Packed lunch / snacks options

[TaupePanda]

I am running out of ideas for packed lunches for my 5 year old (year 1).

If we have any leftovers that can be sent in then I'll try and do that. But otherwise, it's sandwiches, a yoghurt and a piece of fruit. For his afterschool club snack it's usually rice cakes - which are a bit dry as Hummus is not allowed - and some fruit and cheese cubes.

It doesn't seem particularly balanced, very heavy on the dairy. It's obviously a nut free environment, which takes out peanut butter for his rice cakes. And he won't eat butter bean dip, for example, which would be ideal alongside carrot sticks (which he won't eat without a dip).

He doesn't eat meat - I've given up trying - and I don't have time to make flapjacks or healthy muffins etc... I'm not exactly domesticated - I have to Google basics like how long to boil an egg. Which he also can't have, as he has an allergy.

Any suggestions? Lunches also aren't supposed to have crisps/salt or chocolate/cake etc... (despite the school dinners having pudding everyday). I feel a bit at a loss when I don't have time to scratch make food and easy stuff is unhealthy or not allowed. Thanks

We have a template we follow.

Something carb with protein - crackers with butter and cheese, wrap, sandwich, bagel
Something dairy - cheese cubes, babybel, cheese string, yoghurt
Something veg - cherry tomatoes, mini cucumbers, bell pepper strips
Something fruit - satsuma, apple, banana, grapes, pot of berries
Something treaty - mini roll. Mr Kipling cake, pack of crisps, fruit roll up

Sometimes we mix it up and use a food flask so she'll have left overs from the night before, or sausages/chicken nuggets/fishfingers with bread and butter to make a hot sandwich, or soup

Sandwich/ wrap/ crackers/ brioche
Cheesestring/ strip cheese/ baby bel
Yogurt (pot, frube, lolly or drink)
Crisps or dry cereal
Fruit
Veg (cucumber or tomatoes) although some children bring peas, broccoli or green beans

Additional bits are normally an extra fruit or cream cheese

Some children who don't like bread products often just have like. Maze of meats and olives though!

Sorry just seen no crisps. You can get veg crisps which should be fine though

I pretty much make the same lunch every day for my 5 year old. A wrap with cheese, breadsticks/pom bears or some other kind of savoury biscuit, an attempt at veg which never gets eaten and raisins. If he stays after school, he has a granola bar (no nuts - he still likes the organix toddler bars). It's boring and not very balanced but I'd rather he eat something than nothing.

Is he asking for more variety? To be honest a lot of kids have the same lunch everyday. If he eats it happily I wouldn't worry. You could use different kinds of bread, wraps, rolls, pita, bagels. Rotate rice cakes with crackers, breadsticks, riveta thins, oat cakes.
Would he have cream cheese as an alternative to hummus? Or salsa or guacamole? You could make a dip with vegan mayo and garlic or other flavouring.
Would he eat a pasta salad? If you made on a Sunday and kept in the fridge until Wednesday.

I am a big believer in the importance of overall nutrition rather than having perfectly balanced meals at every meal. So over a day, or even better, a week, you need to get the variety of things you need. In which case, crack on with your existing plan - I try to vary the fruit I put in for DD from day to day for example, but the basic sandwich/fruit etc is what it is.

If you do want a few different ideas:
Try different dips until you find nut free ones he likes - guacamole or cream cheese with flavourings or whatever that you can then send with his rice cakes or carrot slices
Popcorn - we tend to buy packets of popcorn as an additional snack
Are there any other veggies he will eat? I sometimes do a "salad" with, for example, feta, cucumber and avocado. Or carrot, peppers and feta (the feta is consistent! )
For DS I sometimes used to buy those pre-made pancake things as a bit of a treat and I often see people on here sending malt bread in.