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Original poster

prawns in lunchbox - quick advice pls!

27 replies

onceortwice · 10/09/2012 07:13

DS started school last week - he has HFA so this is a BIG thing!

He has lots of issues around food, but has been managing a litle pack lunch at school (again, BIG success!)

Today he has asked for prawns for his lunchbox. (just prawns... nothing else!)

WIll they be OK if I cook them now, leave them to cool and he eats them at around noon?

(They will be in a sealed box in a cool bag, but I am not sure if they are kept in a fridge at school)

oh, wise (and much better cooks!) MNers please help! I would very much like to give him what he wants, as he's making such good progress at school.

TIA.

OP posts:
SamuelWestsMistress · 10/09/2012 07:15

Your title like a sequal to Snakes On A Plane!

Can you put ice in too to keep it all cold? Can the school refrigerate it?

SavoyCabbage · 10/09/2012 07:17

My dd has prawns in a flask. They will be fine if there is a ice brick in there.

I recommend the Aladdin Bento box for these sorts of packed lunches.

SizzleSazz · 10/09/2012 07:18

If In a cool bag with an ice pack I'm sure they'll be fine. I very much doubt a secondary school will put a lunch in the refrigerator (unless he has a very helpful senco?)

Silvercatowner · 10/09/2012 07:19

For a child for whom prawns wasn't a big deal, I'd say no - lunchboxes often steam in warm cloakrooms. If I was his teacher though, I'd be discreetly sticking his in the staffroom fridge (because that's what he needs and also I wouldn't be wanting to clear up the resultant food poisoning.....).

PenguinBear · 10/09/2012 07:19

I work in a school and prawns are on the banned list as there are a number of people allergic. Not sure if it's just our school but I it was, the dinner ladies would not be able to let him eat them... Might be worth checking before you take them incase there is something similar in your school!

Original poster
onceortwice · 10/09/2012 07:19

Yes, I can put ice brick in there.

Thankyou!! Will check out the Aladdin Bento boxes.

OP posts:
SizzleSazz · 10/09/2012 07:20

I second the bento boxes too. They were on offer in Go Outdoors last week if you don't have one.

Original poster
onceortwice · 10/09/2012 07:21

He is 4.

Prawns are def. not on the banned list. I have checked on the list they gave us.

OP posts:
SavoyCabbage · 10/09/2012 07:21

Banned! Do they ban everything that someone is allergic to?

JumpingThroughMoreHoops · 10/09/2012 07:22

They will have a fridge, for insulin etc just take it into the office and arrange for him to collect it at lunch time

MrsKeithRichards · 10/09/2012 07:23

Maybe schools should ban children?

YellowDinosaur · 10/09/2012 07:49

Buy some frozen cooked prawns. Stick in normal lunchbox. They will have defrosted by lunchtime and be perfect temp to eat. This is what I do when I take prawns in for my lunch.

pumpkinsweetie · 10/09/2012 07:51

Frozen prawns, left to defrost will stay more fresh

Original poster
onceortwice · 10/09/2012 08:25

OK, that is a good idea.

I have cooked fresh prawns today - they are still in the fridge here. I only live 2 minutes from the school, so I could always drop them into the school at 11:30. Otherwise, I will just pop them in his lunch box with an ice block.

Will def. do the frozen prawns in future though - easier for me and fresher for him. Excellent plan!

OP posts:
pigletmania · 10/09/2012 11:22

Should be fine Wth an ice brick in a cool bag

Original poster
onceortwice · 11/09/2012 08:41

Well, the prawns were fine. The school had no problem with them... but my son refused to eat them and apparently spent more time trying to see what the other kids had.

So today, he has a bread roll (he refuses to eat it if it's cut, so it really is just a plain, whole bread roll!!) some mini savoury eggs (which he almost certainly won't eat), a cheese string (which he will almost certainly just play with and discard) and some organix crisps (which he probably will eat).

Gosh, I wish food wasn't so damn difficult for him Sad

OP posts:
121prob · 11/09/2012 10:26

I feel your pain, ds is 8 and in Y4 also HFA. He has had the exact same food in his packed lunch every day since reception. None of it particularly healthy Blush

Original poster
onceortwice · 11/09/2012 10:34

What does he have, 121?

I reckon my DS would have rice cakes every day.

FInding school so hard for him (even though he appears to be enjoying it)

OP posts:
5Foot5 · 11/09/2012 13:12

Sorry to be thick but what is HFA?

mumblechum1 · 11/09/2012 13:15

High Functioning Autism (I think)

5Foot5 · 11/09/2012 13:25

"High Functioning Autism (I think) "

Oh I see! I was thinking the F must stand for "food" and was trying to figure out what the condition was.

That makes sense now.

MarysBeard · 11/09/2012 13:28

Most prawns you buy are already cooked. I'd honestly never thought about them going off quickly in a lunchbox more than anything else.

121prob · 11/09/2012 13:33

HFA= High Functioning Autism. It is really common to have sensory issues with HFA hence the reluctance to eat some most foods, due to texture, taste, smell.

Cheese sandwich, crusts off (Hovis, medium white) no other bread is of the correct floppiness Hmm Frube, carton of apple juice, and two bread sticks.

If I bribe him or badger to try something he heaves and retches, I have gradually stopped trying and he eats pretty much the same few foods day in and out. I have asked for help but there is nothing.

He has vitamin tablets and fish oils.

What is your sons general diet like?

Original poster
onceortwice · 11/09/2012 16:26

Diet at home is pretty good.

Will eat (pureed) fuit if I feed him, so eats that twice a day.

Loves fish and eggs. Pasta, lasange, stew.

Out of the house: Terrible. Has to be dry, or pizza. that's it.

Can SO relate to heaving and retching. Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
onceortwice · 11/09/2012 16:28

He has a cooked breakfast (fruit, plus eggs and salmon usually) and a cooked evening meal (Lasnge, stew, pasta etc) so it's just lunch.

Mostly, it's rice cakes or a bread roll.

OP posts: