to show you these pictures of Danish children's packed lunches?

[wallyfeatures]

I've followed a few of the lunchbox threads and thought it might be of interest to mumsnet to see what is allowed and typically given to young children here in Denmark in schools and kindergardens. I am a member of a closed facebook group where Danish mothers share ideas on packed lunches. The photos below are a typical sample of what is given to children from 3+ years up. The food shown would be enough for lunch and a mid afternoon snack. Happy to answer questions about what is shown.

They love their berries don't they

So fruit, cheese and processed meat? Quite similar to here then?

What age would they allow whole grapes from?

My kids eat similar style meals for lunch.

Is your point the portion sizes?

Interesting. It's quite hard to make out what is in each photo - what is spread on the rye bread in photo 3?

• personally I wouldn't give whole grapes or frankfurter sausages to a 3 year old for fear of choking though

What is the item above the nectarine in the first picture? I can't figure out if it's fish or melon?

Some crackers or similar, some salami or fish, some fruit. It looks different to ours but fundamentally it's the same as a ham sandwich and an apple!

I work in a kindergarten (pre school) and there is a huge range of lunches. Most are similar to this

Lunchbox threads always have a lot of posters saying they don't allow much fruit because it's too sugary, no processed meat, not much cheese. These wouldn't be allowed in a lot of schools here. Yet Danes are generally much slimmer than people in the UK

Not sure about the grapes, never got any advice about that. I do know that many parents here do not cut up the grapes. One of the lunchboxes pictured with grapes is for a two year old child.

No different to what goes in here then.

Today dc have ham sandwich, banana, Apple, yoghurt and crisps . Some days they have a rice or pasta salad.

I think most countries do similar don't they?

I do love Scandinavia

and we cant even use the "long winter" disclaimer as its fucking Siberian today!

remember the typical MN is not a typical brit who will give their kids sandwich (white bread), crisps, kinder bar, sugary drink and a bruised apple for lunch

Whole grapes and frankfurter sausages for a 3 year old? No way.

they give toddlers grapes? fuckers. I take it all back

Photo 3 has, I think, as spread on the rye bread

Mackerel and tomatoe
leverpostej (pate)
frikadellar (sort of like a meatball/burger thing)
Creamcheese?

Photo 1
The thing above the plum is chopped up melon.

Where are the pictures from?

Are you in Denmark taking pictures at school?

A year or so ago there was an article about school lunches around the world, and the pictures were heavily styled. They were more "ideal" than "typical".

tomato

It looks good. I don't understand the British obsession with cutting up fruit though. My DP still does it as a 30 year old

Is that a sweet on top of the middle sandwich/roll?

How do you pack up all those things with spread on without the spread either sticking to cling film or sticking to lids/other foods.

(Who's got time to be photographing their children's lunches to post on Facebook every day?)

Lots of fruit there, no crisps, lots of little tasty servings rather than one big sandwich. Looks nicer than the lunch boxes I used to see.

How do they keep all those little spread breads and crackers from sticking to each other and the bag?

@Trills It's a closed Facebook group here. Mums share pictures and ideas about children's lunches.

Can anyone recommend some bento style lunch boxes that are a decent size but not too expensive please? My dcs still take retro style lunch of marmite sandwich, yoghurt, Apple, packet of crisps and a penguin, but I would like to try to make it more exciting.

Fruit tastes better when it's cut up. I'm in my 40s and over 40 years of fruit eating experience has proven this to me