Calorie-dense and easy-to-eat, lunch ideas

[Anonymous]

I need lunch ideas for my slow eater who is unable to finish her lunch in the allotted time they give her during lunch period. Calorie and nutrient-dense foods are preferred because we have trouble putting weight on her.

[Anonymous]

Zucchini chocolate chip banana oatmeal muffin made with oil.

[Anonymous]

I’d worry about the nutrients at other meals of the day where she has more time, and focus on easy to eat foods that don’t require a lot of chewing at lunch. Pbj & chocolate milk. Creamy soup or pasta in a thermos. Croissant with egg & avocado.

[Anonymous]

What kinds of food does she like?

[Anonymous]

OP here, I should note - the school has a nut-free policy, so no nuts. Also she dislikes any kind of sun-butter or nut butter. And unfortunately she's also picky. She does have a sweet tooth, but does not like bananas. Generally she doesn't like meat, but will eat fish or chicken sometimes in small amounts, and she will eat salami. She dislikes sandwiches, but I still pack them for her, and she eats about a 1/3 of it.

Some things I have in rotation that have been successful: cheese and bean burrito, buttered mushroom ravioli, mushroom soup, brocolli and cheddar soup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I should note - the school has a nut-free policy, so no nuts. Also she dislikes any kind of sun-butter or nut butter. And unfortunately she's also picky. She does have a sweet tooth, but does not like bananas. Generally she doesn't like meat, but will eat fish or chicken sometimes in small amounts, and she will eat salami. She dislikes sandwiches, but I still pack them for her, and she eats about a 1/3 of it.

Some things I have in rotation that have been successful: cheese and bean burrito, buttered mushroom ravioli, mushroom soup, brocolli and cheddar soup.

Also, she likes variety - meaning, she does not want the same thing more than once every week or two. So I need more ideas to put into rotation.

[Anonymous]

You're focusing too healthy.

Chocolate croissant, milk, and veg or fruit.

Salami, cheese, veggies, chips, juice.

12 oz smoothie (Odwalla or something) and cheese sandwich with a veg.

[Anonymous]

Soup isn’t going to be enough. Is this a private school? Most middle and high schools allow nuts.

Ravioli/tortellini with sauce would be my recommendation. Look at jarred sauces at the store and pick the one with the most calories. We use Rao’s Sensitive Marinara.

My teen is in recovery from anorexia, so unfortunately I have experience with this.

If she’s a slow eater AND a picky eater AND you have trouble with her weight, please look into ARFID. If it resonates at all, please get her treatment. You do not want this to persist into adulthood, and it can create health issues, short and long term.

[Anonymous]

We do pasta with pesto or raos in a thermos. You could add cubed mozzarella and or Parmesan.

Or beans and brown rice with grated cheddar cheese in a thermos.

Or a protein bar with applesauce and crackers.

Those ritz cracker snack breaks (although a bunch have nuts) with a Clementine.

A quesadilla with smashed beans and cheese fried in olive oil that wrapped in aluminum foil. You could add mashed butternut squash too if she likes that.

My kid would like the mushroom ravioli—I’ll have to try that.

I’ve sometimes made empanadas with meat or sautéed mushroom and those make decent lunch leftovers.

[Anonymous]

Bagel with cream cheese
Pinwheel sandwiches with her preferred lunch meats
Muffins/dense breads like banana bread
Cheese sticks and apple slices
Will she eat a cold quesadilla or pizza slice?

[Anonymous]

Hummus, tuna, chicken, or egg salad, either in a wrap or with a spoon or with things to dip in it. Smoothies. Protein bars. Rice and beans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Soup isn’t going to be enough. Is this a private school? Most middle and high schools allow nuts.

Ravioli/tortellini with sauce would be my recommendation. Look at jarred sauces at the store and pick the one with the most calories. We use Rao’s Sensitive Marinara.

My teen is in recovery from anorexia, so unfortunately I have experience with this.

If she’s a slow eater AND a picky eater AND you have trouble with her weight, please look into ARFID. If it resonates at all, please get her treatment. You do not want this to persist into adulthood, and it can create health issues, short and long term.

She doesn't like anything with tomatoes, so sauce is out. Generally all condiments or sauces are out. Butter is a preferred favorite.

I read up on ARFID and it does resonate somewhat. But I would say she is much less pickier now, then she used to be between the ages of 6-8. She will at least try everything now. But the complete lack of interest in eating, lack of appetite, and also the frequent choking episodes (going down the wrong pipe), and lack of growth- that all sounds familiar. What does treatment look like for ARFID?

Her aunt also had a very severe eating disorder, but she says now that it was just undiagnosed celiac disease. We have tested multiple times for celiac.

[Anonymous]

Go buy the all butter puff pastry from Trader Joe’s. It is a seasonal item in the frozen section. Two sheets in a box.

Unroll one defrosted pastry sheet on a parchment lined baking pan. Put down cheese slices, leaving a one inch margin around. Mix canned tuna and a little tomato purée in a bowl til
You have a paste (don’t let it get very wet or it will make the pastry soggy.) put one scoop of tuna over each slice of cheese. Then top with another slice of cheese.

Brush edge of pastry with egg wash, cover cheese tuna tomato mix with the other pastry sheet. Paint egg wash on top, use tines of fork to seal the edges together and poke holes in top. Bake at 400 for 30 min or until pastry is puffed up and golden. Cool on cooling rack. Delicious cold or hot. Cut into serving sizes.

You can also use meat sauce, or ham and cheese, etc whatever filling, as long as it is not too wet.

[Anonymous]

Protein shakes? chocolate milk?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soup isn’t going to be enough. Is this a private school? Most middle and high schools allow nuts.

Ravioli/tortellini with sauce would be my recommendation. Look at jarred sauces at the store and pick the one with the most calories. We use Rao’s Sensitive Marinara.

My teen is in recovery from anorexia, so unfortunately I have experience with this.

If she’s a slow eater AND a picky eater AND you have trouble with her weight, please look into ARFID. If it resonates at all, please get her treatment. You do not want this to persist into adulthood, and it can create health issues, short and long term.

She doesn't like anything with tomatoes, so sauce is out. Generally all condiments or sauces are out. Butter is a preferred favorite.

I read up on ARFID and it does resonate somewhat. But I would say she is much less pickier now, then she used to be between the ages of 6-8. She will at least try everything now. But the complete lack of interest in eating, lack of appetite, and also the frequent choking episodes (going down the wrong pipe), and lack of growth- that all sounds familiar. What does treatment look like for ARFID?

Her aunt also had a very severe eating disorder, but she says now that it was just undiagnosed celiac disease. We have tested multiple times for celiac.

EDs are genetic, so your daughter is at risk, regardless of symptoms. Celiac and EDs have a high co-morbity rate - in fact, I’ve read that everyone diagnosed with ED should be tested for celiac. It is very possible her aunt had both.

Treatment for ARFID is a mix of CBT, exposure therapy, food-chaining. You want someone who used evidence-based methods (they should use that phrase). Ask what specific methods they use. They should be able to back each one up. Talk therapy is a waste of time here, as is yoga, equine therapy, etc.

Lack of growth is a big red flag, btw.

I don’t know if this will help motivate, but picky eating can have a big impact on your social life later. Dating, lunch meetings at work, etc. My high school BFF was a crazy picky eater, and it has impacted her whole life.