My son is starting kindergarten in a few weeks and for the last 3 years, he has been SO lucky to go to a preschool that serves 2 great, home-cooked, hot, nutritional meals. He's a skinny active boy, so it's not unusual for him to have 2 helpings of lunch. lunchtime is so short and kindergartners are SO easily distracted, the school recommends we pack their lunch b/c otherwise, there's no guarantee the kids can get through the line fast enough to eat.
I'm trying to gather everyone's BEST lunch packing tips b/c I worry about packing the right number of healthy yet filling calories for my active child.
Some tips received so far: freeze yogurt so it's just the right temp at lunch, buy a small hot/cold container that can hold hot items like whole wheat pasta and chicken, buy flavored water capri sun to avoid all the juice. adding to that, i'm thinking i'll freeze his cheese sticks so they stay cool.
what are YOUR best lunch packing tips?
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=194597&id=24806...
Awesome site from weelicious.com, she posts school lunches every day, and she thinks outside the box. Great ideas here!!!!
Mom, I worked as a kindergarten aid for a few yrs at an elementary school I know what 5 yr olds struggle with at lunch. Freeze the juice boxes or flavored water overnight; it acts like ice to keep the cold things cold, they are thaw out normally by lunch time. Be sure you have taught him how to open his drinks you send on his own. Many young children at this age can't and there are only a few lunchroom ladies in most public schools to 100 children. SHow him how to hold the tiny drink straw like a ball point pen , flat in the palm of his hand placing his thumb over the flat end of the straw. Then show him now to poke the pointed straw end into the juice box/pouch.Whe he does it thiis way the juice does not squirt out all over him if his thumb is on the open end. Pack plastic silverware and a napkin in his lunch box too; at many schools kids have to ask a lunchroom lady for one and it takes a while. Carrot sticks and veggies he likes with a small ranch dressing and fresh fuit cut up, if needed, in a small plastic container are good too. Salami is good with crackers if he likes it. or bagels and cream cheese in place of sandwiches all the time. If you send a treat, tell your child he has to eat the other part of his lunch before he eats the treat. At this age they will usually do what you ask, even at school. Another fun idea, when I packed my daughers lunch for 5-6 yrs I would try to put a little note in it each day on a post it or small piece of paper. I would put a smiley face and hearts signed Mom and Dad or even draw a funny little picture and always a heart and Mom and Dad. Do something different each day. As my daughter got older and could read I would write a 1-2 sentence note saying something like, "I hope your day is good, see you at pick up time," or "good luck on your math test today" etc. My daughter loved these mom notes she told me and even kept them for wks in the side pouch of her lunch box. It was sweet and made my day, hers too apparently. Good luck to him in school.
If your school allows Peanuts (and if not, get sunflower butter) get whole wheat hot dog buns, put the butter (peanut or sunflower) on both sides, then put a banana in it like a hotdog. Use tin foil to wrap, it keeps it from getting squished better. This was my kids favorite.
M.
I noticed that the Capri Sun waters have high fructose corn syrup too, so now I buy Honest Kids organic drink pouches because they don't have it (sold at Traget & Costco). My 5 year olds favorite lunch is peanut butter on a bagel (check to see if PB is ok at school). You can put some fresh fruit in a little container, and then a treat like a granola bar or yogurt covered pretzels.
Unless you live in a really hot environment in the fall/winter, you don't need to freeze the food. I freeze my water capri sun drinks (they freeze great) and use that as the ice pack for the lunch box (and I do this in the summer, when it is hot... if it is not very hot, even that drink won't be thawed out in time for him to drink it!). I would pack the things that you know your son would eat, and involve him in the process if you can. My daughter will eat more food when she has helped make it, or chose it in the first place. I know this won't always be an option, but it has been helpful for me to do when we can.
I thought I was doing the healthy thing by getting the Capri Sun flavored water, but after purchasing it, I noticed it had high fructose corn syrup. You may be better off doing a water bottle or watered down 100% juice.
I worked when my second son was in Kindergarten and so I was unable to do what I am about to suggest. Can you go over to the school at lunch time to supervise that he is eating? I don't think you would need to do this forever just a few times to get him into the 'I sit, I eat, and then I play' mode. I was extremely frusterated with how little my child ate (sometimes nothing) because he wanted to play so much. Supposily, the lunch ladies were not suppose to let them get up without eating but my child seemed to be able to get away with it. The biggest problem was that he was extremely grumpy when I picked him up at three. I would be too if I had nothing to eat.
My biggest suggestion is make sure he can open his own packaging. If he has to wait for an adult to open something it may not happen in a timely manner. Sometimes I will repackage an item in a zip lock baggy just to make sure he can get to it.
Good luck!
i never froze anything for my graduating kindergarteners. i always put an ice pack, or ice tray under the lunch box. i used thermos containers for their pasta or soups. packed sandwiches (PB and J, ham and cheese, cream cheese etc). their lunch usually included a serving of fruit as well. used thes elittle platsic containers for cut up fruit. we never packed juice, i always sent an 8 oz bottle of water. we had the option of buying milk but my kids didn't want it.
i also sent cheese sticks, velveeta slices, leftover food from dinner, creppes etc.
so my best tip is add an ice pack or tray if the lunch is going to be a cold lunch, or use thermos bottles for warm food.
funtainers are also good for keeping liquid food at a temperature you want it too. i used to put their green tea in them during winter months.
good luck
I would send some granola bars.....like Quakers soft ones, they are great, give him the energy he needs and fast to eat.........
You might try dry fruit as well, if you can get them to eat it.........it's easier to mess with........and nuts....
You could freeze the frozen water and it would work as a ice pack in the summer.....not in the winter..........but it might not be thawed out by lunch......you would have to do one at home and see how it does............
I think whatever your son likes to eat that isn't super messy, then send it for lunch..........talk to him about trading lunches too, my kids did that and I had to put a stop to it..........for more than one reason...
Good Luck and take care.
Buy one of those things you freeze to add to an insulated lunch bag. I use these everyday for my lunch, works great. It keeps my yogurt cold enough.
Unless your son is an expert at inserting the straw and not putting pressure on the juice and capri sun containers so it spills out, stick with a reusable bottle and fill it with his favorite beverage. It helps to fill it 1/2 way with ice.
Send foods you know he likes and that he will eat. For example, if he sometimes eats an apple, but not always. Don't send it. It'll end up in the garbage.
Make sure he can open the container on his own. Yes there are volunteers there to help, but they can't always get arround to everyone quickly.
