a 3 inch diameter bagel has 6 grams of protein in it. If you make it whole wheat, it will have more. An ounce of pretzels has about 3 grams. I don't think that's too bad for a meal away from home where there are several dietary restrictions, as long as he's making up for any deficits at other meals.

5 year olds need 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. So if he's 50 pounds, he needs 25 grams a day.

Anonymous wrote:Too much sugar, and too many empty carbs. Yogurt? A piece of cheese?

Did you not read her post? "Dairy allergy"

I agree that it really seems to be missing protein. That's hard, given your restrictions, but other PPs have good suggestions.

My kids will snack on chickpeas (raw, or baked) too.

There might be some kind of smoothy (I think Odwalla has some soy-based ones) with a good dose of protien that you could try instead of the juice -- although those get expensive.

Too much sugar, and too many empty carbs. Yogurt? A piece of cheese?

Doesn't look too bad to me - probably about the same amount of food I send for my kids. Maybe I'd add some fresh fruit (strawberries, oranges, whatever is in season) if he'd be ok with that.

Whole grain crackers instead of pretzels? You lunch has a lot of white sugar and salt. Bean burrito? oatmeal with raisins in it?

Have you tried soy milk instead of the juice? It comes in different flavors - chocolate, vanilla, plain, etc.

No NUTS at all or just no peanuts? Whatever the answer, you can try sunflower seed butter - the brand is Sun Butter and it's very tasty.

Have you tried a little fried rice with bits of chicken or pork in it? Or some Trader Joe's Turkey Jerkey? (my meat hating kid likes this.

I wouldn't do pretzels and bagel - too "empty." Love the applesauce. Could you add berries or something to the applesauce? No nuts makes things hard; we're vegan so we rely on them a lot. Have you tried sunbutter? It tastes a lot like pb. I would send sunbutter on the bagel, or as a dip for carrots/celery/pepper slices.

My 5 yr old DS loves rice and beans for lunch. Also, chicken noodle soup (without the chicken pieces).

Hard boiled egg?

Soy yogurt?

You need to get some protein in there somehow.

Hummus on the bagel
Veggies and a dip
Water instead of juice, maybe add a splash of juice for flavor.
Raisins or pretzels, but not both
Yogurt instead of applesauce, maybe put some applesauce in at first, then phase it out.

There is no protein in it. How about hummus? Bean dip?

1/2 bagel
applesauce
raisins
pretzles
juice box with half fruit/ half veggie juice

If I send the above, my 5 yr old will eat his lunch at school. If I send any kind of meat, veggie or fruit besides applesauce, it comes back uneaten. And can't have nuts at school. Also have a dairy allergy.

How would you improve that lunch, while still hoping it will get eaten?....

Thank you!!