Ideas for packed lunch for ds (3)

[geordieminx]

Ds has just started nursery full time.

I have to make him a packed lunch, but seemed to be having a mental block.

They have a no crisps and no sweets rule, which I can understand, but he's 3, he's there from 8-5.30, so needs some substantial stuff, to keep him going IYKWIM?

I have done him some sandwiches, and some fruit, a yoghurt and some rasins, but am struggling with high(ish) calorie stuff to keep his energy levels up?

Any ideas would be good.

does it have to be cold or will nursery heat a portion of main meal?

cheese (ie babybel)

carrot cake / muffins?

a hard boiled egg

They will heat stuff, but he prefers sandwiches/snacks.

I think I need to ask them for clarification - I know its no crisps/sweets, but surely a biscuit/cake etc would be ok occasionally?

Have put some cheese in - good idea.

How about breadsticks? Does he like hummous?Waitrose do little pots.
Malt loaf. Ds like the cinnamon once.
Fruit sticks by organix.
Fruit pouches.
Cut up grapes.
Innocent smoothies.

Homemade banana bread or muffins.

I have this problem each week when making lunch for DD1 who is also 3 years old. Some suggestions (although these don't always go down with her...)

• Different breads - DD1 loves wraps and also bagels (I toast them and add cheese spread - she chews her way through them cold!)

• Bananas - good to fill them up!

• Mango, melon, cut into strips to make it easy to eat.

• satsuma type orange - peeled and ready to eat.

• Cut up apple - put in a sandwich bag and add a dribble of lemon juice to stop it going brown.

• Small pot of rice or pasta salad.

• Cold sausages.

• Cold chicken pieces.

• Cheese - DD likes Laughing Cow triangles but often gets just a small block of cheddar. Cut into small squares or cubes and pack with crackers.

• Carrot sticks, cucumber (in wedges rather than rounds work for DD!) pepper strips (red is sweeter - green tends to come home!)

• Yogurt, fromage frais, fruit puree - either bought in a pack or sent with a plastic spoon (otherwise tea spoons tend to disappear but plastic spoons tend to make it home!)

• Flapjack - have never had negative comments about these despite it being healthy pre-school...

Other ideas I was offered but have not tried include: small slice of quiche, kiwi fruit.

Oh and I do sometimes cut DD's sandwiches into different shapes... makes it more interesting!

Good Luck!

My DDs (5 and 2.5) love pasta for packed lunch. Obviously I use biggish shapes like penne, farfalle, and conchiglie (sp)... and vary it quite a bit as they aren't really the biggest sandwich fans, unlike me!

Also I think the 'smelly' factor is important so I don't put any fish or eggs in there.
Their faves are any shape with:

Pesto mixed with mayo, peas, and pieces of quorn or chicken

Plain mayo with chicken and sweetcorn

Tomato sauce (light coating!) with grated cheese

Butter beans and red pesto

Aside from pasta, they like baked stuff like savoury scones/muffins/quickbreads.

Scones with pesto in the dough spread with philly, plain or cheese scones with butter, courgette muffins and cream cheese, that kind of thing.

With the main thing, I always put in a fruit such as grape halves, orange segments, raisins, smoothie, banana; a small bit of some other carb like water crackers or a flavoured cracker, a dairy such as mini cheese, yoghurt, and a drink of water. No veggies but they usually have raw veg stick etc at home because the girls take a long time eating them and don't get to eat enough other stuff, or leave them and bring them home anyway!

Flapjack with raisins.

never mind what they say he can and can't eat - because whatever they might think to the contrary, he's still YOUR child. Not theirs.