Toddler Breakfast and Lunch Ideas for Pre-School

My daughter will be 2 in August and she LOVES the uncrustables peanut butter and jelly. I usually give her one of those as a lunch. I'd also say grilled cheese but you said it can't be heated..so that wouldn't help. But, the uncrustables seem to be a big hit with her.

Maybe you can ask the sitter who's been taking care of him what she feeds him...That will give you a place to start!

I know it is hard to be a working mom. I was one for years. What you feed your son will make a healthy and productive postive or negative difference as he grows. It is good to hear that you are trying to learn what to feed him. His future is your responsibility.

If nuts are not an allergic concern for your son, almond or organic peanut butter on whole grain bread is your best bet. How you cut this sandwich is critical. Cut it in half, vertically. Then cut the halves in thirds vertically. What you end up with are "finger" sandwiches - easy to eat and full of nourishment. Fruit, such as red grapes, that can be eaten as finger food is great. How about a little salad combination? Baby carrots! Left over chicken cut into bite-sized pieces, peas and green beans that are not mushy are yummy. I would not be so concerned about the food being hot as it rarely is by the time you have cooked it and then sit down to eat it at home. This is a challenge at any meal. If you want some foods to be warm, use the thermos type lunch packets.

A combination of a different naturally-sourced, God-made, colors of foods is very inviting for little ones - actually for all of us. White, beige and brown are boring - add red and yellow (thinly sliced bell peppers), blue, and green!

Our website, www.familyfoodexperts.com, has lots of recommendations. Our book, Are Your Kids Running on Empty? and the CD cookbook, Mom, I'm Hungry...What's for Dinner? are full of fast and easy solutions. They include the Better Choices Grocery List. I am mentioning these because your question deserves a comprehensive answer.

Let me know how this works for you!

E. (____@____.com)

T., Hi, I have a daughter whom is also 2 well 2 1/2, but she is not a bread person so to speak, so I bought some of those tortilla shells, the ones the find in the refrig. area at the grocery stores, I take some meat, couple of piees or more depending on thickness and all, a slice of cheese town into four strips and place over the meat, then zap it in the microwave for only about 20 seconds, then roll it up and cut in two, or you can cut it in more and have little bit size rolls. So far has worked for us. Good luck. :o)

I had the same problem when my son started pre-school. I used to send a baby version of pasta salad, I would make a batch, freeze it in individual baggies and thaw it overnight for his lunch box, just small bite size pasta, carrots and peas boiled togeter. He loved it. Yogurt is also a good idea, along with fruit cups and bite size sandwich pieces and a sippy cup of juice or water. If you google "preschool lunch ideas", there are a lot of great sites out there. Good Luck.

Hi,
I work full-time also and my 18 month old daughter goes to pre-school in Stuart. For breakfast, I toast waffles, french toast sticks or send dry cereal, I switch it up a lot because she gets over things quickly.
For lunch, I usually roll turkey and cheese together and then slice it up. I often include a yo baby yogurt and either fresh fruit or canned fruit. I also give her applesauce sometimes. Oh and if we have broccoli left over from the night before I give her that too. She also likes spaghetti which is fine cold. At her daycare they have you send a cold pack so it's almost room temp. I also make her grilled cheese sometimes and she doesn't mind it cold. Hope that helps.

Hi T.,

My daughter started pre school at the same age - here are some ideas. I also try to reduce the amount of garbage we create so I pack her lunch in tupperware which comes home every day to be washed out (rather than lots of plastic baggies).

I usually include a few finger food type things - mixture of protein, fruit, vegetables and some grains/bread

- Cut up fruit: bananas, grapes, pears, mango
- Vegetables: cold steamed carrots (so they are soft and easy to eat, cucumber strips, avocado
- Plain yogurt with fresh frut in it (same fruit as above) some granola on top
- Sliced turkey with small strips of bread
- Sliced cheese
- Tortilla with turkey and cheese rolled together, cut into small pieces
- Cream cheese with fruit spread (no added sugar compared to jelly) on bread
- Peanut butter with banana or fruit spread on bread
- Hummus with bread and carrots for dipping
- A cookie for dessert

I always send deli ham or turkey, cut into bite size pieces with grapes and maybe cottage cheese, carrots and ranch dip or even a salad with grilled chicken and shredded cheese, you can send the dressing in a container for the caregiver to put on; my 2yr old loves it! apple pieces, you can buy them already sliced at publix and cheese stix are good bets too. there is always peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Just think...protein, fruit, veggie. My son also loves, and you will too, the natural white cheddar cheetos, they're healthier than the regular ones and taste so much better! Cereal bars, waffles are good for breakfast with some watermelon or cantelopes...okay, that's my son's menu...have fun!!

For breakfast if I have time I an cook an egg pretty quik with some toast or I give her a choice of cherrios (no milk)& fruit;
bagel(litely toasted)& cream cheese; eggo waffles or mini pancakes; again depending on time a yogurt & fruit smoothie to drink on the way (to ensure the full serving).

At school, there isnt a fridge in the 2's like in the toddler room and cant have warm food unless you pack a thermos?! I havent found a thermos small enough yet...but when i do I'll send homemade chicken noodle soup, or other soups. I look at the sodium content on canned soups...WAY too much! But in a jam I pour out 1/2 the stock/broth and add water.
I also have found she likes pasta salad, and tuna fish sandwiches or with crackers. Melon is great especially for summer, most fresh cut fruits a great!
Becareful of Lunchables too...again the sodium is CRAZY!! I try to get a good deli meat and roll it & cut it into bite size rolls, and they have cheese cut into sunbursts/slices or crumbles. Yogurt does fine in the cooler too. That what I bring in the lil'pink igloo with an icepack... :)
I was a lil' freaked at 1st when we transitioned. "WHAT DO I DO? NO FRIDGE!!??No Microwave?!? OH NO~ I still try and come up with more creative cold lunches...
So GOOD LUCK,
Make it a FUN day!
~M.~

will he eat room temperature or cold foods?
I use gladware 4oz containers and send them in an insulated bag

I put a veggie in one (frozen organic broccoli or greenbeans or mixed veggie) that I've defrosted/warmed before putting in the gladware

a fruit in another- sliced apple, pear, strawberry, mango, papaya, melon, you get the idea

and a 'main' dish in the 3rd one: raviolis are great because they're like a mini meal all in one & there are many different kinds/varieties to try- also tortellinis- or just plain pasta or even macaroni & cheese

I live by those gladware containers, LOL!

you can do rice and beans, chicken, etc

As far as breakfast, my almost 16 month old loves oatmeal, yogurt, cheerios, fruit and toast, pancakes, french toast. A scrambled egg takes seconds to make if you have the pan heated up and ready to go. For lunches- sometimes I give my daughter deli meat, string cheese cut in slices and a piece of whole wheat bread and some fruit. A lot of the lunches I give her are usually leftovers from dinner, so I am trying to think of things you can give that don't require heating. Oh, make a grilled cheese ahead of time, I do that sometimes. My daughter likes cold green beans in a little bit of italian dressing. Yogurt can work for lunch too. Fruit is always good. I hope these suggestions help!

You can try sending him to school with yogurts or some of the healthier lunchables that hey have out there. That is what I was sending my daughter when she first started pre-school. Now, her school offers free breakfast, lunch and snack to all kids that attend. It was a relief not to have to think about what to send her anymore. Hope that helps.

I've been making lunches for my son since he was 3 (he's 9 now). Sometimes it's a challenge as he's a fussy eater. I often pack my son hot items in a thermos. It keeps it fairly warm, especially if you heat it to a high temp. before putting it in the thermos.

Here are some ideas:
veggies and ranch dip
mac and cheese in a thermos
baked potato in a thermos
spaghetti in a thermos
soup in a thermos
chicken nuggets
sandwiches of course
hard boiled eggs

Good luck!

If he has had peanut butter before. I would give peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, with banana or if you would like to give him something salty with it, try white cheddar cheetos (their healthier than regular cheetos and they are soft so you don't have to worry about choking. Also do turkey bologna sandwiches and be sure to cut them into triangles so he won't be turned off by the crust. Bananas, yogurt, string cheese are good sides too. Good luck if I think of anything else I will let you know. Also fruit cups are always a hit too.

I bring my 3 year old to daycare at 7:00 in the morning, and finding stuff in the morning is sometimes a pain!! She loves the Uncrustable (you can buy a good size box of them in BJ's freezer for $8 or $9) she also likes lunchables, though i try not too give her too many. Any kind of sandwich, leftovers from the night before, spaghetti o's etc. For snacks, she loves cheez-its, fruit snacks are an obvious choice, cut up veggies/fruits, fruit cups, pudding/jell-o, dry dereal (they have character cereal for kids!) At our day care you can send them with almost anything they would eat at home!!

I send mine with PB & J - cut up in like quarters, tuna fish sandwich cut -up also, cheese sandwiches, he loves rice cakes in different flavors, banana (kinda messy but they tell me at daycare he eats it all), cut up fruits, veggies, crackers. - I hope this helps a little!

This brings back memories...when my daughter was in preschool I used to pack her the Lunchables. Different kinds. She loved it. I would pack that which back then didn't come with juices so I would also pack a juice box in a sippy cup. She also loved fruit like cut apples or orange slices. I'm not sure how advanced your son is with eating but by that age my daughter ate like a champ...still does...LOL! For my one year old now I always make him the instant flavored oatmeal. He loves it and is almost up to 2 packs in one sitting. Hope this helps.

i had this same problem when she went to a church daycare, but now she is in a home daycare, and just like you dont have to worry abou tit now. However you can get a thermos container, so heat some ravioli or something up in the am, then put it in there, it might be still warm by lunch.

Cut up fruit pieces; mandarin orange cups;applesauce cups; veggies if he'll eat them; cut up pieces of cheese and turkey, ham, or chicken; peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cut up in small pieces; small cups of yogurt; soft cheese sticks(cut up if he can't manage a whole one yet); cold pasta salad (my son always liked pasta with a little mayo and parmesan cheese);
For a quick breakfast try toaster waffles and a cup of yogurt; cereal bars, microwaveable pancakes; toast with jam; toasted english muffin; mini bagel w/ cream cheese...
Good luck!