Anonymous
Post 01/31/2025 16:04     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kids have the same basic ingredients every day, which helps because they pack the "sides" and I pack the "main."

Every day is:
Some sort of granola, granola balls, or trail mix
A piece of fruit
Sliced vegetables
A sandwich or leftovers in a heated thermos

Once I got used to the idea of just having a "uniform" lunch where some days the vegetable is carrots and some days it is bell peppers, and some days the fruit is an orange and some days it is blueberries, it got easier to deal with figuring out a main every day.

Oh, and my kids LOVE bao buns in a heated thermos. That's a winner every time.


Do the non-soupy meals stay warm in your thermos? I sent some pasta with a little bit of sauce in a thermos that I had preheated with boiling water and it was apparently cold by the time my kid had lunch.


spaghetti is not a good one to include because the noodles soak up the sauce. i would just do leftovers. Also, if they will eat yogurt and cheese sticks with some other snacks like carrots, chips and grapes. I also find a variety helps.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2025 20:11     Subject: Re:somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:Dolma, roasted seaweed, carrot and cucumber sticks, jicama, pb pretzels, walnuts and macadamia nuts, dried mango, carrot soup, Babybel, veggie dumpling, etc.


Yes, OP should send dolmas in her picky kid’s lunch.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2025 19:53     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OMG. This is such a 21st Century problem.
If they are picky ask them for a menu, take them shopping, let them fix own lunch. Sandwiches will start looking better and better.
Do they really want to pack thermoses, lug them around, wash them?
Thought not.


I ate what my mother packed. The choice was eating or not eating.


Ah, the good ole days, when parents could put whatever they wanted in their kids’ lunch- without being restricted by everyone else’s allergies


If that's a concern, your child shouldn't have any food if you aren't there to supervise.


NP, but the issue as stated by PP (and which I share) is "everyone else's allergies." I would love to send a PB&J with my picky kids every day (and they'd eat it with minimal commentary), but that's not allowed in many school/camp circumstances due to other kids with severe allergies - which I completely understand. But it's a wrinkle to work around for sure.


What about gluten intolerance? Do you make your kids swear not to swap food?
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2025 15:20     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OMG. This is such a 21st Century problem.
If they are picky ask them for a menu, take them shopping, let them fix own lunch. Sandwiches will start looking better and better.
Do they really want to pack thermoses, lug them around, wash them?
Thought not.


I ate what my mother packed. The choice was eating or not eating.


My mother only let me pack one thing, which I hated and didn't eat. I threw away SO MUCH food over the years.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2025 00:21     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OMG. This is such a 21st Century problem.
If they are picky ask them for a menu, take them shopping, let them fix own lunch. Sandwiches will start looking better and better.
Do they really want to pack thermoses, lug them around, wash them?
Thought not.


I ate what my mother packed. The choice was eating or not eating.


Ah, the good ole days, when parents could put whatever they wanted in their kids’ lunch- without being restricted by everyone else’s allergies


If that's a concern, your child shouldn't have any food if you aren't there to supervise.


NP, but the issue as stated by PP (and which I share) is "everyone else's allergies." I would love to send a PB&J with my picky kids every day (and they'd eat it with minimal commentary), but that's not allowed in many school/camp circumstances due to other kids with severe allergies - which I completely understand. But it's a wrinkle to work around for sure.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 23:33     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
I second, The School Lunch. You all make this too hard. Make parenting too hard.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 23:06     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:What’s currently in your kindergarten lunch rotation? My kid won’t touch sandwich meat of any kind, and I’m struggling to figure out protein that isn’t nuts or cheese.


I have never understood parents' obsession about feeding meat to kids. Protein is available in vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and these foods can be turned into extremely delicious items with quick and easy recipes. If your child doesn't touch meat, that's OK! Feed them other healthy choices. Just look up non-meat healthy recipes for kids on YouTube. There are plenty.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 09:07     Subject: Re:somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Dolma, roasted seaweed, carrot and cucumber sticks, jicama, pb pretzels, walnuts and macadamia nuts, dried mango, carrot soup, Babybel, veggie dumpling, etc.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 09:02     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OMG. This is such a 21st Century problem.
If they are picky ask them for a menu, take them shopping, let them fix own lunch. Sandwiches will start looking better and better.
Do they really want to pack thermoses, lug them around, wash them?
Thought not.


I ate what my mother packed. The choice was eating or not eating.


Ah, the good ole days, when parents could put whatever they wanted in their kids’ lunch- without being restricted by everyone else’s allergies


If that's a concern, your child shouldn't have any food if you aren't there to supervise.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2025 17:58     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Today I sent half a mini bagel/cream cheese/smoked salmon, fresh mango chunks, English cucumber, orange bell pepper slices, some cheese puffs and a couple of crispy coconut rolls. Yesterday she had leftover cauliflower crust veggie pizza, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sliced apples, pretzels and dried edamame beans. My formula is usually one main entree/protein, two veggies, one or two kinds of fruit, and a savory snack.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2025 13:49     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
School lunch.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2025 13:41     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OMG. This is such a 21st Century problem.
If they are picky ask them for a menu, take them shopping, let them fix own lunch. Sandwiches will start looking better and better.
Do they really want to pack thermoses, lug them around, wash them?
Thought not.


I ate what my mother packed. The choice was eating or not eating.


Ah, the good ole days, when parents could put whatever they wanted in their kids’ lunch- without being restricted by everyone else’s allergies
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2025 13:28     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:OMG. This is such a 21st Century problem.
If they are picky ask them for a menu, take them shopping, let them fix own lunch. Sandwiches will start looking better and better.
Do they really want to pack thermoses, lug them around, wash them?
Thought not.


I ate what my mother packed. The choice was eating or not eating.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2025 11:32     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
OMG. This is such a 21st Century problem.
If they are picky ask them for a menu, take them shopping, let them fix own lunch. Sandwiches will start looking better and better.
Do they really want to pack thermoses, lug them around, wash them?
Thought not.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2025 11:19     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kids have the same basic ingredients every day, which helps because they pack the "sides" and I pack the "main."

Every day is:
Some sort of granola, granola balls, or trail mix
A piece of fruit
Sliced vegetables
A sandwich or leftovers in a heated thermos

Once I got used to the idea of just having a "uniform" lunch where some days the vegetable is carrots and some days it is bell peppers, and some days the fruit is an orange and some days it is blueberries, it got easier to deal with figuring out a main every day.

Oh, and my kids LOVE bao buns in a heated thermos. That's a winner every time.


Tell me more about the bao buns. Aren’t they like a folded taco? How does that go into a thermos without it coming all apart?

Go to frozen department in grocery store. Look for Wow Bow. Heat as directed while concurrently heading thermos with hot water. Remove water, add buns send to school. When kid gets back, look in thermos. If Buns are gone: Winner! My kids eat them before I can pack them for lunch.