My 6 yo won't eat veg or fruit - what do I put in his packed lunch?

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I've had an ongoing 'game' whereby I send DS to school with carrot sticks ( the one veg he will eat occasionally at home) and he brings them back. I eat them, I send him to school with more carrot sticks , he brings them home. I send .. you get the picture. I want to be a mum who gives him a balanced packed lunch, no c**p or crisps even, but sandwiches and water which is all he'll eat somehow seems so ..I don't know... boring not to mention spartan, mean , cruel. Should I give in to his demands and give him junk food like his friends so at least he has something he'll eat???

Does he like dips like hummous, garlic and herb or even cheese and onion. If so could you send these in with the carrot sticks to make them more bearable?

Tried that, I've made my own cheesy dippers too, and he'll eat the bread sticks using his fingers to finish off out of preference over any vegetable to pass his lips

Why don't you try making Muffins - can make carrot cake ones, peach and cinnamon ones etc....they think they are getting sweets but in reality, its a great way of getting fruit into them in a reasonably low fat/low sugar way

mine dont eat fruit much
send fruit falkes or yogurt coated fruit things ( Tesco)
raisins

id htink the carrots i pretty un appetising whne it gets to school - surely its all dried out

You put them in a placcy bag with a smidgeon of water ,keeps them moist and delish

I put the carrot sticks in mini tupperware things they're still fresh when they come home from school. You're not going to believe this, he doesn't like cakes either ( unless they're covered in icing he can peel off) and he doesn't like chocolate - is he just the fussiest child or what! Up until he was 3.5 he ate everything ( apart from choc) then he went to school - are we experiencing peer pressure ?

Does he like
pasta salad
couscous
rice salad

Quiche
fruit muffin
fruit cereal bar

Just going to eat my dinner but will be back later - will accept any ideas at all - so far have ham sandwiches and water for his lunch tomorrow.

wraps
filled pitta's

does he eat any fruit or veg at home?

Apple crisps.

I sympathise. DS2 doesn't eat any fruit apart from raisins and dates. He will eat anything pureed, though, but it has to be in a commercial pot or he is suspicious. Would your son try compote stuff? DS2 will also drink smoothies (not if I make them as they are never smooth enough, but vastly expensive Innocent ones) and will eat fruit if it's hidden in cakes (though it sounds as if you've tried that).

What about savoury stuff? Would he eat veg soup or baked beans in a little thermos, or Spanish omelette? Mine also both like oven-baked chickpeas which are crunchy.

Will read this one properly when I have more time, just glad to know I'm not the only one who failed dismally on the 'eat fruit and veg' front with my DS2. He drives me spare! Lots of love xx

Does he like pasta with sauces you can hide lots of veg in? I've recently bought a children's food flask from Jojo Maman Bebe (£12) which is quite shallow with a wide neck so your child can eat hot food straight out of it. My DS1 takes hot pasta to school in it instead of sandwiches.

And have you tried fruit jellies? I can't remember the make but I buy them in Sainsbury's and they're just jellies in pots, made with fruit juice, and they have bits of orange set into them. probably not the healthiest fruit in the world but better than nothing.

Floating on the med, my dd 4.5 loves Olives as well! Every single day in her lunch box, I go through a jar a week! So nice to find another mum with an Olive-loving child!

my son has special needs and is phobic about lots of things - i think you have to think about his diet as a whole day or even week. my ds won't take sandwiches, but does take seeds - sunflower are his favourite, nuts like cashew nuts and almonds, dried fruit, walkers salt n shake crisps with the salt pack removed, various health food shop bought fruit bar type stuff, homemade flapjack/muffin/carrot cake with cream cheese icing, smoothies including carrot juice (asda does stock this), drinking yoghurts (rachels organics do one he likes), he eats berries after we went fruit picking.
i always think of my best friend who had a chocolate bar and milkshake for lunch every day at school, but now she eats anything!

DH used to cut the kids' carrots into their initials - might that help?

Does your DS like pizza? Would he eat cold pizza slices (with tomato puree etc on?)

My DS2 was a terrible eater at primary school - he used to have peanut butter sandwiches (still the only kind he'll eat at 14), 2 apple quarters and a frube (ditto). He does like Sainsburys apple and mango juice now though, and also takes small cartons of Lidl apple juice with his packed lunch.

Might yours eat those custard yogurts with fruit at the bottom?

(I have been where you are now - it is desperate - DS2 lived on bread and air (and a bit of pizza) for several years but is somewhat better now and quite healthy and fit. Good luck!)

Innocent smoothies are expensive (think they work out about 70p each if you buy a box of 6), but a yummy way to get a portion of fruit down them, & the cartons are fun & covered in educational messages about eating well.

All I would ever eat in my packed lunch at school was white bread & butter sandwiches & a penguin biscuit.

However I am now a gourmet domestic goddess so there is hope

I'm surprised that some DC are taking peanut butter, cashews etc to school. Is my ds1's school the only one that bans nuts (for allergy reasons)? Personally i think it's a bit over the top but ds1 doesn't like nuts anyway.

Just back from dinner ( not exciting really just slobbed in front of TV too long!). many thanks for the suggestions -
won't eat pizza - strange child , doesn't like chicken nuggets much either at least !
we do have VERY EXPENSIVE innocent smoothie for breakfst so can't afford to extend that to lunch!

• cheeky, and singers i like the idea of the hot lunch, will have to get a thermos!

luckylady, wendy and fancypants thanks for the reassurance of normality I guess it is just a phase after all - I'm just reluctant to let him think I will accept his demands for rubbish as he's like to give up sandwiches too. I'll try the fruit bars and fruit jellies - he loves jelly- one think I can rely on him to eat - he just really at the moment appears to be a carb junkie!

Singersgirl - how do you do those crunchy chick peas?

2cheekymonkeys - I was wondering exactly the same thing. My DC's schools will not allow anything with nuts in either. Have to be careful with some cereal bars as well.

Had a friend whose son had nut allergy. He wasn't able to eat anything that had been manufactured in a place that also made things with nuts in.

My DD's almost always bring their lunch back home with them. I try and give healthy sandwiches, but they often only take one bite and bring the rest back. Very frustrating.