Packed lunches

[Arkarian]

Sorry I think this is in the wrong thread but I can't find where to put it. My DS Is in Reception and is an incredibly fussy eater. He throws his packed lunch away or just brings it home untouched. He's not dropped some weight going from 2stone 4 to 2stone 2. I'm looking for packed lunch ideas I don't think there are anymore but you sometimes don't think of something until it's pointed out.
He will not eat any sandwich, pasta, salad, wraps, pitta breads, breadsticks, cocktail sausages or anything that has a dip like a dunkers or lunchables pack.
I have tried different fillings and left them plain.
Out of his packed lunch he will eat his yogurt and carrot sticks. Occasionally he will eat his sweet treat but that's hit and miss too.
At home he is incredible fussy and will only eat mash and gravy, and toast. I've been to many doctors and always been told to stop worrying, it's a phase.
However with him not eating all day at school it's obviously impacting his mood and energy levels.
School dinners are not an option as he just waits until enough time ha passed that he can leave.
Please any little gem ideas anybody has will be greatly appreciated.

I'm suggesting a one week trial of doing something new. It might not work, but madness is doing the same thing and expecting different results.

We have a fussy eater, getting better but still hard work.

I found when introducing new foods we'd start by adding them to what we know he likes? We had lots of odd concoctions but after a while he'd accept the new food on its own.

So if he eats mash and gravy, peas, carrots an sweetcorn then do gravy and the veg for a meal (like a soups I guess) then add say a few noodles, if he eats that then increase the noodles an then maybe next time reduce the gravy and keep going until he will eat noodles an veg.

It may take a while but it's a less scary way for him to try new foods as it's cushioned by his safe foods.

OP I do feel for you and no advice at all. My 5 year old son is a fussy eater too and he has packed lunch every day since he was in preschool cause he couldn’t eat any school dinners. He has bread and butter, cucumber, A small pack of gingerbread and yogurt. He won’t eat any fruits or vegetables and at home he will eat chicken noodles and rice and bit of Pringle. He doesn’t like sweets . About a month ago he agreed to try school dinners and I was very happy and his teacher was happy for him unfortunately it took my son to eat one small slice of fish fingers an hour and nothing else so went back to the packed lunch. I have tried everything and he won’t even try any cereals so breakfast is always toast Monday-Sunday

Have you ever seen a nutritionist? There might be a underlying reason for his poor eating. I don't think Drs are very good at dealing with food related issues.
Food sensory issues? Do foods containing gluten hurt his tummy?
I would get some professional advice too
Good luck xx

Are you on Facebook? There is an excellent group called 'mealtime hostage' I would recommend joining. Lots of people on there whose children only eat a few foods.

Thank you everybody.

The doctors will not refer me to a dietician. I've explained above but thank you for suggesting.

Yes picky eating is tricky isn't it! I remember being picky myself and up until my early 20s I couldn't tolerate my foods touching! This has never been mentioned to my son of course!

Thank you for the suggestion on offering whah I have. This is something I have tried based on a doctors recommendation. Like yourself the doctor told me children will never go hungry but I quickly learned he will go to bed on an empty stomach. Really surprised me as I cannot sleep hungry! I don't make a big deal out of eating. I work with children and the majority j work with barely eat and it's something I have a lot of patience for. As a past picky eater I remember feeling more anxious about eating if my eating habits were discussed in front of me. So it's something I don't do with my son. I do appreciate the advice though.

He does have a daily vitamin :) he enjoys his vitamin because he says it feels grown up taking it out of the foil packet.

I've definitely got some fantastic advice on here thank you.

I do have Facebook and will pop on now to check out the group thank you!

When he's hungry enough he will eat

That really is total rubbish. I have (through sheer luck) two very unfussy eaters (and even they would both wait until they were very hangry before touching a raisin). My friend's child lost weight through sheer fussiness (and her other child is an adventurous eater so it's nothing she's doing). The kid was just incredibly sensitive to taste and texture and would rather half starve himself than eat.

It might be too close to pasta but tortillini? Pizza roll ups? (Basically puff pastry, pizza sauce then whatever else he likes - cheese, ham veg etc). A Thermos pot with left overs of last night's dinner? A protein bar? Homemade muffin?

How about boiling long grain rice then rinse with cold water to cool, quickly fry a beaten egg in a little oil then add the drained rice, frozen peas, corn and diced carrot then touch of soy sauce. I've made this the night before adding sliced chilli, sesame oil for adults and leaving plain for the kids, reheat in the morning and into food flasks.

I know exactly how you feel. My child is 26 still lives at home and food is still a nightmare only eats a list of food and even some of that he says I don't like that anymore.

The little chap to whom I'm a 1-1 is 5yrs old, he is Autistic.

He doesn't eat fruit or veg, however he will more often than not, eat a smoothie in a pouch, he has this for his snack at school.
His packed lunch consists of, one of the large flavoured rice cakes, a packet of Wotsits or Twiglets, a small pot of Petit Filous fromage frais, a Go Ahead bar I think they're called, occasionally one of those little boxes of raisins.

His evening meal at home is very much the same, so the parent tells me.

Just thought I'd post with this experience.

How about some home made potato cakes, just mould together some cold mashed potatoes with some flour and an egg then fry til cooked. Delicious and can be eaten cold