Critique my DD's packed lunch

[flowerpootle]

Bit out of practise...

Mini breadsticks
Quinoa crisps (handful)
Hummus
Lump of Parmesan (her favourite cheese)
Chopped cherry tomatoes
Chocolate digestive biscuits
Nectarine
Cherries

She's 4

These threads always make me chuckle 🙊

DS1 switched to pack lunch in y3 and I spent ages worrying about what to give him after reading some of these threads. Turns out all the other mums just give their kids a wrap or sandwich, packet of crips and some kind of treat plus some fruit occasionally vegetable sticks for those fruit hating kids. I’m fact Ds is mortified by the fact he has fruit and cucumber where at everyone else only has one or the other

Mine would never have managed with that number if things to deal with, or had time to eat a load of different things.

It’s very bitty and fiddly.

It’s all sweet and nothing really needs biting/chewing.

Parmesan is sweet and doesn't need chewing?
Hummus is sweet?

Child is fed well and happy, job done.

I fucking love a mumsnet packed lunch thread.

DS15 is autistic and has had the same packed lunch for ten years: one yogurt, two crackers, three slices of cheese and four grapes. I kid you not, he's a cut price very hungry caterpillar, 6 foot tall now. All y'all do make me laugh with the protein pearl-clutching.

@LubaLuca

I’m trying to imagine gnawing on a chunk of Parmesan, and all it does is make my mouth feel very dry.

Hold judgement - you don't know what wine pairing the op has gone for yet.

I think this is my favourite Mumsnet post ever. Proper lol'ed. I'm imagining maybe a Chablis or Sancerre...

@NoYOUbekind sounds like a slightly peckish caterpillar to me!

I think it sounds fine OP. My youngest son has only recently started wanting sandwiches. He has

• breadsticks or crackers
• cheese/pepperami/ham/salami/cold chicken
• cucumber and pepper. Sugarsnap peas/carrot (not keen on fruit)
• houmous or mayo
• Biscuit/flapjack
• yogurt

It might sound more than it us - it's all little bits in a yumbox.

How about swapping the biscuit for yoghurt? Much better than more processed carbs after the breadsticks. Other than that it sounds lovely. I have some children with ASN who are very bland with taste, and some who love all food and want to pile up vegetables, it’s all a minefield at times.
My present four year old has: oatcakes & cheese or lentil spread, pot with cherries & grapes, pot with cucumber/carrot/mushrooms/red pepper, reusable pouch of Greek yoghurt.
Her sister doesn’t eat vegetables unless they are blitzed in soup so she has more fruit.
I know the majority of kids at her summer camp have ham sandwich, crisps, shop child yoghurt, fruit. They are all happy.

I'll take out the chocolate biscuits and replace with plain digestives

Far to much salt

Swap for something else? Home make cookies?

There is probably more sugar in a yoghurt than a biscuit.

When did chocolate biscuits become the new Benson & Hedges?

It's food. If she likes it, no problem.

Can't beat a nice chocolate digestive.

@GADDay

There is probably more sugar in a yoghurt than a biscuit.

When did chocolate biscuits become the new Benson & Hedges?

No. A plain yogurt has less sugar. And more protein. And helps with gut bacteria

DD 7 pretty much has the same lunch every day she is incredibly fussy:
Sandwich/roll/pitta with cheese and ham/ cream cheese or pasta with cheese
Kiddylicious smoothie melts- freeze dried fruit ounces only way she will eat it
Oat bar
Babybel
Frube
Cheddars/pom bears
Choc mini roll

It mostly gets eaten, usually leaves the crisps

@NoYOUbekind honestly it's laughable isn't it? I have a 12 year old, similar to your son. For the past 4 years he has had. Cheese sandwich oh white bread, 2 baby bells, a frube, a sugar free jelly, a packet of ready salted hula hoops.

I would have thought that, with MNs love for Picky Bits, this would have attracted less criticism than normal, but again the food police are on form.

First prize goes to digestive biscuits being too salty, but also honourable mentions for Team Protein and those unable to cope with the non-standard offering of no 'main bit'.

Where are people getting the idea that digestive biscuits are high in salt?

0.16 g for a chocolate one or 0.2 g for a plain one:

www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/300917252

Probably a lot less than the hummus, cheese, breadsticks and the sandwiches and wraps that half the thread want the OP to provide instead.

Sounds good to me, OP. Would she also like sticks of cucumber or carrot with her houmous? If so I'd swap one fruit for veg.

I had no idea that this thread would elicit more than a couple of responses

You're being disingenuous, OP. Everyone knows MN relishes a judgey lunch box thread!

First prize goes to digestive biscuits being too salty, but also honourable mentions for Team Protein and those unable to cope with the non-standard offering of no 'main bit'

My kid once tried to dispose of her stunt apple under the bush next to the drive. She thought no one would see him lying there all splattered and, frankly, kicked.

We had a long talk about responsibility and how it was important to care for your pets and I'm pleased to say this terms apple stayed the entire course

By 15 you'll just be grateful they aren't shooting up being the bike sheds and they'll be scoffing a whole packet of digestives after school !

@AnxiousPixie

Sounds ok to me.

Mine won't eat mixed things either, so no sandwiches or wraps. She's four. I normally go with a bread roll, a hard boiled egg or some mini sausages, some cheese, cucumber and tomatoes, strawberries/banana and a yoghurt.

Mini Pops version of Come Dine with Me and Stunt Apple made me laugh this morning as I chucked a ham sandwich, a yogurt, some crisps, some apple juice and a stunt apple into my daughters packed lunch.

Not sure why I quoter anxiouspixie there. That was a mistake.

A sandwich and some fruit is enough isn't it? What's with all the fancy stuff? A ham or cheese or hummus sarnie.

@melissasummerfield

No one eats a lump of parmesan , its okay to say babybel OP

My 15 year old would, so would my cat