearly so hungry or need it (although just a biscuit and a drink for lunch is !)

A sandwich with ham and salad, some Greek yoghurt with frozen fruit in it and a brunch bar type thing. She is not a fruit fan but will also take carrots or celery (with a tiny pot of mayo for dipping).