Need help with lunch options for toddler to take to daycare

[Anonymous]

My 2 yo DD will be going to daycare two days a week starting in September. She requests PB&J for lunch everyday, but of course her new daycare is peanut-free. Any suggestions? The lunch will be refrigerated, but they don't heat anything up. She won't touch lunch meat either.....
Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

We always send four things: sandwich or pasta (usually with some protein), a fruit, a veggie and a dairy

Sandwich/pasta:

Try sun butter (made fron sunflower seeds) instead of peanut butter. It contains the same amount of protein (and unfortunately, fat). Ours kids love it and think it's the real thing.

There's also a similar product made from peas, but it has very little protein.

Or try hummus and cucumber sandwiches, if she'll eat that. We like the thin Arnolds sandwich rounds (whole wheat)

Or maybe spreadable cheese on wheat crackers

Also, will she eat cold pasta? Our DCs are happy to eat cold rotini or other shapes with a little red sauce or olive oil.

We also do mini-bagels (Thomas' whole wheat version) with cream cheese or hummus.

Veggies:

Soft carrot sticks, green beans, broccoli or cauliflower -- DCs will eat them all cold. Cucumber spears, peppers, tomatoes, too.

Fruit:

All the obvious things: grapes, berries, apples, oranges, bananas, avocados etc.

Dairy:

cheese sticks, yogurt, smoothies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We always send four things: sandwich or pasta (usually with some protein), a fruit, a veggie and a dairy

Sandwich/pasta:

Try sun butter (made fron sunflower seeds) instead of peanut butter. It contains the same amount of protein (and unfortunately, fat). Ours kids love it and think it's the real thing.

There's also a similar product made from peas, but it has very little protein.

Or try hummus and cucumber sandwiches, if she'll eat that. We like the thin Arnolds sandwich rounds (whole wheat)

Or maybe spreadable cheese on wheat crackers

Also, will she eat cold pasta? Our DCs are happy to eat cold rotini or other shapes with a little red sauce or olive oil.

We also do mini-bagels (Thomas' whole wheat version) with cream cheese or hummus.

Veggies:

Soft carrot sticks, green beans, broccoli or cauliflower -- DCs will eat them all cold. Cucumber spears, peppers, tomatoes, too.

Fruit:

All the obvious things: grapes, berries, apples, oranges, bananas, avocados etc.

Dairy:

cheese sticks, yogurt, smoothies

Just remembered a few more -- our friends' kids will eat cold veggie burgers, veggie nuggets and egg sandwiches. Ours won't, but maybe yours will!

[Anonymous]

Have you tried sunbutter? I picked it up from TJ's and it doesn't taste that much different than PB.

We do cheese, PBJ or almond butter sandwiches, pasta salads, grilled cheese (it actually holds up in the fridge), beans & rice, cut up fruit, hard boiled eggs...

[Anonymous]

OP here-- these ate great suggestions-- thank you!!