Any ideas on lunches for my 7 yr old second grade son to eat this year.?

Question

He doesn't like Peanut Butter and Jelly. Not a big fan of lunchmeat, although I can get him to eat ham occasionally. He gets sick of lunchables because he only likes 2 kind. There is nothing for him to warm things with, and I can't find any thermos' that ACTUALLY keep things warm. So I am at a loss and school starts next week. HELP (serious answers please)

He gets a snack, so an apple, banana, granola bar, breakfast bars, grapes, raisins are all good for that.

He is a bag of bones but the doctor says healthy (51 inches 53 lbs). The tough love theory does NOT work on him. He will go very long without eating. I want him to EAT! :)

He eats lunch at school. I send one with him. I need ideas on that. I can't afford to "buy" school lunch daily.

I have no idea why someone would say "I force feed" my son. I "TRIED" the tough love with "then you get nothing" and it didn't work. But I have NEVER force fed him.

And the candy answer. He isn't a sweets eater either. So thanks for your "unserious" response.

Answer 1

Boy does this sound like my son to a T!!!!!! My son was jus the same way. He was tall and very thin, but the doctors told us not to worry as he was very healthy. Tough love didn't work for my boy either so we just went with what he liked. My son (now 12 1/2) only eats PBJ/s but it has to be strawberry jelly. I got the pampered chef large cut and press and I make his just like the uncrustables sold at the store. My son will not eat lunchmeat of any kind or cheese. We paid for him to get two milks at lunch at school and I sent the little containers of applesauce, usually two and the crackers that he likes - fish crackers he called them. He also like granola bars so we did that and a fruit roll up or two. Don't worry about his picky eating, trust me on this one, he will try things when he's ready. My son is now eating us out of house and home and after boy scout camp this summer he is eating things i could never get him to eat! He is now 12 1/2 year old, 5'9" tall and weighs 130 pounds! Don't worry, feed him what he will eat when he will eat it. If you relax so will he. I learned not to push and when I learned to relax it got so much better. Take him with you to the store and ask him to pick out a couple of snack foods for his lunch. If he's like mine, he may spend more time talking to his friends than eating anyway. Food is just not important to him right how. I just keeping thinking that you described my boy perfectly at that age!!!! Good luck, and don't stress. If you need someone to talk to I'll be glad to listen. I wish I had had someone when I was in your place!!!!!

Answer 2

The key to those thermoses is to warm the stuff inside so it's extra hot to start with because it will cool down as the day progresses. Practice with it at home before school starts to see how the overheating works after a few hours. I have one that works well that I found at a thrift store. Send him with a cloth napkin and wrap it around the thermos for extra heat holding.

I pack spaghettios, mac and cheese, soup and the like. Sometimes I mix refried beans and cheese, warm it and put it in there and pack some fritos or tortilla chips for dipping. Twice baked potatoes (mashed potatoes with cheese and topped with bacon bits) go well in the thermos too.

How about making your own lunchables? Cut some cheese and lunch meat (whatever he likes) into cracker sized pieces and put them in there. When I make quesadillas, I make extra and pack them cold in lunches. The kids love those.

A way to make sanwiches fun it to squish a piece of bread, spread out the filling on there and roll it up, jelly roll sytle. Then slice the "jelly roll" and he'll have pinwheels with his favorite fillings.

How about bagels and cream cheese instead fo a sandwich? Throw some meat on there too.

Those are some "main dish" sorts of ideas. Be sure to put in his favorite crackers, fruit snacks, etc. Throw in cheese sticks sometimes--great protein for those kids that just won't eat (I have one).

Answer 3

Try fruit smoothie type drinks mixed with protien powder. Add some of his favorite veggies and he will get everything he needs. Yogurt is awesome has tons of nutrients in it. Also mashed beans and whole wheat crackers is like chips and bean dip. Hummus and pitas. Sometimes just cheese and crackers and veggies is fine. Don't worry he will eat something. Even if he eats the same thing five days a week. Try making him a part of the process by making a list of several entree type (sandwich, crackers and cheese, pita, salad) and several side dishes ( apple, orange, strawberries, applesauce, carrots) etc. and let him "put his own lunch together"

Answer 4

I don't know how much school lunches are there. Here, it's $1.75 for lunch. I can't make a lunch for that much. Most school also offer reduced rate lunches. Might be worth checking into. He's apt to be less picky if he can get a good hot meal at school.

Otherwise, sorry to say he's too picky and I have no other suggestions. It might be time to MAKE him eat it. Don't let him up from the table til the foods he doesn't like are gone.

Answer 5

Your trying to force him to eat isn't working obviously. Stop. If he likes apples, bananas, granola bars, breakfast bars, grapes and raisins pack them in his lunch too. Also have HIM pick out what he wants for lunch Make available both foods that are good for him and the ones that he likes. Tell him he has to have a little of both. If your doctor tells you he is healthy then stop trying to force feed him, he's not hungry. Force feeding a child when they aren't hungry only leads to obesity...do you want him to be morbidly obese by the time he is 40, have a heart attack and die because YOU force fed him as a child?

Answer 6

My 7 yr old, 2nd grade daughter also doesn't like PB & J or lunchmeat. She is also quite small and slender (46 " and 47 pounds!), so I want her to eat, too. She doesn't seem to mind food not being hot, though (which I find weird, but I never mention to her!!!!). So I send her chicken nuggets & ketchup, or spaghetti & meatballs. She also loves cheddar cheese, so I'll send cheddar cheese sticks, and good bread cut into little triangles.

I round out her lunch with fresh fruit (grapes or watermelon are her faves so far this year), maybe a bag of cheddar cheese goldfish or Ritz Bits, a pre-packaged dessert (like a Little Debbie cake), and juice (apple or orange for her).

Answer 7

My son who is 10 is only 58 pounds and healthy as an ox, just soo thin! I have him eat the hot lunch at school because it is always well balanced. If not, try using pita bread (pockets) they don't get soggy and you can stuff all kinds of things into it. Tuna, chicken, pepperoni, cheese , sprouts just about anything, my son liked the whole pocket idea. I also cut up fruit and rinsed it in 7 up to keep it from going brown.

Answer 8

I hope you have time for him :
1- give him multivatimins syrup ( orange taste) 1 hour befor lunch or dinner.It will make him hungry." Haliborange "is an excellent idea that I used for my own daughter.
2- Cook food with things that he likes.Perhaps you need to read some foreign recipes (Iranian,Chinese, . . .)
3- pour some sour lemon juice in his food
4- About the school lunch you have to make her some kind of sandwiches that can be eaten cool. I know 2 or 3 that if you like send me an e-mail.

Answer 9

Dried fruit
Nuts
Fresh fruit pieces or a piece of whole fruit
Applesauce (no sugar added)
Celery sticks filled with cream cheese and raisins, or white bean dip
Sugar snap peas with Ranch dressing for dipping
Yogurt or a smoothie
Lunch meat roll-ups with cream cheese and an asparagus in the middle
Hard boiled egg
Cheese cubes or string cheese logs
Peanut butter (or sunflower butter) and apple slices or crackers
White bean dip or hummus with carrots and mini pita breads
Whole grain crackers or pretzels
Trail mix made from cereal, nuts and dried fruit

Answer 10

My daughter was the same way. She is still tiny and she is 15. I found that all she wanted to eat was mac n cheese, so I would pack that: I would chill it overnight then put the cold container in the lunchbox. By lunchtime, it is room temperature, perfect for a picky kid who doesn't like anything too hot or toooo cold.
That, a juice box, and some craisins (try them, kids LOOOOVE them) or a flavored applesauce is good.