What do your children eat for lunch?

[kellysandra1231]

Hi what are your children eating for lunch while at home?

I have a 14 year old daughter and a 7 year old son and they have mostly been eating sandwiches and crisps for lunch like when they're at school, but because they're at home i want to make the most of it and make lunches a bit more interesting,

thanks

Oh, and I often do what i call 'pizza toast'.

So toast with passata, chopped ham, diced peppers and cheese under the grill.

As well as the usual 'lunchbox' lunch, we often have:

Pitta pitta with hummus and veg sticks

Homemade soup (leek and potato / curried carrot and lentil / chicken noodle are favourites)

Fish finger wraps / sandwiches

Omelette

Tapas

I suggest your 14 year old cooks / Sam Sterns cookbook aimed at teens is a great option and/or look at Jack Monroes website for very low cost recipes. Younger child helps weight ingredients etc, all good education.

If you have freezer space how about batch cooking shepherds pie, lasagna etc. Soups freeze too. All good options. You can get on with working

pasta, risotto, or omlettes most days (DM is looking after them while DH and I work)

I can’t really add much but wish DD12 would eat some of the things mentioned! She is so fussy! The hardest thing is her changing her mind about the foods she likes/dislikes so I can’t keep up! I’m sad for her because she’s missing out on so many tastes & textures.

We have shifted a bit as well to a packed lunch so at least if we are busy working they can get themselves started at their lunch break. Otherwise if cooking, I try and meal plan and stick it on the kitchen door so they can start getting ingredients out and also don't ask every five minutes

@devildeepbluesea

Sandwiches, scrambled egg on toast, soup (tinned and homemade), leftovers. Nothing exciting really.

This

Lots of great suggestions so far.

We are also getting a bit bored of cheese/beans on toast so started having pancakes with fruit, also have made cheese scones a few times. These are both good options to kill a bit of time!
Quick option if have no time is hummus/philadelphia spread with crackers and fruit.

Sandwiches, toasties, omelettes, boiled eggs, poached eggs on toast, crackers with cheese and cold meats, baked potato and filling, soup.

Leftovers, tinned soup or sandwiches

Usually a sandwich with cucumber and pepper, blueberries, grapes.

Or pitta with hummus, cucumber, carrots, pepper. Some fruit. A smoothie.

We try to keep it as healthy as possible. Not really into the ‘sandwich and crisps’ vibe. Crisps are just pure junk so they’re more of a treat rather than staple part of their diet.

They can chose anything they want from the 'lunch supplies'. Theres bread, wraps, cold meats, crackers, cheese, tins of soup, baked beans, spaghetti hoops, eggs, pasta, leftovers and similar. A parent supervises the making (DH comes home for lunch, it's a 3min walk) and helps if necessary, especially for 7yo. 9yo only needs help with bread knife, she's competent on hob, grill and microwave.

Whatever we can throw together quickly.

Wraps, sandwiches, cheese on toast, scrambled egg on toast, soup, fish finger sandwiches, cheese/crackers, pesto pasta

Wow haha thanks for all the responses!

Some favourites include:
Soup, noodles, toasties, crumpets, pizza muffins (English muffins toasted with tomato puree, cheese and whatever toppings) omelettes, sometimes jacket potatoes with tuna or beans etc, tuna and rice salad (tuna, boiled rice, bit of mayonnaise and any veg/salad mixed in) cheese and crackers or picnic plates (sausage rolls, salad, etc)

Sandwiches
Pizza
Hot dogs
Eggs
Selection of cold meats, bread sticks, fruit, cheeses etc,..
Baked potatoes
Chicken nuggets

Usually they tell me what they want, I prefer giving them something I know they will eat without any fuss rather than get into a battle with them. I did draw the line at spaghetti with maple syrup today though 🙅‍♀️