Help with packed lunches

[CantMeatWontEat]

I know it's not a real AIBU, but I am struggling.

DD12 is vegetarian (only in last 9 months) and I am struggling with packed lunches.

I'm divorced. 50/50 split. DC have school meals one day a week. This effectively means I only have to make packed lunches on two days of the week. Please don't suggest more school meals. This is the agreement with XH, daily school meals aren't in my budget, and she would probably just eat chips.

XH gives her hummus and bread whenever he does a packed lunch. So I don't want to repeat that.

She was having "chicken" wraps with Quorn nuggets in the wrap a lot (because she liked them) but became bored.

She doesn't like anything with seeds in (crackers, bread), egg mayo, shortcrust pastry (if I make quiche, the pastry is always left).

She does like crisps, crackers (fairly plain ones), cheese, olives, reasonable range of veg and all manner of sugary junk.

Is funny about bread. Sometimes loves it, sometimes hates it. Not a fan of sandwiches (hence the wraps).

I'm currently mainly doing crackers and bits but worried she will get bored. Sent a hard boiled egg today as a variation on the bits, but it has come home uneaten. Apparently, the last time I sent an egg, someone commented on it so she didn't eat it today because she doesn't want people to think she's "weird".

Now she's upset because she thinks I'm upset she didn't eat her egg.

She has some mental health struggles, and is waiting for an assessment to see what we do next to help her. She gets quite paranoid, so anything that she thinks makes her look different is a big no.

I work full-time and usually cook from scratch. Sometimes we have pizza and she takes leftovers the next day. I really don't feel like I have the time to also be making/baking other types of lunch. Especially as DS is a confirmed carnivore and complains about anything that doesn't have meat in.

Sometimes DD takes a vegetarian sausage roll, but they're expensive and she never finishes them so I'm not convinced she likes them.

I am desperate for more ideas!

I do sometimes pick up falafel if it's on offer.

Have tried leftover pasta in a flask in the past but she complains it doesn't stay hot until lunch.

Does anyone have any easy, affordable suggestions?

Thank you for reading my essay!

I've not RTWT, OP, but I've read your posts.

I would take her shopping on Sunday to choose some bits for her packed lunch the next week. No pressure but she can choose what she fancies and you can make a few suggestions. Then she can pack it with you helping the next morning. That might be a lower-stress way to get her to have more input and to get some ideas.

Thank you, this made me laugh!

Mine makes her own lunch, and has hummus sandwiches every day. Is that a problem?

My daughter takes soup on a flask and a roll

My DD usually had a filled bagel, cheese string or babybel, some kind of dried fruit, crisps and a biscuit.

Puff pastry tarts - pesto tomato and mozzarella or pizza style or asparagus and cream cheese

cinnamon bagel and peanut butter

pasta salad with feta

cous cous and veggie meatballs

pastry pinwheels

egg bites (crustless quiche baked in silicon muffin tins)

veggie pasties like cheddar and broccoli

tomsto soup and cold cheese on toast

mushroom pate and crusty bread

guacamole and tortilla chips

veggie chilli

eggy bread

veggie sausages

leftover roast veg/roast potatoes

Hey OP, just a note that pesto is really easy to make yourself, I used to regularly for my DC due to allergies, and I used to make a huge batch then freeze it, I still do that with tomato based sauces, I portion them out into freezer bags then freeze them. Which are a good option for a flask with some pitta sticks to dip, can add beans or chick peas if she likes them to the sauce too for protein.
I roast or fry chick peas until they are crispy sometimes and even my ASD son will eat them

I don’t really know about children’s lunches as my child isn’t veggie but I’m vegan and I used to pack for work most days a kind of grazing board. So I’d do a large helping of hummus with some Nando’s sauce for kick, then a bunch of fresh vegetables (carrots, cucumber, red pepper etc). I’d add some falafel or pakoras and then some toasted pitta bread cut into strips. It’s so versatile that you can add crackers, breadsticks anything.

Sorry if someone has suggested this as I haven't read the replies but how about a hot food flask so she can have curry or something?

I've bought some pesto for now but think we will have a go at making our own. Good to know it freezes well as that is always helpful.

Did someone say that they freeze the Quorn mini egg things that are a bit like scotch eggs? It says on the packaging that they're not suitable for home freezing, but I would freeze if anyone can confirm they've done so successfully. That's the kind of thing where if DD sees it says "don't freeze" then she won't want to eat it if it's been frozen - but might if I can say "oh, I hadn't noticed but we've been eating them with no problem so we don't need to worry".

Following

my vegetarian 10 yo DS has suddenly decided he wants packed lunches as the school lunches he’s had since he was four “have gone downhill”. Sigh. He can make it himself I think but I need to make sure we’ll have everything in.