How much do you put in your dc's packed lunch?

[redclover79]

I've just been stopped by ds1's teacher who tells me that the dinner lady has said I put too much in ds1's lunchbox and he's not finished his lunch again. He has had today sandwiches, a packet of crisps, a banana, some apple juice and a fig roll. I know he takes a looooooong time to eat (he's probably too busy chatting) but I didn't think that what we give him is excessive! I don't really want to cut down as he barely eats his breakfast or dinner...
DS1 has told me that the rest of the class left before he had finished today. I've suggested maybe he could eat a bit faster but he said he likes to eat slowly.
If I keep putting what I do in his lunchbox ds1 will never finish his lunch, but I don't want to just give him a sandwich and a biscuit (all he managed to eat today!). WWYD?

keeping her happy at school is the important thing here pooka, and I'd imagine having shaped sandwiches would make a small child pretty damned happy! So don't feel guilty...

I had this with DS1 when he started school last year. He's still slow even now but does manage to finish it most days.

Both my boys have
sandwiches
home made cookie
yoghurt
banana
grapes/apple/dried fruit

They are both starving by the time they get home.

I've never put crisps in. DS2 who has just started reception says that other children have crisps but I'm just not prepared to do that. I know he would want them everyday if I did. DS1 doesn't even like crisps.

Wow, loads of posts! I didn't think he had too much but I think we will leave out the crisps tomorrow and see how he gets on! I think dp has been giving him doorstep sandwiches (he's been in charge of sandwich making the last few days), no wonder poor ds1 is having trouble! Will also speak to his teacher about having a snack at breaktime.
Pooka - my best friends mum used to get out the cookie cutter for her sandwiches at school, I was always so jealous!

Mine have
sandwich
yoghurt
biscuit
cucumber, carrots and grapes in a bowl
juice
and sometimes a pepporni stick

they eat it all and are starving by 3.30

Now its winter they will have soup or pasta in flask.

Mine bless them always ask for sandwiches rather than rolls because rolls take longer to eat. Well mine do anyway because they are home baked and crap a bit chewy.

And the maximum they will have is 3 squares each which means alot of messing in the morning but 2 squares isn't enough and 4 takes too long.

We all only should eat as much as you can fit into the palms of two cupped hands. Anything else, and your body can't digest it properly.

dd yr1
Marmite cheese sandwich (1 slice bread only)
Strawberries
Yoghurt
Biscuit - gingernut today
Organix museli cereal bar
She eats everything
They get fruit snack in morning at school too
Didn't realize so many kids eat crisps so often
I'm a lentil pushing no crisps mum

DD y2 has
1/4 sandwich, small banana, baby-bel, one biscuit.
She often doesn't eat one of the items.

DS y4 has 1/2 sandwich and a largish applejuice, he won't eat any more.

DS has biscuit and cheese string after school, sometimes a whole sarnie. They usually have crisps after school, too.

Message withdrawn

Ds (6) Has a roll and a half (I know, faff!)
an extra savoury thing, eg mini sausages/scotch egg etc
Chunk of cucumber (any other fruit/veg comes home uneaten )
a frube or yoghurt
fruit bar

I also don't do crisps every day but on a Friday he is allowed a friday treat eg choc muffin, crisps, biscuits. This means he gets them enough to be the same as his friends but not all week.

cut off the crusts and just give half a bag of crisps in smaller bag or container

Mine have sandwiches, crisps,drink, yoghurt, fruit and a chocolate bar. They also have fruit or a cereal bar at break time.

Nearly always comes home finished.

Mine get a sandwich, yogurt, fruit and then maybe an extra like a cube of cheese, some houmous dip with cucumber sticks, or some olives.

Usually most of it is eaten but they often complain it takes them too long so have less playtime

Mine have:

Sandwiches
Fruit - grapes/apple/banana etc
Home-made - cake/muffin/flap-jack/cookie

On fridays they have crips as well.

I keep on adding more food until the box comes back with something in it. I think it is important that they have enough to eat at lunchtime, and it seems like DS has more and more. He has a a drink, sandwiches, some cheese, a banana, some raisins or strawberries, mini bread sticks and maybe something yummy like a small piece of chocolate cake. Sometimes a yoghurt.

If I were you I would use a thinner bread, take out the crisps and maybe give him something that will pack him full of energy for the afternoon if he is simply a slow eater.

My DS has,

Cheese portion
Raisins
Yoghurt
FRuit Portion (usually grapes)
Crisps
Cake

Drink

DD 8 has tuna or chicken salad wrap/pitta
yoghurt or babybel
fruit for healthy break in the afternoon
flapjack or cake for morning break
water any more than this comes back because her friends throw thier food away then go out to play.
DS 4 has cheese sandwich with no crusts thats the only type he'll eat
cucumber, tomatoes, peppers
grapes,raspberries,
innocent smoothie,
fruit cake but he usually eats that after school.
They have fruit or toast mid-morning.

sandwich
drink
nuts(cos the sandwich is marmite)
yoghurt- small squeezy one
fruit- berries or raisens
cake- but just a small slice of banana loaf or a scone
crisps( handful from a large bag) or popcorn
I think lots of things, but small portions

My DD has:
Sandwich (2 slices/4 squares)
Cucumber sticks
Grapes
Yoghurt/fruit cake or cereal bar.

Can you use just 1 slice of bread (2 sqaures) for the sandwich?

I left the crisps out yesterday and gave him some home made soup when he got in. Worked really well and he had some veg without realising!