Anonymous
Post 02/06/2025 19:17     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Based on the original post I assume OP is not allowed to pack nuts for school lunch.

For years and years, I put a couple of cheese sticks in the freezer overnight and then into the lunchbox (thawed well enough by lunch or I don’t even know) with sunflower seed butter sandwich. Kid ate it, accommodated the lunchroom rules, done.
Anonymous
Post 02/06/2025 18:45     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:What’s wrong with nuts or cheese?
Mine will take a cheese sandwich sometimes but also PB&J and once a week I let her take a Nutella sandwich.
We use brown bread so at least she’s getting in some whole grains.
Previously she taken In cold rotisserie chicken with a container of ketchup but she’s gone off that recently.
Cheese/crackers

In a preheated thermos. Ramen, pasta, chicken nuggets, Mac n cheese bites.

Don’t stress too much about protein at every single meal. If they eat a good breakfast snd s good dinner, it’s ok if lunch isn’t so great.


Protein and good fats will keep their focus on school in the afternoon, rather than a blood sugar crash from an all carb lunch. But you suggested nuts and cheese which would be fine.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 19:27     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
This all is psycho helicopter lunchpacking. High school kids can pack own lunch or eat school lunch.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 18:57     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
I gave up with my picky kid. I make fresh elbows in the am and add hot dog or chicken sausage. She will also eat a pupusa cut up.
I make it all super hot and the Thermos keeps it hot until lunch. But her lunch is at 11:30
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 18:54     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our youngest is now a senior in HS and we still struggle with this (!!). Non-sandwich eating options for our kids typically are more high maintenance & involve thermoses. I like the all metal ones (THERMOS Stainless King Vacuum-Insulated Food Jar with Spoon, 16 Ounce). Favorites over the years:

Taco meat with refried beans, chips on the side
Shepherd's pie
Buffalo chicken mac & cheese
Tortellini with italian sausage, penne & meatballs
Ramen with rotisserie chicken

Parents get up an hour before the kids leave to make lunches. Not as easy as sandwiches for sure! GL and enjoy your time with your littles!


So you are up in the AM making fresh buffalo Mac and cheese for lunches? Not leftovers? Wow


We meal prep on weekends.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 18:53     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:Our youngest is now a senior in HS and we still struggle with this (!!). Non-sandwich eating options for our kids typically are more high maintenance & involve thermoses. I like the all metal ones (THERMOS Stainless King Vacuum-Insulated Food Jar with Spoon, 16 Ounce). Favorites over the years:

Taco meat with refried beans, chips on the side
Shepherd's pie
Buffalo chicken mac & cheese
Tortellini with italian sausage, penne & meatballs
Ramen with rotisserie chicken

Parents get up an hour before the kids leave to make lunches. Not as easy as sandwiches for sure! GL and enjoy your time with your littles!


Most understated advice re: lunches from home. Knew parents who had everything prepped the night before. For non sandwich items, I think they just reheated pasta in morning and placed in theromos.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 06:40     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
What’s wrong with nuts or cheese?
Mine will take a cheese sandwich sometimes but also PB&J and once a week I let her take a Nutella sandwich.
We use brown bread so at least she’s getting in some whole grains.
Previously she taken In cold rotisserie chicken with a container of ketchup but she’s gone off that recently.
Cheese/crackers

In a preheated thermos. Ramen, pasta, chicken nuggets, Mac n cheese bites.

Don’t stress too much about protein at every single meal. If they eat a good breakfast snd s good dinner, it’s ok if lunch isn’t so great.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 05:18     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
What's wrong with alternating between nuts and cheese? My DD ate pbj everyday except when not allowed at a camp. Then she ate cheese Easy fur me . She was happy. All natural pb. Whole grain bread all fruit jam. I considered it healthy!
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 05:13     Subject: somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Anonymous wrote:Our youngest is now a senior in HS and we still struggle with this (!!). Non-sandwich eating options for our kids typically are more high maintenance & involve thermoses. I like the all metal ones (THERMOS Stainless King Vacuum-Insulated Food Jar with Spoon, 16 Ounce). Favorites over the years:

Taco meat with refried beans, chips on the side
Shepherd's pie
Buffalo chicken mac & cheese
Tortellini with italian sausage, penne & meatballs
Ramen with rotisserie chicken

Parents get up an hour before the kids leave to make lunches. Not as easy as sandwiches for sure! GL and enjoy your time with your littles!


So you are up in the AM making fresh buffalo Mac and cheese for lunches? Not leftovers? Wow
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2025 03:47     Subject: Re:somehow I still don’t know what to put in the lunch box
Guy at small business where I work brought in many single serving cans of a tuna salad I discovered I loved and should be easy to just make (although I haven't tried yet). Tuna, corn, peas, sliced black olives, lemon juice. Says "corn seed oil" which I assume is just corn oil but you could use a light olive oil as well.
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.