Simplest thing here is to add chia seeds or hemp seeds to the jelly sandwich. Start with a small amount and increase. Adds protein and omegas.

I don’t think these are common allergens but given the existing seed allergies obviously be careful introducing.

I make chia jam at home (https://thebusybaker.ca/homemade-chia-seed-jam/) but for a picky kid you should probably just work with whatever kind they already like and add seeds to that. Hemp seeds add no flavor or texture so start there.

Look into chia pudding too.

Anonymous wrote:Can you send cheese and crackers or add ranch dressing for the veggies?

I wish! He will not eat dressings. No dressings, gravies, or creamy things. My DH is the exact same way, and my picky eater has been like this since he was a baby/tot.

OP again. His pediatrician has never flagged him as being underweight but I just plugged his stats into a calculator and it looks like he is on the line or underweight. He is 47", 5.5 years old, and weighs between 43 - 45 pounds. When I entered 43 pounds it said he was underweight but 45 was at an "ideal" weight. But, he was born kinda scrawny and I think he has maintained his growth curve but I will check.

His older brother has always been a good eater, always eats his fruits and vegetables before anything else on his plate, but despite being the healthier eater of the two -- by far-- he has always been on the borderline "thick" side. Born chubby and has stayed on his growth curve. I just think it's interesting.

OP here, thanks for the suggestions. I agree that his lunch is sugar-heavy which is one of my issues with it. He won't eat cream cheese and has noticed when I tried to add butter and refused to eat it. Likes avocado but not guac so if I sent guac and chips he would only eat the chips. Won't eat hummus or even whipped cream.

He does like cheese sticks, not sure why I had not thought to throw one in his lunch. I will try some of the other suggestions too, but basically, he is a carb/sweets hound and he likes his carbs plain. Maybe we can do chicken nuggets in a thermos. For proteins he likes chicken nuggets, chicken, fish, and occasionally he will eat a burger. I'm going to try a chicken sandwich.

PP who mentioned the granola butter -- what is the brand and where did you buy it?

Can you send cheese and crackers or add ranch dressing for the veggies?

My kid has all these allergies plus more (dairy, wheat, and others). We don't worry about fats. I just try to give her something safe that has carbs, protein and veggie/fruit. It's enough a challenge. She likes salami, smoked salmon occasionally, sandwich with olive oil and turkey. I recently found this "granola" butter which she loves. It's a spread made with oats, olive/coconut oil and maple syrup. Sometimes I make her a porridge (grits or buckwheat with coconut milk and maple syrup). Rice and pasta have been coming back uneaten...

What does he have for breakfast? Can you add some fat there? Especially with some whole milk.

I agree the lunch he likes sounds sugar heavy. I get it, we have a kid with a sweet tooth, too; however, I would try to add some protein as well as fat to give him some stamina for the afternoon and to avoid the sugar crash that he must be having. Even some string cheese would help.

Will he drink a cold Boost as a milkshake? That would give him some fat and protein!

I wouldn’t really worry too much about fat, my DS who doesn’t have any food allergies and isn’t picky never had much fat in his lunches. He’s fine at 15 and a XC athlete. But olive oil and avocado are your best bets. Noodles with olive oil and olives and veggies and maybe some cheese, half an avocado with the pit, chicken wrap drizzled with ranch, there are lots of things you can do.

A lot of good suggestions here. My kid is similar, but This is the first time I’ve heard of a sunflower seed allergy. Sorry about that.

My DS gets cheese and pita everyday, along with shelf-stable milk (other items vary). You could give him full fat yogurt as his snack as soon as he gets home.

I agree with others- it’s hard to guarantee getting the calories in at lunch. Focus on dinner and healthy snack. We also switched back to whole milk from 2% for breakfast.

Also, if your kid will eat it, popcorn cooked in oil and topped with melted butter.
Chocolate

Whipped cream with fruit (also, drinking whipped cream straight, or adding whipped cream to tea)
Butter on the bread under the jam
Cooking the veggies in olive oil
Mix MCT oil (it’s flavorless and a very healthy fat) into the yogurt (or anything that’s liquid)
Avocados and chips are also a great idea, if your kid will eat it.

(My kid is on a keto diet for her epilepsy which is a 92% fat diet, so these are the nut free things we do.)

If you’re going to do this, I would be very cognizant of serving size and calories. Fats have way more calories than carbs and proteins, so a little goes a very long way so I would not go overboard with these things.

cheese, avocado mash or hummus to dip the veggies in, also just cook the veggies in olive oil for healthy fats, hard boiled egg

Avocado toast, spaghetti w nut free pesto, Mac and cheese, pita with hummus/falafel (make at home to avoid tahini in it), or (my kids favorite) pita with any kind of meatball

Add milk. They can buy milk at school

Could you try adding layer of butter to the jam sandwhich? Would he accept that?