To ask for packed lunch ideas

[Secondtimemummyworries]

Posting here for traffic. My 9 month old dd starts nursery next week and I need packed lunch ideas. The nursery do provide a hot lunch on request however I begrudge paying four pound a day just for lunch when my dd still isn’t fully on three meals a day yet and wouldn’t have more than a couple of mouthfuls at best. Any food provided by the parents needs to be something that can be eaten cold unless the food is prepackaged and comes with heating instructions. All ideas welcome!
thanks in advance

I'd pack whatever DC likes to eat.

Whatever you'd give her at home honestly.

Get one of those bento style lunch boxes with the compartments, and fill it with things you know she likes that she can pick up herself.
9 months is very little to manage a packed lunch though... Will she have someone sat with her to assist?

I found hot lunches meant my DD ate very well at lunch at nursery, ate more than you'd expect and had a much greater variety than I could provide in a lunch box. I wouldn't dismiss it too quickly, especially if you're struggling for ideas.

You'll probably find she eats better and a wider range if she has the nursery lunch. Peer pressure is very helpful for eating.

It's your choice obviously and if you want to do packed lunches then I would send whatever you would give her at home- small sandwiches, fruit, cheese pieces etc.

That said, I have always found it a whole load easier for DS to have nursery/school meals. He is 10 and has always had school meals. So, if you can afford it, I would be tempted to let nursery feed her. Young babies/kids do often eat more when they see other babies/kids eating.

If you can afford the £4 a day, definitely do that - she'll get more variety, it'll be hot, she'll probably eat more (seeing her peers eating the same thing), etc.