Preschool Lunches

[caramia17]

So, Caramini is switching from a preschool that provided lunch to one that does not, so we will begin sending her lunch. She went to a part-time preschool where we sent lunch, but we also had a nanny and she packed it most days.

There are no allergies or food restrictions in the room and Caramini is not consistent with her likes/dislikes. 

Give me your lunch ideas! What do your kiddos like?

I pack my lunch 4/5 days and my H packs his lunch and breakfast every day. I usually bring a salad with meat, fruit, a handful of nuts, plain greek yogurt, and another veggie (n.b.: many times this is a pickle). My H brings meat, veggies, nuts, avocado, hard boiled eggs, and smoked salmon. It would be great if we could double up on some of the things we are already bringing

[spk926]

Instead of trying to be creative on my own I would start by searching hashtags on IG. Things like #toddlerlunches, #toddlerlunchbox, #preschoollunchbox, etc. Then I would see where that leads me!

[ssmjlm]

Quesadillas, dinner leftovers, nuggets and veggie, turkey roll-ups.

She always has fruit and usually cheese. She's going through a picky phase, so I know she'll eat those.

[chickens987]

Following. We need to start sending lunches at the end of August.

[ryry]

Lately dd1 has been taking a pb&j, hard boiled egg, a fruit or vegetable of some sort, and a yogurt. Sometimes we do leftovers in a thermos, or cheese and crackers (plus fruit & vegetable), or an apple with peanut butter (plus vegetable).

[cricketwife]

I almost always send leftovers from dinner. Otherwise my life is too hard.

[redheadk]

I'm boring but I got to where I sent the same thing every time. A ham & cheese sandwich on whole wheat with a fresh fruit and a fresh veggie (steamed peas, raw carrots, blanched broccoli are my usuals bc she will eat them).

We go out for lunch a lot on non school days so it works better for me to send the same thing to school each time.

[Deleted]

Sandwiches, hummus wraps, hummus with pretzels and veggies, fruit, smoothie drinks, cheese and crackers, meatballs, cut up hot dogs, black beans and tortilla chips, yogurt and granola

[londoncalling]

Following. I've been practicing this summer with the nanny and so far have had the most success with a hot thermos.

We've done: spaghetti and meatballs, chicken nuggets, roasted chicken, mac and cheese, leftovers, and scrambled eggs.

Then I add a carb if needed, fruit and veg and a yogurt and something small for a treat (a few fruit snacks, mini pb cups).

[madringal]

I always recommend a Yumbox for preschoolers. The little compartments let you choose a variety of things so picky eaters can have options at lunch time, and they are leak proof. So things like yogurt and applesauce won't spill over into other compartments. I use some Easy lunch boxes for myself, but they are not leak proof. I have a lunch IG account if you want to check out some different things I pack. You can find me at @peytonslunchbox.

[Diana Prince]

Aug 1, 2015 20:08:36 GMT -5 madringal said:

I always recommend a Yumbox for preschoolers. The little compartments let you choose a variety of things so picky eaters can have options at lunch time, and they are leak proof. So things like yogurt and applesauce won't spill over into other compartments. I use some Easy lunch boxes for myself, but they are not leak proof. I have a lunch IG account if you want to check out some different things I pack. You can find me at @peytonslunchbox.

I just glanced through your IG real quick-ADORABLE! My little one is starting preschool this year & I'm on the hunt for tools to make his lunches super cute.  I've already added a sandwich shaper to my amazon cart, what other tools do you recommend? 

[redheadbaker]

Following, as I think we are going to be in a similar boat.

We get menus from his current daycare emailed to us at the beginning of each week, so I plan to get some ideas from them, like mac and cheese with veggies mixed in; bean-and-cheese quesadillas; English muffin pizzas; turkey and cheese sandwich; tortellini pasta salad.

[ilikedonuts]

Good post! I need ideas too since DD1 is staying for lunch bunch all 3 days each week.

I ordered her a yumbox last week because she likes her food separate. But I need more ideas then just sun butter/jelly sandwiches and lunchmeat.

[spk926]

Aug 1, 2015 20:08:36 GMT -5 madringal said:

I always recommend a Yumbox for preschoolers. The little compartments let you choose a variety of things so picky eaters can have options at lunch time, and they are leak proof. So things like yogurt and applesauce won't spill over into other compartments. I use some Easy lunch boxes for myself, but they are not leak proof. I have a lunch IG account if you want to check out some different things I pack. You can find me at @peytonslunchbox.

Your lunches are adorable! Makes me wish I had to pack DD's! Tell us what you use as you seem to have lots of great tools, not to mention a very creative brain!

[madringal]

Diana Prince & spk926 Thanks so much! I use a lot of random things - Play-Doh cutters, Mr. Potato Head parts, random stickers from the dollar sections at Michaels and Target. I also buy cute little decorations from Bento USA. You can also just search bento supplies on Amazon and see what strikes your fancy! Really, anything as simple as a little note will make your kid think their lunch is the coolest lunch ever!

[madringal]

Aug 1, 2015 20:22:04 GMT -5 ilikedonuts said:

Good post! I need ideas too since DD1 is staying for lunch bunch all 3 days each week.

I ordered her a yumbox last week because she likes her food separate. But I need more ideas then just sun butter/jelly sandwiches and lunchmeat.

Do you follow them on IG (@yumboxlunch) ?  They post some really great ideas.  Also checkout @weelicious - she uses a Planet Box, but has so many really great ideas for non sandwich lunches.

[speckledfrog]

I love our yumbox. My kid is a picky eater, so I can't really help with lunch ideas.

[h]

For my non-insanely picky kids I generally alternate meatballs, turkey + cheese sandwich, chicken nuggets, quesadillas, or leftover pasta for a "main" course. Then they always get a fresh fruit, a vegetable, and usually a string cheese or yogurt with it (or sometimes my oldest takes a hard boiled egg--the others won't eat them). Sometimes they also get a carby, semi-junky thing like goldfish, pirates booty, or pretzels.

[caramia17]

So I have a bento box, but y'all convinced me to order a yum box.

I packed tomorrow's lunch already:

Hard boiled egg
Green beans
Pepperoni
Strawberries/blueberries
Cheese/crackers

And snack:
String cheese
Raisins

Enough? Throw in a yogurt? Granola bar? Caramini is 4 and has a hollow leg at home but generally ate the fruit/carb portion of lunch at her previous preschool.

[redheadk]

Yumbox users, what kind of lunchbox do you use?

[hermione]

Aug 2, 2015 16:49:27 GMT -5 redheadk said:

Yumbox users, what kind of lunchbox do you use?

We se a skip hop lunch bag...but we don't have to provide a drink.

some things we pack for our kid who will not eat lunch meat or any kind of cheese:

peanut butter crackers
bell peppers
hummus
fruit (honeydew, watermelon, grapes, strawberries, etc)
1 cookies
veggie chips
pouch
Yogurt or pudding

[af1212]

I use a bento box for my DDs lunches. There are four compartments. I do one for fruit, one for veggie, one for a leftover (or a sandwich if I'm in a pinch or we have no leftovers), and the fourth one is where she likes to keep her napkin.

[cricketwife]

Aug 1, 2015 21:07:17 GMT -5 swizz said:

Aug 1, 2015 20:08:36 GMT -5 madringal said:

I always recommend a Yumbox for preschoolers. The little compartments let you choose a variety of things so picky eaters can have options at lunch time, and they are leak proof. So things like yogurt and applesauce won't spill over into other compartments. I use some Easy lunch boxes for myself, but they are not leak proof. I have a lunch IG account if you want to check out some different things I pack. You can find me at @peytonslunchbox.

And you've convinced me to get the yumbox. She's only going twice a week so I guess NBD to wash between. She only eats a small amount of anything so this is kind of perfect.

I don't know if heating is an option for you, but the yumboxes are not microwaveable. The easy lunch boxes are.  The yumboxes are super cute and spill proof though!  I feel like I did so much research on this. It's  silly!

[Deleted]

They pretty much have the same thing everyday. Fruit (Apple, banana, plum, peach, or nectarine) and yogurt for snack, sandwich for lunch (cheese and turkey or cheese and ham, unbelievably all of my kids hate peanut butter and sun butter), applesauce, a small baggie of trail mix or pretzels, and a fruit flat for dessert.

water to drink. Juice isn't allowed and I heard from another mom that you can get scolded if you send anything other than water, lol.

[GracieLouFreebush1]

Chiming in b/c we'll have to start this for DD at the end of Aug.

Has anyone used the Bentgo kids one? Looks similar to the Yumbox but you can microwave the tray too.

www.amazon.com/Bentgo-Kids-Leakproof-Childrens-Purple/dp/B00PKNO7HO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1438607689&sr=8-3&keywords=planetbox

[kams]

I use the lunchblox containers.

As a "main" I do bean/cheese burrito, quesadillas, pasta or soup (in thermos), sandwiches, meat/cheese roll ups, tortilla pinwheels, or bagel pizza. On the side I do veggies & hummus, hard boiled egg, pirates booty, nuts, fruit, cheese, or yogurt.

[londoncalling]

Aug 2, 2015 16:49:27 GMT -5 redheadk said:

Yumbox users, what kind of lunchbox do you use?

We use a Lands End one
www.landsend.com/products/solid-classmate-soft-sided-lunch-box/id_269655

There is not enough space in the Lands End one for both a Yumbox and a hot food Thermos.  So when I send a hot lunch, I use a divided Sistema container that's smaller than the Yumbox.

Yumbox just released their lunchbox too:
www.amazon.com/Yumbox-Insulated-Lunchbox-Cooler-Royale/dp/B00ZQ8EPYS/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1438608587&sr=8-9&keywords=yumbox+lunchbox

They have a photo on instagram of the inside packed with a lunchbox and a drink container.

[djc315]

PSA - Target has a very similar option to the EasyLunchBox that was linked from Amazon. I picked up 2 - one was Paw Patrol and the other was TMNT - but they were just in the dollar spot for $1 each. Not super heavy duty, but they have worked perfect for us so far and fit in the Skip Hop lunchie.

[cricketwife]

Aug 3, 2015 8:34:56 GMT -5 djc315 said:

PSA - Target has a very similar option to the EasyLunchBox that was linked from Amazon. I picked up 2 - one was Paw Patrol and the other was TMNT - but they were just in the dollar spot for $1 each. Not super heavy duty, but they have worked perfect for us so far and fit in the Skip Hop lunchie.

Microwaveable ? That's the appeal of easylunchboxes to me.

[anaps28]

We have both the panini and bento Yumbox and they fit into the PBkids lunch boxes.
They don't reheat food in dS1s preschool so we don't worry about that aspect.
After 1 yr of use they are still in awesome shape.