Non-UPF packed lunch ideas for fussy eater!

[mibosh]

Hello all, just wondered if I could have all your tips for non-UPF packed lunch ideas for a fussy eater. To make it more complicated we are vegetarian and don't eat eggs either.

I have started making my own bread for sandwiches, then we have banana or apple, plain yogurt (with jam sometimes)....

I am a bit stuck on crisps - I would love to leave them out as I tend to snack on them when in the house - ready salted seems a bit boring and am open to leaving out but what to replace them with!

Thanks in advance!

you could make popcorn or put in some vegetable sticks instead. But if it's for a kid I'm not sure a small packet of crisps every day as part of a more balanced approach is going to harm them.

You can leave them in. What is the rest of your diet like? If it is 80% whole foods, a 30g packet of ready salted crisps a day isn't really a problem, in my opinion. Or you can just leave them out. Or put in a piece of hard cheese instead. That replaces the savoury element but not the salty element.

If you are looking for a "treat" to add

(You don't need a treat with every meal)

You could make small fairy cakes with no toppings ( so a 4-4-4-2 mix for 12 cakes )

None of the schools my children have attended have allowed crisps in packed lunches. I pack them a sandwich, pot of fruit, pot of veg with either hummus or mayo to dip and a yogurt.

Cheese
Nuts (if not for school / your school isn't nut-free)
Homemade flapjacks (sweet or savoury)
Homemade hummus and vegetable sticks for dipping
Homemade savoury muffins
Homemeade guacamole and homemade breadsticks or "nachos" (although we use premade tortilla wraps for these which maybe count as UPF)

Just about any UPF that you can buy can also be made at home - it depends how much time you have.

Ready salted kettle chips are non-UPF and nice enough.

Carrot chunks and houmous is our go-to. I believe ready made houmous is considered UPF but you could make your own dip. Little pot of bean and sweetcorn salad, just from cans, or cherry toms with or without little cubes of cheese. My kids always loved having salted popcorn in their lunchbox.

Most plain ready salted crisps are non UPF. You could even buy the salt n shake ones if you want to reduce salt content (just don’t add the salt packet obvs!).

Veg sticks and hummus or you can make your own guacamole to dip. If you add a decent amount of citric acid (ie lemon or lime juice) then you can make a decent batch and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container and it won’t go brown.

Savory muffins can be made without eggs/using an egg substitute, Google recipes most of which will be vegan but then you can top with cheese.

Some breadsticks are non UPF, check the packaging

Homemade flapjacks or oat bars

homemade rice pudding

Pasta salads/pesto pasta although if it’s for school then some don’t allow pesto because of the pine nuts

Oh god. My fussy eater wouldn't eat hummus or cherry tomatoes or beans or sweetcorn or muffins or flapjacks or mayo... Dreading him starting school in September!!!!

You can get non UPF crisps, but more likely to be in sharing size bags so you may need to portion them.
Nuts? Dried apple crisps? Cheese biscuits/cheese shortbread (homemade)? Popcorn? Roast chickpeas?

Apple slices and some kind of nut butter, if allowed
Make own crisps by dehydrating root veg peels
Banana bread - slice and freeze
Carrot/ veg sticks and hummus
Cheese cubes and olives

30g of mature Cathedral City has more salt in than a packet of Walker’s or Sainsbury’s own brand ready salted crisps.

Obviously there’s protein and calcium there too, but if we’re talking about salt it’s a worse option!

Edited, sorry, misunderstood what you were saying. Ignore me!

Cut up fruit and veg? Nuts if allowed? Homemade popcorn? Some cheddar and olives mixed up?

We do red pepper houmus and breadsticks or homemade fairy cakes for my little one when I’m attempting to mix it up a bit 😂 (sometimes I pop some dark choc chips in the cakes - delicious)

Oh and just remembered I used to make mini homemade pizzas - own base, home made sauce etc. They used to go down well. In fact I may need to make them again.

There's no one rule for fussy eaters though. Mine used to take cold peas and cooked carrot to nursery because he ate no salad veg at all. He is 16 and still doesn't eat toast or chips. Loves anchovies though. It's different for everyone - sometimes left of field ideas are worth a try.

Thanks @Spinlet, I live in hope! Might try some anchovies next.

I despair of him. He won't touch a potato in any form (except crisps!). Won't eat fish, ham, chicken (unless curry), mince. Will only eat cucumber and red pepper, no other veg. Doesn't like egg. Has eaten a cheese sandwich 3 times, usually refuses. Nothing wet like a dip. Doesn't like cake!

Will be following this thread closely for lunchbox ideas!!!

Where I work, some of the lunches are awful - all pre-packed and huge, way to much choice. I wouldn't get too hung up on UPF but make it simple and healthy. A sandwich on decent granary or wholemeal bread (ie. The 'fresh' bread from supermarket), a good quality yoghurt (not Petit Filous, just check ingredients) or a home made biscuit/slice of cake, some fruit and veg. Done.

Homemade popcorn is easy but depending on your child’s age, a choking hazard.

you can make your own crisps, check out Nancy Birtwhistle on IG, she has a method she shares that looks super easy (haven’t done it myself as not a crisp eater).

I also make my own flapjacks with organic oats, grass fed butter and honey which is better than golden syrup. depending on like and school policy, you can add nuts / seeds and dried fruit.

my children enjoy pitta (easier to get a non upf version than with bread) with homemade houmous, vegetable sticks, pieces of cheese.

they also like things like tuna or pesto pasta on occasion.

Will they eat pretzels? My kids are older, so we spoke about UPF's and I told them that from now on they were only having ready salted! Agree re popcorn.