School Lunches

kraftfoods.com has really cute lunch ideas. Also, sign up for the magazine-its free

I too have 3 boys and they are all picky. I changed things a little this year where lunches were concerned. I got rid of most of the junkfood in my cabinets. And they have been fine. They love to put lunch meat and cheese on soft tortillas and roll it up for lunch. This also works with PBandJ, which is kind of like an uncrustable. I also buy precut fruits and veggies, they almost always take a baggie of grapes or watermelon. We also do sliced cheese and crackers, which replaces the lunchables! We use whole wheat crackers. I also buy individual yogurts and put granola in baggies so they can mix it together at lunch. They acted a little mad when I first changed things, but they love it now. I have even seen them put applesauce in a little tupperware container to take for lunch. It seems like this year has been much easier on the lunch packing, I let them do it themselves, if there is no Junkfood, I have no worries about what they take! Good Luck....now off to go wake the sleeping beasts...lol.

Maybe you could use cookie cutters to make your own, special uncrustables. Let him pick out a few large cookie cutters and use them to cut out his sandwiches.

I don't have school age children, but I am a huge fan of the wrap idea and use it often!

I know how you're feeling. My 1st grader won't eat anything, no meats at all, no pb&j, no lunchables...so he gets the few healthy snacks that I can find in his lunchbox, unsalted peanuts, mandarin orange fruit cups, baby carrots, grapes, and milk.

Hi J., I have a son that is in the 3rd grade that is VERY picky. We have such a hard time finding things he likes. I like to buy those apple slices at the store that are individually wrapped. They don't turn brown for the kids. Maybe just buy a certain kind of lunch meat that he likes and cut it up for him to put on crackers? That is what I usually do for my 8 year old. Our son is big on fruits and veggies. We just cut them up really small so it's less work for him at the lunch table. Good luck, I know it can be such a hassle.

Here are some helpful tips I've found on the internet
I don't yet have one in school - so I'll be trying these out too in a year or so.

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/ff/bts/lunchIdeas.htm

Also - something my little ones always like: Pack a picnic with crackers, cheese, meat slices (choose lean salami, ham or turkey), and some fresh fruit. The kids can make their own cracker sandwiches.

These ideas are a little more risky for picky eaters - but worth a try at home first : http://www.parents.com/parents/slideshow/slideShow.jsp?sl...

I have a picky 4th grader. I send peanut butter in a cup with celery, pretzel or apples. She will also eat homemade peanut butter crackers. I also bought a thermas and send chicken noodle soup. Her lunch is at 1 pm and it keeps warm. We also send lunch meat wrapped around cheese cubes.
You need to look at the healthy food your child eats at home and adjust it to a lunchbox.

Instead of a typical sandwich:

make your own "uncrustable" but with healthier bread (I hate to cut off the crust, but at times my 1st grader will leave so much around it it's not worth it) sandwiches can be made days before and frozen, then pulled out the morning of and put in the lunchbox.

wraps-you can do this with chicken salad, regular lunchmeat or pb & j.

make your own "lunchables". cut up meat and cheese and send with crackers (this can be done ahead of time as well-put the crackers in a separate baggie)

Another thought is that my 1st grader can make herself and PB & honey sandwich, can he help a bit?

I always have a variety of fruit, gogurt, string cheese and desserts (fruit roll ups, candy, fruit by the foot) around for the rest of the meal.

Check the ads. Lunchables are on sale near us this week and I purchased a bunch. I also allow her to pick 2 hot lunches a week (ours are $1.50).

Good luck!