Well, I think it's about time we had another packed lunches thread....

[Clary]

...I had to make them today because of the Unison strike and blimey! How do you lot get out of the house in the morning?
It took me an extra 15 mins and I so don't have 15 mins extra before going to work.
Plus I reckon that I spent more than £1 on each one (ham rolls, cherry toms, breadsticks, carrot, orange, grapes, apple juice carton and flapjack). And DS1 said there wasn't enough food.
Now I know why I do school dinners - or rather allow someone else to do them lo.
What's everyone else think?

Currently we are on Salami sandwiches for dd2 (the only ones she will eat) and Marmite or home made jam for dd1. If we do Jam, I make sure she has a hard boiled egg on teh side.

I have real trouble getting protein into dd1 and fruit into dd2.

Also they seem to get so little time to eat, that they leave stuff all the time. Once their friends have finished they want to join them at play, so stuff gets wasted.

All I put in is one slice of bread sandwich, one yoghurt, a few bits cucumer/carrot, raisins and school bar for dd2, fruit for dd1. Biscuits or crisps once a week

crunchie, we have the same problem with DD leaving most of hers and theres hardly anything in it to begin with!

I just make sure she has a decent breakfast and a snack when she gets in from school to keep her going until dinner/tea.

One tip is smaller sandwiches. Mine are 5 and 7 , and LOVE 'dolls' sandwiches. Basically one slice of bread in half, then cut into 8 tiny squares. Works with 'dry' fillings or marmite, not with egg mayo!!

Thank you ladies for the marmite info (esp about vit B12). Marmite is a British institution that I like but still don't know quite well how to use it. (My comment was question was mostly based in the rather small volume measures of it) Thanks :)

Hi, my 17 year old daughter has had tuna and cucumber EVERY SINGLE DAY since she started school just before her 5th birthday! The only thing that has varied has been bread/rolls/wrap/bagel/pitta on the outside. Talk about a creature of habit! The younger daughter is much more fickle, she has gone through peanut butter, egg, cheese, cheese slices, salami, ham, tuna, sausage, jam, just marge, and is currently on Philadelphia! I always make them (and mine) in the morning, I like them as fresh as possible!

I usually do mine the night before and bung them in the fridge. One ds is a creature of habit and will only have ham or chicken sandwich (brown bread cos I try) He gets a home made bun or biccy (nothing fancy or too chocolaty), some strawberries/rasps/grapes or an apple, a carton of fruit juice and sometimes some sliced tandoori chicken/chinese-style chicken, once a week he gets crisps as a treat. Sometimes he likes those wheaty crackers with philly on.
DS 2 likes everything, tuna, ham, chicken, cheese, yoghurt, carrot sticks, eggs, fruit, he is a joy to make a lunch for and doesn't even notice that sometimes there is no 'treat'.

oh, have a nice recipe for a sort of pizza bread thingy which is very quick to make, lasts 2 or 3 days and can be frozen, makes a change from eternal sandwiches.

sometimes I buy nudgers and cut them in half, ham, lettuce or cheese.
and give half to each age 10 and 11.
Ds1 is so fussy, dd1 will eat just about anything that is put in lunch box.

ds2 who's 5 will usually just eat the sandwich then snacks on the fruit when he comes out of school. He's so keen to get outside. He eats yoghurt and biscuits though if I put them in.

Clary, your school canteen sounds excellent

I'm not a vegan, but I wish I had this woman making my packed lunch every day:

\link{http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/\lunchbox}

Looks lovely but how does she find the time??

i couldnt afford to send my 3 school age children without packed lunches, even primary school hot dinner is 1.65
ds1 takes
ham sandwich, banana and a yoghurt.
dd(eats like a bird) takes a ham sandwich
both take a bottle that they fill up everyday from the tap.
ds2 takes
ham or cheese sandwich, fruit, carton of orange, biscuit and a yoghurt.
still works out a lot cheaper than school dinners
my elder 2 ,12 and 15, make their own sandwiches.

She's a SAHM, Ulysses, and her blog became so popular, she has written a book!

I'm a SAHM too. Mind you DS1 has school dinners and DS2 wouldn't entertain anything like that to eat at lunchtime, he's too keen to get in the yard.

Well done her though.

The vegan mum just makes me feel even guiltier than usual!

DS1 has school dinners - very good quality and, best of all, FREE. About the only good thing about our local council.

DS2 still has packed lunches as he isn't officially 'school age' until the Easter term - then he can have dinners too. In the meantime he has the same boring lunch every day - ham & phili sarnie, apple, yoghurt, fresh juice. His choice, I'm not allowed to vary it.

Both get the free fruit, often 2 pieces a day.

ulysses, yes I think it's good. we get menus sent home but I've seen the food as well and it is good.
Doesn't stop some kids just having mashed potato and then a bowl of custard (!) for pudding. I'm lucky in that ds1 and dd are both good eaters and tell the truth about what's they've had too (I can tell

Just sent Ds(5) to school with leek and potato soup and bread in an unbreakable flask (not the bread of course
a sausage roll (not v healthy but he loves it)
dried fruit and a mini gingerbread man. They have fruit in the morning at school and eat tonnes of veg with their main meals at home so I don't stress too much over lunch except whether he eats it before diving into the playground to play.
His school forbids chocolate and crisps.
We have difficulty with sandwich fillings due to his food allergies, but its much better than worry constanlty over school meals.

We do ours the night before, and DD1 takes the same evry day, occasionally has a fairy xake/flapjack if we have made them.
Marmite sandwich, pot of cucumber and tomato and a frube or yoghurt.

Y'see what some of you are posting, tho fine in terms of quality etc, would just not be enough for my ds1. He had 2x ham rolls with lots of ham,. half a doxen cherry toms, half a carrot chopped up, half a very big orange, a good handful of grapes, carton of juice, two suqares of flapjack and a handful of mini breadstaicks, and still said it wasn't enough.
DD confirmed this by telling me that he was one of the first to finish! lol

I'm dreading the day when all 4 are at school. At the mo I make two packed lunches - usually the night before. Mine love tortilla wraps filled with things like humous, cucumber and honey (try it its yum!) or grated cheese and carrot mixed with a little mayo. Sometimes I cook pasta with peas, sweetcorn and cheese ds1 manages to pick out every pea. Little yogs expensive and over packaged so buy one big tub and spoon into little babyfood pots. Add a layer of fruit compote or a bit of runny honey. Don't forget the spoon!
I wash insulated lunch bags in washing machine at end of every week and dry them on the hot tank.

My twins - age 5 this month and been in full time school since January - have either a sandwich (wholemeal bread with cheese and ham or tuna mayo) or a small pitta stuffed with tuna mayo or cheese and salad or a mini veggie quiche (is fine to eat cold), 2 x cucumber and 2 x carrot sticks with a small amount of dip, a pot of fruit, cereal bar or home-made muffin plus a homemade, sugarfree banana milkshake to drink. Sometimes they have pasta salad instead of the sandwich. I make the sandwiches in the morning but prepare the fruit the night before and the mlkshake and store in fridge.

Ah packed lunches.

Chocolate spread sarnie, wotsits/monster munch, choccy bar and fruit shoot. Sorted.

Forgot to say that they sometimes have fruit juice to drink - a carton - and yoghurt instead of cereal bar or muffin. I try to ring the changes as otherwise it would get a bit boring.

tallmummy - must try your wraps. They sound yummy. Think my two little ones would love them.