Primary school packed lunch thread

[Givemethestrength]

What is everyone putting in their primary school aged children's packed lunches? My child has SEN so is fussier than most but I'd love some different ideas to try

Ds2 is 11 now. He likes cold pasta and sweetcorn with either hotdog sausage or chicken broken up. He puts sugar snap peas and blueberries in and then usually has a slice of eg syrup cake or flapjack for lunch. He has complained about it being too much to eat in time to play 🙄recently so I've cut right back on the amount of pasta. Otherwise this is pretty staple.

Ds1 (13) has rigidly stuck to a ham sandwich, breadsticks and hummus for a good couple of years now. The only rare exception is on very cold days he has opted for quick pasta and sauce in a hot flask.

My fussy eater often takes a wide-necked food flask with his favourite meals from home in: spag bol, macaroni cheese, soup, even sausages and beans if I’m desperate.

My ds has SEN (autism and arfid) he takes a pack of Doritos a white bread Nutella sandwich and an apple juice every day it’s been the same lunch for 4 years now !

We are but free so definitely not allowed Nutella or peanut butter.

Dc took pita bread, 2 chicken goujons, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, apple slices and 1 choc biscuit (all separate, no sauces/ dressing) on both days this week. Ate most of it first day, today half of the meat and most of the bread came back.

Nut free school*

We had to get a consultant letter explaining the need and the school said as a reasonable adjustment they were happy for him to have Nutella - he eats on his own as well with his 1-1 so that was another factor

Mine took oatcakes, 2 pieces of fruit and some cold meat, cheese or a peperami. Every day. For the whole of primary school. Imagination is for suckers.

I work with little ones and see their packed lunches. Some are amazing and some are literally only pre-packaged ultra processed items.

A lunch I think is the best is she appropriate in size and doesn't give too much choice (overwhelming and of course the child will only choose the most unhealthy bits!). At 4, they often have at least double what I would have for lunch (they don't necessarily eat it all but I think they should have a lunch where they can finish most of it and isn't oversized).

Some good ideas: those thermos pots with rice or pasta. A small pot of decanted crisps (about half a packet). A yoghurt. A smoothie. Sausage roll/ wrap. Some fruit and veg (chopped pepper is good). Cubes of proper cheese. Couple of biscuits (much cheaper than a while snack sized bag).

I hate: cheese strings, those pots with cheese, ham and crackers (most of it gets chucked), grab bag crisps, pepperami bags, full sized muffins.

My dd is in nursery and she’s neurotypical.

Since she’s usually in bed before we have dinner, her lunch is whatever we made the previous night. This can look like Asian noodles, stir fry, curry, (homemade) pizza slice, rice and vegetables, soups, etc. She eats only what we eat.

We also send her with 2 sets of snacks:
shredded Parmesano cheese, strawberries, mango, tomato slices (her favorite) and pear.

We also pack a banana and a smoothie. Her smoothie always always contain spinach along with a mixture of 2 fruit.

The only time she has processed foods is when we make sausage pizza, where the sausage is processed.

Her carers always comment on her food. They say she’s very healthy and well nourished.

Her mates do not eat this well. All seem to bring prepackaged foods and granola bars 😩

DS10 takes a flask with something like daal, pasta with sauce, chilli with rice, soup. As extras/snacks I put a couple of pieces of fruit, yoghurt or cheese and crackers, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes. Occasionally a chocolate biscuit or crisps.

I understand schools have to be nut free but miss being able to offer nuts as a snack. A tub of nuts would be a great snack. He'll not eat them at home as there are more tempting options available.

Working in childcare with Sen children I have seen all sorts of clever foods

Faves being
Dry cereal (staff can provide milk)
Dry crackers with a pot of butter, cream cheese or hummus
Pepperami or fridge raiders
Cocktail sausages or pork pie
Flavoured rice cakes
Cold meats and cheese
Cold quiche
Warm Flasks with noodles, soup, grilled chicken

Dairy product
Fruit or veg
Crisps
Sweet treat (biscuit, milk slice cake bar or yogurt)

Corn nuts are popular... not actually nuts but like the half popped popcorn kernels

Oh thanks for starting this! Good idea for a thread.

My year 4 dd loves something hot in a flask. Normally soup, but sometimes curry or sausage rolls. She hates eggs with the fire of a thousand suns and her school is nut free. She also isn't that keen on sandwiches which makes things awkward!

Sandwich.
Chopped grapes or strawberries in a pot
Or maybe sliced apple or pear or satsuma in pieces.
Carrot/ cucumber batons with a mini pot of Philadelphia for dipping.
Or instead of the above, ( the Philadelphia calcium part) sometimes a yoghurt or fromage frais
Generally something sweet too but hopefully not too bad, say mini scone or sweet oatcake or two( and Nairn's are absolutely lovely as an example).

Mine didn't have packed lunches for long and no experience of SEN but will share this anyway in case it helps.
Usually they just had a sandwich and some fruit, or pasta salad if we'd had pasta the night before, One evening I realised we'd run out of bread, and didn't want to faff around cooking pasta. I made up a box of cubed ham, cubed cheese, halved cherry tomatoes, halved grapes and cubes of cucumber and some quartered boiled new potatoes (just happened to have the potatoes and ham left over from evening meal.) Out of desperation but they loved it and asked 'when can we have a picky bits lunch again'b .

Wraps with salad and meat or cheese.
A pot of hummus with veg/pitta to dip. Same with cream cheese.
Salads. Especially interesting ones with lots of tastes and textures.
Left over pasta bake. Add a side salad, or mix salad veg in.
Filled pitas.
Boiled eggs.
Bread sticks.
Dried and fresh fruits

I like to provide mux and match options so they can pick. So, lots of salad veg, meats, cheeses, pickles, anti pasti, plus a variety of breads so they can pick the combinations they like. Get them to help prepare at a young age too.