Nursery lunch ideas

[Plantsandpuddlesuits]

Hi all my toddler is starting nursery and I'm looking for ideas for packed lunches don't really want to give crisps as they are a weekend treat really.

So far I've thought of....

Ham sandwich, cheese and crackers, turkey wrap one of these for main

Fruit / veg so maybe an apple, chopped up grapes, one of those fruit pots in juice the long life ones

An extra thing eg yogurt or cubed cheese

They said they can take hot food in a flask so maybe porridge, or pasta pesto. Bit nervous about meat / rice being kept warm for 4-6 hours really.

What do your toddlers take?

Snacks and drinks are provided by nursery in morning and afternoon

Breadsticks or strips of pita with little pot of hummus or guacamole.
Cold fritata
Falafel
Hard boiled egg
If she takes a food flask jacket potato (remove from skin and mash for easier eating from the flask), with beans and cheese.
Soup and bread for dipping.

When I have the time, I make savoury flapjacks, mini sausage rolls, savoury muffins or mini frittatas. They can all be made in batches and frozen.
To add to your list of assorted bits and pieces:
Little box of raisins
Cocktail sausages
Mini rice cakes

Check the nursery’s nut policy before you send in pesto.

My son takes a wrap plus cheese / yoghurt, a smoothie, fruit and a biscuit type snack.

I try to cover the food groups and provide him with enough choice so that if he doesn’t fancy something, he has enough other stuff to still fill him.

I'm trying to be more health and so I'm following a bento style thing.

1 protein, 1 carb, 1 fruit, 2 veg or 1 veg and a treat.

For a toddler obviously finger foods are going to be easier.

protein - hard boiled egg, hummus, chicken pieces
carb - breadsticks, rice balls, pasta
fruit - grapes, banana, apple, satsuma - peel the fruit and use a bit of lemon juice so it doesn't go brown
veg - cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, carrot sticks

If you buy a good thermos and pre-heat it with boiling water hot food is fine by lunchtime. I always liked to send something hot in cold weather so pasta pesto, pasta with tomato sauce, fried rice, noodles, homemade chicken nuggets etc. Chicken nuggets can also be put it cold. Other favourites were mini savoury muffins ( ham, cheese and corn/pea are good), cheese cubes from a block rather than the processed stuff, hummus with veg sticks to dip, cherry tomatoes, aranchini balls or falafel.