Is this enough packed lunch for a 4 yo?

[Cat98]

Sorry for the dull thread and I wasnt sure where to put it!
DS has just started reception. He wants packed lunches this week.
For tomorrow I've made him:
A bagel with cream cheese
Some carrot sticks and chunks of cheddar
A little pot of fruit
A yoghurt tube
Bottle of water

Does this sound enough? It's a whole bagel, filled and cut into quarters. They also get a mid morning snack (usually fruit or toast/crackers) but nothing in the afternoon.
Thanks!

Sounds fine to me, if that's what he would eat at home?

Sounds like masses to me, but I have two bird-like DDs.

Thanks. It's difficult to say as he's a real grazer at home and would eat about 4 times during the school day when hes been home with me! So it's hard to predict what he will be like with just one snack and lunch.
As long as it doesn't sound like I'll be starving him I'll see how he gets on!

When my ds was in Reception I would give similar to you. He always had sandwiches/pitta bread/ wrap, a babybel or similar, yogurt, fruit, something salady and sometimes a few crisps in a pot or a cake. He eats a lot and always moaned it wasn't enough but couldn't really have any more as he was a slow eater.

That sounds fine to me and is about what I give my DS who's just stared Reception too. With my DD (now Y5) I started by giving her loads, just in case, and seeing what she ate and reducing accordingly. Over the years we've now whittled it down to sandwiches and one piece of fruit and that's plenty for her. Unlike her brother who guzzles sandwiches, fruit, a healthyish cakey-thing (eg. home made flapjack with minimal sugar), yoghurt and anything else I put in there :) I'd just see how he goes - with DD, she eats so little (and fairly slowly) that I didn't want to bother with carrots etc, as they would take her ages to eat and hardly provide any calories. So at lunch she has more energy-dense things like bananas, grapes, sugar-free muffins etc. and I do the veg when she is at home.

Thanks for the reassurance! It's a bit daunting as he's my pfb

I will see how he gets on. Going by tonight though he's on a bit of a growth spurt - large bowl of spaghetti carbonara with peas, followed by a croissant and a banana, then after numerous cries of "still hungry!" he has just eaten a bowl of porridge, some blueberries, some mini cheddars and some shredded wheat! I don't know where he puts it all - he's a slight little thing!

Reading with interest as DD starts reception next week but has food intolerances so not sure if the catering company can cater for her yet....

Do not have a clue how much to put in her lunch box as DS (yr3) has always had school dinners....

We do a sandwich/roll, tom/cuc/carrot/pepper, fruit and a pouch yoghurt. DD1 is a massive eater and that served her fine last year with the milk and snack she got in school mid morning

Will do the same for DD2 this year

Do people put a drink in with the packed lunch or do they get water from the school???

Mine have a bottle of water in with their packed lunch

They have a separate water bottle in their classroom.

They usually get around half an hour to eat their lunch if that helps you to decide how much to put in. I would put a separate drink in too. Some parents put in far too much which can be overwhelming for the child but i would say yours sounds about right but no more.

Mine have a carton of juice, but water's available.

I do (for dc aged 8, 6 & 4):

sandwich, usually cheese or Philly
few crisps in a tub OR a couple of crackers
carrot/cucumber/pepper sticks &/or cherry tomatoes
piece of fresh fruit
yoghurt OR dried fruit OR cake/biscuit
carton of juice

Anything that doesn't get eaten for lunch is generally cleared up at CM's house, & then we have a veggie stir fry or soup for tea, or they'll have a very small portion of spag bol, chilli or curry.

It's more than enough, I'd say.

My dd (5) is very strict in that she'll only allow me to put 3 items in her lunchbox and is cross at me if I put an extra item in. She says it takes her too long to eat it all and she misses out on playtime