School lunches?? H E L P ! !?

Question

When I send my Twins off to 1st grade I will be sending lunches, Can anyone give me good ideas for variety.

Answer 1

Make sure you have a small freezer pack in the bag to keep things cold, and ALWAYS send along your own plastic cutlery!!!

Tortilla shells - coat them with stuff the kids like (i.e. ham/cheese, cream cheese with jam or with drained fruit cocktail or banana - then roll them up and slice.
Cold leftover pizza.
Hummus with bagel chips.
Make your own "Lunchable" with healthy alternatives - real sliced leftover roast beef or chicken, cubes/slices of real cheddar cheese, crackers and a cup of washed individual grapes. Vegetable sticks are always welcome by kids, especially if you include a small container of their favorite low-fat dip.
Yogurt is a favorite of most kids and great for school lunches. Children also like cold rice, pasta, and couscous, which can be sent in a container and kept cold.
They love string cheese.
Try wrapping thin slices of lean deli roast beef around short bread sticks.
Cubes of lean ham or turkey breast are also good for kids along with a little packet of mustard or ketchup from a fast food restaurant - for dipping.
Try different pita breads or tortilla wrappings filled with a favorite sandwich meat (NOT a processed meat) or salad, meat and cheese kabobs, or a macaroni salad.
Salsa and chips, assorted pickles, or veggie sticks and slices with dip.
Choose fruits that are easy to eat and not messy. Be sure to peel fruits that need it, and cut them into finger-size pieces for younger children.
Vary the bread offerings from plain sliced bread to raisin bread, pita pockets, dinner rolls, flour tortillas, or mini-bagels.
Rice cakes are a fun addition. Pack tuna salad, peanut butter or cheese spread in a separate container to be spooned on at lunchtime so the cakes don't get soggy.
Mix cream cheese with raisins and a dash of honey to spread on graham crackers.
An old favorite is Ants on a Log. Fill celery sticks with cream cheese, sprinkle with grated carrot, and push in raisons for ants.
If you make chicken breasts, prepare an extra serving and slice it for sandwiches the next day instead of purchasing deli lunch meat.
While you’re making dinner, boil a few eggs. Pack the eggs whole, make deviled eggs, or use them in egg salad.
Make an extra baked potato and pack it with nutritious toppings.
Try some of these sandwich fillings in whole-wheat pocket bread, on whole-grain bread, bagels, crackers, English muffins, rice cakes or rolls, or try filling and rolling tortillas or lavash flat bread.
Cheese, avocado, and sprouts
Grilled cheese with cucumber or sprouts
Leftover grilled vegetables (bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini) with sliced cheese, goat cheese, or pesto sauce
Cheddar or mozzarella cheese with apple slices
Brie cheese with mustard and sprouts
Cheese, tomato, sprouts or lettuce, and pesto sauce
Leftover turkey loaf with tomatoes, and lettuce or sprouts
Sliced leftover chicken or turkey, cranberry sauce, and lettuce
Sliced leftover chicken or turkey, honey mustard, tomatoes, and lettuce or sprouts
Sliced leftover beef with mayonnaise or horseradish, sliced tomato and cucumbers
Chicken salad made with celery, lettuce, and tomato
Tuna/cucumber/green pepper salad with tomato
Salmon salad with lettuce or sprouts
Shrimp salad with lettuce or sprouts
Lowfat cream cheese, and smoked salmon (with tomato, and red onion)
Mix a container of lowfat strawberry yogurt and 1 cup reduced-fat frozen whipped topping (thawed) to make a yogurt dipping sauce for berries; or core an apple and fill it with peanut butter (sprinkle the apple with orange or lemon juice to prevent discoloration); toss a few nuts and M&M's or chocolate chips into a dried fruit mixture to make a healthful snack or dessert.
Here are good veggie/fruit choices - remember to send at least 2 servings: baby carrots (they come packaged plain or with ranch dip); celery sticks (add peanut butter and raisins); julienned, strip-cut or zigzag-cut carrots, zucchini, sweet peppers, cucumbers and summer squash (presentation, presentation!); lettuce and tomato slices (pack separately to put onto a sandwich); grape tomatoes; cubed or cut melon; orange wedges; kiwi slices; pineapple cubes (fresh or juice-packed); berries; apples; and dried fruit such as apricots, raisins, sweetened dried cranberries and cherries.

Answer 2

I am a Pampered Chef consultant, and we've got a few great tools to help make your children's lunches more appealing. We have something called the Creative Cutters Set, which is a set of ten cutters that you can use to make a variety of shapes with their sandwiches. We also have something called a Cut-N-Seal, which gives sandwiches a new twist by sealing the bread closed around the edges in a circular shape after you've put whatever sort of filling inside.

Hope this helps!

For more information on these products, visit:
www.pamperedchef.biz/ candiceskitchen

Answer 3

Have you ever seen those Oreo shaped and Lifesaver shaped freezer things? You put them in the freezer over night, then put them in your kids lunch box the next day to keep their lunches cold....you should get a few of them, they come in all shapes and sizes and are real handy. You should also get some Lunch-ables (I think that's how you spell it) for those busy mornings and you don't have time to make lunch you can just give them one of them. There's many things you can give them....how about soup kept warm in a thermos, always send some kind of fruit, and maybe different kinds of sandwiches. Or, you could give them whatever you had for dinner the night before because the lunch ladies would be happy to heat it up for them. You can send all sorts of lunches.

Answer 4

Kraft.com has some great lunch ideas for kids.just keep in mind that the real healthy stuff you send with your kids will most likely be traded for bologna sandwiches or thrown away(trust me on that i am a teacher and i have 3 boys lol).the best tip after 15 years of expirience....let the kids help you to fix the lunches the night before(mornings are hectik),involve them in the shopping for the lunches and keep it simple..you know what your kids like(my 11 yr old packed waffles ,carrot sticks and pancakes for weeks!!)the most important thing is that you involve them in the planning and preparation..give them healthy options and they will do just fine

Answer 5

i put my children's juice drinks in the freezer. first thing in the morning put it in their lunch box. it will keep their lunch fresh and cool. that way you can send carrots or celery with salad dressing, yogurt, puddings, jello cups or almost anything.
But most importantly, don't forget a note that mom loves them and is thinking of them or a special drawing. That's the best treat of all!!
I did this until my daughter graduated high school. she loved it.

Answer 6

Here is an excellent webby I use when I pack my kids' school lunches =) Hope this helps you out!

Answer 7

fruit...pickles...a sandwich...chips...and a little bag of m&ms...and a capri sun...and a napkin....and 5$ to hit mcdonalds on the way home...lol...just kiddin...apples...bannana...grapes for throwing...alomst anything you send would be more healthy than a school lunch anymore....but these always worked for me....

Answer 8

Man! I wish my mommy did all that for me!

Answer 9

lunchables cheap and easy