We have a string bean of a just-3 year old (40", 33 pounds) and she eats out the house. Her box today (for a Kosher, no-meat preschool):
2 hard-boiled eggs
banana
chobani champions mixed berry greek yogurt
choc chip granola bar (flame away)
strawberries
milk box.

No "main" item today b/c we all were sick and no one went shopping this weekend. Such is life. Other favorites as the "main" include sunbutter/jelly on wheat, banana pinwheels, cheese tortellini/pesto/ cheese quesadillas w/broccoli, Trader Joe's soy nuggets, sweet potato mac n cheese, lentils/rice, and sometimes a blueberry muffin (accompanied by blueberries and yogurt).
Sides are pretty much things that she likes: any fruit but kiwi, sliced carrots, cucumbers, red peppers (though peppers must have hummos with them for some reason), green beans. Loves the freeze-dried fruit from TJs and sometimes we do that b/c she gets so excited by it that it's adorable. Treats are not given everyday, but when they are it's a granola bar, 2 fig newtons, etc, goldfish and those Annies gummy bunnies. And she loves milk, so always a milk box, except on Fridays, when she gets juice for Shabbat.

The key for us is meal-planning and it took a while to get a good rotation. We made a list before we started this school b/c we weren't sure about non-meat lunches. Has worked out fine. And we always cook one vegetarian dinner each week so it can be used as a lunch for her. Some weeks we don't do well, others we do great. Good luck!

Anonymous wrote:That is so little food.

Says who, a pediatric nutritionist? Didn't think so.

-rolled up deli meat - ham or turkey
-fruit or veg (baby carrots, sliced apple, peppers, banana)
-crackers (triscuits, wheat thins, or pita chips)

Not a lot of food but like the Pp, my kids (ages 8 and 6) barely have time to finish that during MCPS lunch time (they are slow eaters, enjoy the chance to socialize with friends, and only get 20 min by the time they get their lunch ox and get called to clean up).

That is so little food.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My three kids rotate among these:

for snack: fresh fruit that I cup up in the am, some walnuts, at times some dark chocolaty-something.

For lunch: bread with tapenade, bread with hummus, bread with stracchino (an Italian spreadable cheese), or crackers with some of Trader Joe's tapas cheese sampler.

Drink is always water or sometimes milk.

This wouldn't be enough food for my dc-how old are your kids?

They are 6, 7, and 9. Aside from the 9y.o., I'm thankful they finish all of this in the little time allocated for eating. My youngest struggles as it is with eating all of this.

Anonymous wrote:My three kids rotate among these:

for snack: fresh fruit that I cup up in the am, some walnuts, at times some dark chocolaty-something.

For lunch: bread with tapenade, bread with hummus, bread with stracchino (an Italian spreadable cheese), or crackers with some of Trader Joe's tapas cheese sampler.

Drink is always water or sometimes milk.

This wouldn't be enough food for my dc-how old are your kids?

Anonymous wrote:Wow. You guys are all overachivers with these gourmet lunches for your kiddos. Not in my house.

My son is old enough to pack his own. His usual:

PB&J on whole wheat or a ham/pepperoni/cheese
Chips
Gatorade

Snacks: trail mix, mini muffins, granola bars (quaker), small cookie packs.

No fruit, no veggies, nothing that needs wamed up. Just like when we were kids. And guess what- he's as healthy as can be. Strange, I know. I just want him to eat, so I don't really care what it is.

Sure, he's healthy now, but all those artificial colors and preservatives and salt/sugar in the processed food is not going to benefit him later in life. Fruits and vegetables have anti-oxidants that can help prevent cancer. Real foods have fiber, which keeps the colon healthy. Feeding your kids healthy foods (plus treats in moderation) builds a base for a healthy adult.

Third grader. Picky eater -- self-proclaimed vegetarian. Bean+cheese burrito or p.b.j, , homemade brown-rice pudding made with homegrown eggs! Fruit, yogurt, cookie or granola bar!

Blueberry or cranberry/orange muffin or
Bagel
Crackers, cottage cheese, and carrots
String cheese
Grapes, apple, strawberries,
Yogurt/go
Water
Chocolate/cookie