Need lunch recommendations for 3 year old at camp

[Anonymous]

My 3 1/2 year old is going to summer camp and I need to pack him a lunch. He gets pretty low energy so I am looking for something that he will eat but also give him an energy boost. I'm not sure if he will eat a normal sandwich if I am not there so I'd like something that tastes good (to him) and is still healthy. Are there any granola bars out there that don't have chocolate in them but kids would still like? If you have any suggestions for what's worked with your kids, I would really appreciate it! I will probably pack him a sandwich and some carrots/hummus, but would like to add one more thing in case he doesn't eat anything.

No peanut products are allowed so PB and J is out.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Don't worry too much, your kid will eat because he's hungry. Send fruit, leftovers from dinner, yogurt, cheese and crackers, cooked veggies, pasta, beans and rice, or whatever other foods you have on hand. Catering too much to this idea of "what they will eat" just encourages you kid to eat fewer kinds of food.

[Anonymous]

Try almond butter instead of peanut--they make some brands that don't separate, and that taste a lot like peanut butter.

[Anonymous]

Z bars in the graham cracker variety have no chocolate in them. Still sugar, but reasonably healthy and have some protein in them.

While I agree in theory that catering to kids too much will foster pickiness, if your kid is anything like mine, he will not eat something he doesn't like no matter how hungry he is. In camp, where they go go go all day, some catering, I believe is totally appropriate. You can lay down the law at dinner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try almond butter instead of peanut--they make some brands that don't separate, and that taste a lot like peanut butter.

I agree, except that almond butter is way better tasting than peanut butter. My kid has been given both since very young and he loves almond butter. Make sure you get the salted kind.

[Anonymous]

Or Sun Butter -- a spread made from sunflower seeds that my peanut-allergic son just loves.

I have to agree with PP who said not to worry too much about them eating. I have a very low-appetite boy and I can never seem to make him eat a decent sized meal at home. But I've gone on a bunch of field trips with his day care this summer, and he consumes EVERYTHING I pack for him -- sandwich, dried fruit strip, pretzel sticks, and a juice usually. They eat because they are hungry and because their friends are.

Some things I pack:

turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread
cheese tortellini and pesto (in a thermos food container)
mac and cheese (same)
turkey roll-up in whole wheat tortilla, with pesto as a spread, cheese, sometimes shredded carrots

Plus a raw veggie of some sort, cut up, and/or a dried fruit strip (sadly my kid will not eat fresh fruit)

And I freeze his juice box to help keep the lunch cool. So he's got that and an ice pack on these hot days.

[Anonymous]

Yogurt in a tube. These freeze well and my DD loves them in her lunch. Stonyfield makes one that isn't laden with artificial junk.

Fruit! I don't think most kids drink enough water, so fruit with high water content is great in the lunch box. Melon chunks, grapes, blueberries, oranges, etc.

DD likes cheese sticks, too.

When we have to go nut-free, we use soy butter.

Cold chicken nuggets (homemade or whatever brand you are comfortable with) are a huge hit with DD.

Cherry tomatoes, (pitted) olives and pickles are popular with DD, too.

Sometimes celery with cream cheese or PB-substitute.

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for the suggestions. 9:56 I totally agree with you about not catering to them, and while I normally don't cater to him, I guess I worry he will not eat much. When he has low energy you will see him lying on the ground not doing anything. :/

The teachers told me he was slow in eating his lunch today so he didn't get to finish and then he told them he was hungry. We'll try again tomorrow!

I'll look into those Z bars.

[Anonymous]

You can buy freezer ice packs at the grocery store that will keep lunch cold if you have an insulated lunch box. They work great. I would avoid the yogurt tubes. They are actually banned at our preschool because apparently the yogurt shoots out of them all over everyone.

We usually do:
Turkey or ham in sandwiches or on crackers or just rolled up
Yogurt container
Hard boiled eggs
Veggies and ranch dip
cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches
fruit (grapes, peaches, melon etc)
cheese

If you are looking for a bar type food, my kids do like the Nutrigrain bars.