What are some hot alternatives to sandwiches in the luchbox?

Question

I know my kids have got to get tired of PB & J all the time, but I'm afraid of sending meats or anything that might spoil before lunch.

Answer 1

My mom used to send Chef Boyardee in a thermos all the time. Soups are also good. Pasta salad that can be eaten cold or hot, with some cheese, olives, pepperoni, and any veggie you think they will eat. Ham and cheese is fine as long as you put a cold pack in and don't use mayo. I roll up string cheese, pickle stackers and ham inside a piece of bread, then slice it too look like little fake sushi rolls.

Answer 2

Lunch meats won't spoil beore lunch if you have them in alunch box with an ice pack, but being the weather is getting chillier you can get a thermos and make some hot soup for them and pack some crackers or even a grilled cheese ssndwich.

Answer 3

My daughter (almost 6) loves the lunchables and the "cracker stackers" (with crackers, meat, cheese, and either cookies or a bite size candy bar) and then I usually add a sliced apple, pear, applesauce, etc. She usually takes yogurt for breakfast. What I do instead of putting in a freezer pack, I fill her drink bottle halfway with milk (or whatever she may want to drink) and freeze that and then in the morning fill it the rest of the way up. That way she has some milk for her breakfast and the rest will keep her lunch cool enough until lunch. She says her milk is still cold (and sometimes slushy) at lunch time.

Answer 4

If you make their lunch the night before, put whatever drink you send with their lunches in the freezer the night before (juiceboxes work well for this) and take it out of the freezer in the morning and put it right next to the sandwich in their lunchbox...that way it helps to keep the meat cold until lunchtime. By lunchtime, the drink is thawed but still cold and it will keep the meat from spoiling. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

I bought my kids a thermos....you can get them in the lunch box aisle or in the camping section. They love when I pack mac and cheese. Add a bit extra milk so it is a little runny when you put it in otherwise it gets a tad "clumpy" and is hard to get out.

We have also made-
-mac and cheese with cut up hot dogs
-leftover spaghetti and sauce
-Ramen Noodle soup

A few alternatives to PB&J
hoagie rolls with deli meat, grilled cheese, cheese and crackers----pack these with a frozen juice box and the meat will be fine and the juice box will be thawed by lunch time!

Answer 6

I use those sheets of blue ice squares in a Target insulated kids lunchbox - I can even send yogurt they stay so cool. Might be worth looking into so you have more choices.

But non-refrigerated ideas would be pita triangles and hummus, apples & PB in a tortilla, those pre-packaged tuna salad cans with crackers...

Answer 7

I just got the latest Parents mag and it has several new ideas for sandwiches. Its in the Sept. 2007 issue.
- Veggie cream cheese and cucumber
- Tuna salad and a sliced tomato
- Almond Butter with slivered almonds and dried cranberries
- Hummus and chopped peppers
- Apple butter and fresh apple slices
- Whipped cream cheese and fresh blueberries
- The laughing cow spreadable cheese w/ham and grated carrot.
- Blueberry cream cheese and strawberry slices
- Reduced-sugar jam and cream cheese.

I thought these were great ideas.

Answer 8

Buy a thermos, and put chic noodle soup, ravioli, anything really. It will stay hot in the thermos all day.

Answer 9

hi happyface,

chicken noodle soup in a thermos, crackers.
chili in a thermos, peanut butter wandwich wedges.
spaghetti, sauce, meatball, salad shake-ups (I put salad makings in a ziploc baggie and little container of dressing, he can shake it up and eat with a fork)

shredded chicken/barbecue sauce sandwich - my son could eat this five times a week, plus it is easy and inexpensive.

good luck this school year ~

Answer 10

you can pack anything just pack ice packs with it and it will keep it cooled. They also have lunch boxes with freezer packs built in and all you do is stick the lunch box in the freezer at night and pack it up the next morning very convenient!!!! and totally safe!