Packed lunches for pre-schoolers?

[runnerblade95]

I know it’s the Easter Holidays for some now, but I’m running out of options for ideas for packed lunches for my DC

DC isn’t a picky eater but doesn’t like egg mayo sandwiches, egg and cress, tuna and sweetcorn or even just tuna, just to name a few.

Any ideas please? TIA

Just to add, DC loves meat so will eat anything with meat in it so I’m looking for healthy options instead please

Houmous, can add salad. Veg pizza slice?

@FrancesFlute oh she loves houmous actually, with breadsticks. Veg pizza slice is a good idea, thank you! I’m more looking for ideas for sandwich fillers more than anything. She’s not even that picky with food, I just want to reduce her meat —addiction— intake

Okay you can tell I’m still a newbie because I got that totally wrong I meant addiction with the line through it lol hides face

Firstly meat is healthy as part of an all round diet so I wouldn't be worrying about that unless rest of diet is very restricted.

Secondly pizza wheels using puff pastry. So many filling ideas on Google but along with the obvious ideas i have used bolognese and also curied veg. These freeze well so could always do a batch cook freeze and then just take one or two put the night before to defrost.

Also pasta salad could be another option.

@runnerblade95 don't worry, you got it right!
Nowt wrong with meat, can be healthy... fillers-wise, how about chicken mayo/natural yoghurt with sweetcorn or some finely chopped spring onion?

I wasn’t very imaginative with my dcs lunches at that age.

Mini pots of humus with bread sticks and veg sticks.

Cheese wrap.

Cocktail sausages/mini sausage rolls

Babybels or dairylea triangles with crackers.

Eating well: Packed lunches for 1-4 year olds. It contains practical advice, recipes and photos of portion sizes appropriate for different age groups.

www.firststepsnutrition.org/s/Packed_lunches_Dec17.pdf

hummus, maybe olives or grated carrot
Philly, maybe peppers (we add salami too, and if the peppers are baked for a few mins to soften that's a bonus)
Just sliced tomato's actually really nice
Cheese with tomato, cucumber or chutney
cheese triangle (probably not that healthy)
cold quesadillas with cheese and salsa
You could try tinned salmon mashed with mayo
The odd marmite or jam, or just bread and butter is fine too, I think. I just make sure there's protein somewhere else, like a whole hardboiled egg, or a pot of cherry toms and cubes of cheese. My children have always been weirdly keen on plain hard-boiled eggs and plain buttered bread.

We eat way too much cheese!

These are all wonderful ideas, thank you all! Will reply later as just getting DC ready to go off to her DGM’s for the night.

Am I missing something?

She likes meat - there's lots of different meats if you want to mix it up - so it is easy, and she is happy. What's the issue?
If, for some reason you have to stop her having a healthy sandwich that she enjoys, and then give her another sandwich - what about cheese? That's my 'go to' in a sarnie.

[quote runnerblade95]@FrancesFlute oh she loves houmous actually, with breadsticks. Veg pizza slice is a good idea, thank you! I’m more looking for ideas for sandwich fillers more than anything. She’s not even that picky with food, I just want to reduce her meat —addiction— intake [/quote]
Houmous sandwiches are really good. My DS takes one every day for nursery!

Savoury flapjacks www.myfussyeater.com/savoury-carrot-flapjacks/ They freeze well, so you can make them in batches and and defrost as and when needed. Just omit the nuts for pre-school

Crackers and cheese (with ham, like her own ‘lunchable’, but cheaper and better for her and the planet!)

Homemade sausage rolls-pastry and sausage is as good as bread & meat (shop-bought pastry and sausage meat or individual sausages with skins removed)

Cold pasta salad in a little pot

Wrap with chicken or tuna

Whilst your child is little my best advice would be to invest in a Thermos food flask (check the prices on Amazon-they’re about £15 but varies. Last years and years) and then you have a world of options for cheap and healthy food. Leftovers from the night before or specially prepared, it can be soup, curries, chillies, pasta, stews. I’ve even wrapped things like chicken strips in foil inside it to keep warm and sent her a pot of salad and a wrap so she can make her own. As an emergency I keep tins of ravioli and this week, because it’s the end of term and I’m knackered, I cooked sausages last night and this morning heated up baked beans with a chopped up sausage-like the Heinz version. Not the healthiest but ok as a rare treat, and still cheaper and better than a school lunch. My daughter loves hers, and has since very little)

@Kite22

Am I missing something?

She likes meat - there's lots of different meats if you want to mix it up - so it is easy, and she is happy. What's the issue?
If, for some reason you have to stop her having a healthy sandwich that she enjoys, and then give her another sandwich - what about cheese? That's my 'go to' in a sarnie.

The thing is, she eats a lot of meat when she’s at home, for dinner, never breakfast and sometimes lunch (such as ham & cheese sandwiches or chicken pasta). For this reason, I desperately want to reduce her meat intake and whilst I understand it is healthy for her to have a certain amount, I’d like to find that protein in foods other than meat ie eggs. Sorry that was a rushed reply, just getting out the door now. Bear with me, I’ll be back. Thank you for your reply!

No need to apologies AT ALL

I'm just of the thinking that when I find something that my dc like, and is easy, that's a win

[quote thedot]Eating well: Packed lunches for 1-4 year olds. It contains practical advice, recipes and photos of portion sizes appropriate for different age groups.

www.firststepsnutrition.org/s/Packed_lunches_Dec17.pdf[/quote]
Thank you for this link! Saved to bookmarks

@FrancesFlute really? I’m sure many will laugh at me for this but I had no idea that you could put houmous in sandwiches! You learn something new every day, thank you!

Love love love this idea. Thank you!

@siblingrevelryagain Whilst your child is little my best advice would be to invest in a Thermos food flask (check the prices on Amazon-they’re about £15 but varies

This is an excellent idea. Thank you and thanks for your suggestions also! I’m snapshotting all of these!

@Kite22

No need to apologies AT ALL

I'm just of the thinking that when I find something that my dc like, and is easy, that's a win

Thank you, I was in a rush to get rid of her! Lol I’m joking.

Yes, exactly that. I’m trying to find foods that I know she enjoys but that are also healthy for her.

So here’s an example, she loves cheese! Red Leicester, we both love that. Halloumi, feta etc. But I made her a cheese sandwich as part of her lunchbox on her last day of term last week and when she got home, she asked me where was the ham? Lol!!! This child really is something else

@runnerblade95

Love love love this idea. Thank you!

@Fivemoreminutes1 Sorry, this reply was meant for you!

I’m having trouble understanding why you are unhappy with her diet, but since you are cream cheese makes a good sandwich base. You can add assorted vegetables. Cream cheese with some grated carrot. Cream cheese and cucumber. If your school allows nuts, peanut butter is another option. It can actually be prepared with a variety of ingredients.

@Ponderingwindow

I’m having trouble understanding why you are unhappy with her diet, but since you are cream cheese makes a good sandwich base. You can add assorted vegetables. Cream cheese with some grated carrot. Cream cheese and cucumber. If your school allows nuts, peanut butter is another option. It can actually be prepared with a variety of ingredients.

I wouldn’t say unhappy but concerned is a better word. Concerned because I’m worried she is eating too much meat. Sure, she gets all of her other necessary nutrients via other foods, but I’m worried that too much meat is not good for a child of her age. Thank you for your suggestions

re the thermos, they are great, my kids love them but they can be tricky for little hands to open. I don't think my 2 would have been able to do it at 3.

I am totally with you on the meat thing OP. We mainly do veggie lunches for balance.