Can we talk about lunchboxes?

[sweetheart]

I found my son going to school today with some fruit, a yoghurt and a rice krispy cake in his lunchbox!

He doesn't really like sandwiches but I'm trying to explain to him that he should cover all food groups and limit his treats.

What do you all put in lunchboxes?

Could you do a pasta salad?

Some course cous?

At risk of sounding to mnetty what about a selection. Of crackers/flat breads/toasted pitta sticks/crudités and hummus.

Could he take a food flask with curry and rice or spaghetti bolognaise or some soup and a nice crusty roll?

Bagels?
Filled pittas?

Crackers with a tin of flavoured tuna?

He goes through phases with things - he used to have cocktail sausages but now won't touch them. He's asked for lunchables for the rest of the week.

I'm struggling to get protein into the mix

Would he eat chicken?

Some cold home made breaded chicken with salad. Kinda a self assembly job with things like croutons, coleslaw, potatoes salad etc

He's not really into things that have sauce on them in a lunchbox (he even dislikes butter on bread) so it's really hard not to make everything really dry and bland!

If he wants lunchables then send a better version? Decent sliced meats and cheese and crackers?

Will he eat cold pizza slices? Easy to whip up a couple of home made pizza bases that can be stored in the freezer then take out top and bake as required. Obviously could also just buy one in Sainsbury's!

Are nuts allowed?

He would eat hot pizza but not cold pizza - he is funny about left overs etc

I'm not sure about nuts - I can't see anything on the school website about no nuts being allowed in packed lunches.

Might be easier to help then if you would list some foods he will eat.

Has he always been this fussy or is it since he's started school? How old is he?

I wouldn't pander to the left overs thing though. Thats perfectly good food and a waste of he's not eating it and if he ate it the day before then there's no reason he won't eat it again.

Falafel.
Hard-boiled egg.

I'm making him sound fussier than he is - he's 10 and we don't have any food issues with him, he eats a wide range of stuff. He's just not fussed on sandwiches or food that should usually be hot but is cold or left over......so things like pizza, pasta we would have hot for tea. I don't think I'd like to eat cold left overs to be fair.

Would he eat school dinners better?

A food flask would keep it hot.

The thermos ones are fab both my dds have one.

Mine hates bread but will eat wholemeal flatbreads or wraps. Less bread, more filling I guess.

My kids have cheese, Greek yogurt with fruit, nuts, seeds, fruit, veg sticks, humous, left overs, tuna, peanut butter, egg, mushroom pate, cous cous salad, popcorn, dried fruit or similar.

Could you do ... (drum roll!)

A boiled egg
Oat crackers with cheese
Veg sticks
fruit
Yogurt

Thermos of hot soup or hot baked beans