how to pack food for packed lunches so that reception aged ds can open it

[lighteningmcmama]

hi

any tips on suitable containers that a 4-5 year old could open? he's only been at school 4 days and ive noticed now that the bits in his lunch bag that aren't eaten are all in tupperware containers or ziplock style bags

thanks!

just wondered whether you could play with tuppaware and ziplock bags at home so he can learn how to open. Make sure the tuppaware has finger grooves so they are easier to open. What about those cheap sandwich bags, encourage him just to tear them open?

My DS struggled with standard Tupperware boxes in reception but managed with the Lock n Lock type ones. I got a decent sized one that had sections so everything fitted in and there was no need to wrap things inside the box.

sandwiches in cling film. Fruit doesn't need packaging, excpet perhaps grapes. Bananas and oranges, for example, come in their own packaging.

Something like flapjack I would wrap in either cling film, or a bit of greaseproof paper.

What else are you giving him that he can't eat?

If I need to put something in clingfilm, I fold it double, to make it thicker, and then fold it loosely round the food rather than wrapping it. I also use a box with a hinged lid so he can open it easily.

I struggle with clingfilm Middle!!

Lock and lock containers with sections and then you don't need to wrap anything. My just gone to school DD manages these ok

With ziploc bags, try this: put the ziploc part between the palms of his hands (sort of like a horizontal praying position). Then have him rub his hands back and forwards together. The ziploc will buckle and open usually, unless it's a particularly stubborn one!

You can get all sorts of sandwich bags - some that fold over to seal, others that have a very useless sticky bit that unsticks at the drop of a hat. I know this as I keep on buying hem, instead of the ones that I want, which are a lot more secure! The fold and sticky ones are super - easy to open.

I used to buy the sandwich bags that came in different colours and little stickers

*and with little stickers

Sistema boxes are great and have clips on each side which are easy to open. It also have separate compartments for different foods. They are on offer at the moment in Morrisons and Asda.

Thanks for all the ideas, that's really helpful!

He's only been half days so far but from next week he'll be staying for lunch too (he has a staggered start)

So far for snacks, I've given grapes in a Ziploc bag and in the tub I've given grapes, and brioche.I really thought the brioche would encourage him to open the tub as he loves those!

I think cling film and roll over or stickered bags will be the way forward but I'll also investigate those Tupperware brands, thank you

Yeah, I'd probably break through steel to get to brioche.
Pats tum.

we have a lakeland bento box a size smaller than this.
easy for dc to open and doesn't spill. ours has a divider thingy and a sauße container as well, so they usually have a small sandwich, a few bit of cucumber or grapes and applesauce to pour over ricepudding or plain yoghurt.

Definitely lock and lock or sistema with those clips. Even my 3yo can open her two compartment one.

We use the nude food movers recommended above and DS who's 4 has been able to open all of it. Saves throw away food packaging too.

thanks all

i picked up a sistema quaddie today, which i got ds to test out and he can open it fine and loves it!

now ive washed it for use though, it was a right faff to wash! those of you with this particular box, how do you wash it to make it easier? i 'm wondering if i picked up the right sistema box and maybe a couple of their smaller ones would have been better....

tbh I put it in the dishwasher end of week and during the week I wipe out the crumps with kitchen roll and only wash if it's got really dirty/sticky.

Yumboxes are dead easy to open and they're divided up into leakproof sections so you can put yoghurt in one, sandwiches in another etc. DD is 2 weeks into using hers at her new pre-school and loves it.

Another vote for the nude food movers - DD has been able to open them since she was 2 and a half! Motivated by food, you think!

thanks all, mausmaus that's a good way to do it i think i'll probably do the same. its just a shame that i will have to package everything inside again to stop it getting too dirty, i wanted to avoid throw away packaging as far as i could when i bought this! anyway the fold over bags and tie bags arrived in the online shop today so we'll give both a try next week as well. ds is staying for lunch from next week so its going to be a new experience for us all having to make a full packed lunch!

I happened to be in sainsburys today and they had nude food movers on sale, I bought a snack pot and a thermos which I think was their brand too. They had a multi section container too but now I'm going off those having washed the sistema quaddie. I think I might take the quaddie back, I hope asda will take it, they do have that catch all 'if you're dissatisfied with something you can return it' which I've never tested out for something that's not faulty!