I have a daughter who just started kindergarten and she has a few allergies. Cow's milk, eggs, and nuts so I have been sending her lunch to school everyday. For now this is the only option. She really wants to eat the school lunch but I have to wait until I get some food information on what ingredients are in the foods they serve daily. In the meantime I have to come up with her lunches. I know she won't be able to eat everything on the school menu and she'll still have to take her lunch on some days but it won't be as often as soon as I get the information I need. I really need some ideas on what to send in her lunch. I've been sending with her the lunchables but taking out the cheese and the candy bar and only giving her the meat and crackers. Also adding to that an individual cup of applesauce or a cup of fruit and maybe a couple of cookies that she is not allergic too. Along with juice. I thought about sending her some fresh vegs but I know she won't eat them so I won't even waste my money. I'm really looking for Main dish ideas. I have enough of the "side" things to keep her intersted but I think she is getting tired of meat and crackers. Thanks!
First off I wasn't wasting my money on lunchables as someone suggested. The cheese and the little chocolate bar or whatever they have in it is eaten by others in the household. I have 2 other children who have no food allergies. As I mentioned my question... I am waiting for the school to get back with me on a special lunch menu for her. Actually it's the not school.. it's the food adminstration that does the food for the school kids that will let me know about the allergy information. When I went to my daughter's kindergarten "meet the teacher" before the school year began, the principal did say the adminstration is working on more healthier lunches for the kids. Since she has went to school twice now and ate the school lunch w/o my permission that let me know that I need to find other ideas for her lunches. The hummus seems like a good idea but I bought 2 different kinds and she didn't like either of them. They may have been too "adult" - they were garlic and another red pepper. I should probably just look up a hummus recipe and try it from scratch. I still don't know if she would like it. As far as goat cheese goes I do not know if she can have it or not. I'd have to check with her allergist. As far as sandwiches go, I don't think it would be very appealing to her. What options does she have for a sandwich sauce or spread wise? She doesn't like mustard. Cant eat mayo or ranch. I asked her if she would eat just the bread and the meat as sandwich and she said no! she would only eat the meat and throw the bread away! Jelly sandwiches? Tried that. No go. Anyway I think the thermos was a good idea for me. She does eat spaghetti and stews that are allergy friendly. it didn't dawn on me to send her with a warm lunch in a thermos. Maybe not thinking it would be warm by lunch? I did get her a thermos jar so we'll see how warm it really does keep her food. From the time she leaves home until lunch, I think the time period is about 4 hours. Thanks for all the other ideas as well. I have been given lots of good ideas! Thanks!
Update: after posting this, I read my private messages and got a couple of ideas from a mom who suggested bbq sauce that her son likes or milk free dressing like italian on sandwiches. I think she would embrace a full sandwich if itsn't just meat and bread and has some type of sauciness on it. So I'm going to try both and see how it works out. Thanks Nancy W!
Can you meet with a nutritionist/.. They could help you come up with different foods, recipes and menus.
whatever you all eat at home can go with her to lunch.
Here are some websites that could help you come up with some new ideas
http://www.livingwithout.com/issues/3_1/Children-With-Mul...
http://www.wch.sa.gov.au/services/az/other/nutrition/alle...
Just send her with whatever she likes to eat at home. It doesn't have to be "lunch" food. With all the great insulated bags, containers and thermoses it's easy to keep food either cool or warm so you should be able to send her in with almost anything, leftovers, pasta, rice, burrito, chicken, soup, etc.
With all of those allergies, I wonder if the processed foods in Lunchables are a possible problem? The additives sometimes cause problems - I have a friend whose child had many food allergies, and deli meats were on that list. Also, some of the crackers aren't so healthy. You could try Triscuits which are just whole wheat and a little salt - you could even get the low salt kind. Lunchables tend to be expensive especially if you are removing half of the stuff.
Kids like to dunk & dip, so some veggies and hummus are good. Can she eat tree nuts and not peanuts, or the other way around? Sometimes classes are nut-free, but if she can eat peanut butter or a tree nut alternative like almond butter, you can put that on rice cakes. Don't get the hazelnut spread (Nutella) - it's got a ton of sugar.
Can she eat goat cheese? You can spread that on little crackers or on bread, you could make an easy turkey wrap with some lettuce and goat cheese. How about getting her a thermos and giving her pasta and some turkey meatballs? You'd have to get one that's easy enough for her to open, but I have one that can be microwaved at home and it's still hot hours later.
There are a lot of containers for lunches that have different compartments so you could put some cut up veggies in there, cut up fruit (melon chunks, grapes, strawberries) and give her some toothpicks - kids love to stick things in other things! Opening up a container with a lot of choices can make lunch look pretty interesting and result in a balanced meal.
Does she like Mexican food? You could give her a tortilla spread with some refried beans and throw in some strips of green pepper or whatever else she'll eat, and some soy-based cheese substitute. What about string cheese alternatives - non dairy? They're easy to peel open.
You could save money but cutting her juice with water to also make it less sugary. Kids like plain reusable water bottles too - get one that is BPA free (could be plastic or metal) - it's much cheaper than bottles of juice and water.
Also the school is required to give you info on the lunches - you don't have to wait to hear from them. Call the administrative offices. However, school lunches are notoriously expensive and pretty nutrient-deficient, so you might do better on your own, both financially and in terms of allergies.
Blech, why would you waste your money on lunchables, easpecially if she can only eat half of it?
Buy some divided plastic containers (or "bento" lunchboxes) and make your own: choose cold cuts she can eat or grilled/cooked chicken or turkey (super easy to make at home - make a batch and pop in the freezer then pull then out a few strips at a time every morning), applesauce or cut fruit (my DD loves everything berry, cut peaches (I buy in bulk in season, then freeze, if thawed they are like canned peaches without the added sugar and stuff), a banana, sandwiches with stuff she will eat (sunbutter and jelly maybe?). A fruit leather as a treat...
It's lunch for a kindergartner, not a gourmet cooking competition - think simple! In the end you just have to find a few things that work for you and rotate those - that's what the lunch-ladies do as well.
I agree with the post below that suggested a thermos.
My son has a nut allergy, and sits at the table with someone with a dairy allergy... they both often bring stuff in their thermos's.
My son's favorite is left over spaghetti and sauce. Warm it in the a.m. and it's still warm at lunchtime. He also takes soups and other noodle dishes.
If she likes potatoes, you could put mashed potatoes in there with some left over chicken or meatloaf or whatever else you eat.
I'm a huge fan of leftover's for lunch...
And - our school lunch program has a website with detailed menu items with ALL the ingredients. I'd be surprised if they couldn't direct you to that info at your child's school.
Try looking up Bento Boxes. My Daughter will eat things she normally wouldn't if they are arranged in a neat way. Crazy, I know!
Does she like cold salad? Sometimes we'll do a little cup of chicken salad made with Vegenaise (no egg and no dairy mayonnaise), or macaroni salad. Sometimes we make macaroni salad with a bit of salad dressing and some cold chicken.
Use a cookie cutter to cut sandwiches into cute shapes! We do hearts and stars. Sometimes bologna isn't as boring when it's in a star shape.
You can also do sandwich wraps. A bit of meat and some lettuce in a tortilla or a pita pocket. Watch those sandwich meats though, some have dairy in them!
Can she eat hot dogs? You can boil water and cook the hot dog in the morning. Then put the boiling water and the hot dog in a thermos. It should stay hot until lunch. We buy organic, nitrate-free hot dogs.
If I remember more, I'll post. Good luck!
With the dairy allergy, I would count on packing her lunch every day.
Does she like salad?
What about just putting some lunch meat in a bag or cut up like a lunchable, but its from the deli or Oscar Meyer.
I know tricks for no milk, not really about no eggs
- Ritz Crackers
- Graham crackers (not sure about the eggs)
- Pringles
- Grapes
- Jelly sandwiches
- Soups
- Tysons chicken nuggets (not sure about the eggs)
Sandwiches. You should be able to find milk and egg free bread. You can make wraps with WW tortillas, beans, chicken or cold cuts. In the winter, my kids used to take hot soup or leftovers to school in a wide mouth thermos. Fruit leather. Rice cakes. My girls have food allergies too and couldn't eat cafeteria food at all because of the possibility of cross-contamination.
Contact the person in charge if the lunch program for her school. Ask him/her what documentation is needed so they will provide her lunches.
My granddaughter is on a special diet and all the school needed was a letter from the doctor and they make meals for her that do not include the stuff she can not have.
I would make sure the teacher has a copy of the same letter.
I would just call the school admin building on Tuesday and ask to talk to the head of the program. They should be able to meet with you so you can discuss this.
You could always just go join her at lunch time and check out what they're having too. They usually do post the weekly menu in the newspaper though.
Is there a way to heat her food up at school before lunch?
What does she eat for lunch/dinner at home? Why not send her with the same types of things for her school lunch? My daughter finally starting eating sandwiches over the summer, but last year we used a thermos for soup, pasta, rice, casseroles, etc.
My child doesn't have allergies, but I'd be leary of the ingredient information you receive from the school. I would think that by excluding milk, egg, and nuts, you would eliminate most of what's served through the school.
Rice cakes
Hummus
Pita turkey wraps (turkey, lettuce, a little tomato, use a very little olive oil instead of mayo)
Chicken curry wraps might be good too if you use a very mild curry.
Is she sensitive to just COWS milk products or could she eat GOAT milk cheeses (non cow dairy products)?
Tofu is a great protein source but it has no flavor at all unless you marinate it in something.
I know this is not answering your question, but it may help.
My son has celiac disease, he cannot eat anything that contains gluten. I met with the head of school nutrition and with my input they created a special gluten free menu just for my son. We e-mail the school food and nutrition dept. each morning and let them know if my son will be eating school lunch that day. I have no worries about him getting safe food
In my state it is mandatory that the school lunch programs accommodate food allergies. It is accommodated under a 504 plan. I think that it is a nationwide law under No Child Left Behind but not sure. Maybe Wrightslaw.com will have some information about the laws.
Will your school create a special menu for your daughter? Check out the laws related to a 504 plan.
PS: Check out the magazine "Living with Out" it is a magazine for people with food allergies and it has a lot of great menu and food ideas.
Good luck
