Anonymous wrote:Cream cheese will totally last until lunch without refrigeration. It's not like dairy and egg products instantly go bad at room temperature--if you pack them in the morning, they'll be fine at lunchtime.

They'll last even longer if you routinely wash your hands after going to the bathroom. If you don't have serious hygiene issues, your kid's sandwiches will be FINE for a few hours. You aren't putting them at risk unless you are serving them nasties in the first place.

Cream cheese will totally last until lunch without refrigeration. It's not like dairy and egg products instantly go bad at room temperature--if you pack them in the morning, they'll be fine at lunchtime.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I avoid any dairy products in my kids' lunch boxes, or eggs, or leftovers because it's just not worth the risk that they might go bad by lunchtime and make my child ill.

Why risk your child's health?

That's a little overkill. Is he bubble wrapped too?

Then stay away from teh Expectant Moms forum where people avoid McD milkshakes, twizzlers, and (refrigerated!) deli meats.

Anonymous wrote:I avoid any dairy products in my kids' lunch boxes, or eggs, or leftovers because it's just not worth the risk that they might go bad by lunchtime and make my child ill.

Why risk your child's health?

That's a little overkill. Is he bubble wrapped too?

I avoid any dairy products in my kids' lunch boxes, or eggs, or leftovers because it's just not worth the risk that they might go bad by lunchtime and make my child ill.

Why risk your child's health?

Um, it's not a big deal for a sandwich to go unrefrigerated for a few hours.

Anonymous wrote:What about tuna/ham/egg salad?

I remember begging my mom for jelly sandwiches when I was 5 or 6 because a couple other kids were allowed to have them and it sounded like dessert to me (still does). She said absolutely not because jelly is sugar with no nutritional value, and that I had to have peanut butter. I ended up telling her I would take peanut butter and mustard from then on and I did.

Have her try peanut butter and honey. Totally delicious and I don't really even like pb these days.

Um, you'll have to refrig. tuna and egg salad and the accompanying mayo it's mixed in. I thought the OP said she needed non-perishable options.

Peanut butter and cheese sandwiches were a favorite in my house growing up.

We were not allowed to have jelly sandwiches. They had to have cream cheese or PB on them as well.

But we could have Hostess cakes. Go figure.

My kids aren't big sandwich eaters but will eat leftovers from last nights dinner.

What about tuna/ham/egg salad?

I remember begging my mom for jelly sandwiches when I was 5 or 6 because a couple other kids were allowed to have them and it sounded like dessert to me (still does). She said absolutely not because jelly is sugar with no nutritional value, and that I had to have peanut butter. I ended up telling her I would take peanut butter and mustard from then on and I did.

Have her try peanut butter and honey. Totally delicious and I don't really even like pb these days.

A non sandwich option my DD loves is carrots with hummus. Greek yogurt or hard boiled eggs have a lot of protein and might work too.

I always try to remember that it's a balance throughout the day, so if she eats jelly sandwiches for lunch but has other things for breakfast and dinner... go with what works. My DD thinks she hit the jackpot if she gets a half of jelly sandwich with a hard-boiled egg, some carrots and some berries or other fruit.

Put the juice box in the refrig. and use that as the "ice pack" to keep the food cool. Chances are, though, lunch is rather only, so food isn't really out of the refrig. that long. And jelly is pretty hardy.

That said, DD loves honey sandwiches. You need to put on a thin layer of butter to keep the bread from getting soggy.

Another favorite is a small pita pocket with 2 slices of Am. cheese.

Butter and fruit preserves with no added sugar and whole wheat? My grandma used to make me butter and jam sandwiches as a kid. Sunbutter or almond butter with jam?

Cream cheese TOTALLY keeps without an ice pack. Don't worry about that. And remember back in the old days when folks had bologna sandwiches in their unfridged lunch boxes? Yeah, don't worry about it.

Personally, I would turn to jelly-and-white-bread sandwiches only as a last resort. I'm already nearly there, with an EXTREMELY picky eater for a kid. I ate everything--with relish--growing up, so I don't relate to her avoidance of 99.9% of the world's foods, and 99.0% of our home's foods. But I find she brings home her lunch rather than eat something unpalatable, so I acquiesce just enough.

Just.

I have provided oatmeal and milk/syrup, white bread w cream cheese and deli meat, whole wheat spaghetti and red sauce, and stuff like that as well as fresh fruit (already cut--she's more likely to eat it that way).

And I put one thing in there every day that I know she'll reject but that I think she*should* have.

Oh well.

My so loves avacado sandwhiches. I use whole wheat flat bread and spread the avacado like butter. It really is good!

My kids love Sunbutter sandwiches plain. It's a good alternative if your school is treenut/peanut free.