Linch ideas for extremely picky children

[MrsG]

I need help! We recently moved and my 8 year old is starting a new school on Monday. She used to buy lunch at her old school as they had a great cafeteria, but we are not sure what the menu is like at her new school. So she will be bringing lunch from home until we learn what''s on the menu and if she likes it. She will have to bring a morning snack as well because her school day will start at 7:30, which means she''ll have breakfast at 6 am. One little problem is that my daughter is VERY picky. Morning snacks are easy - bananas, grapes, apple slices, so I''m not so worried about them. I am at a loss as to what to pack her for lunch. She doesn''t like sandwiches

, so ham and cheese (she doesn''t eat cheese), turkey or any other kind of a sandwich are pretty much out of the question. She will occasionally eat a peanut butter and jelly, but that''s about it. She does eat fresh veggies, such as carrots, celery, broccoli with a little bit of ranch. She loves goldfish and of course junk food, such as chips/cookies. She is allowed to have those in very limited quantities. I have no idea what I can possibly pack her that would get her through the day and still be somewhat nutritious and healthy. So if you have any ideas, please please please share!

 

[MrsG]

Sorry for the typo... I did mean LUNCH ideas

 

[neatfreak]

What about a little pasta with sauce or parmesan? Or would she eat a sandwich if it was disguised as a wrap? Or soup in a thermos?

Those are some of the thing I ate when I was a kid, I wasn''t a big sandwich kid either. I''ll keep thinking for you.

 

[Sabine]

Would she eat a salad? (maybe with a lean meat like chicken or turkey in it for protein?)

 

[MrsG]

Thank you ladies for your suggestions. I seriously don''t know what to do with her. As a baby/toddler she ate pretty much everything. Canned spinach used to be one of her favorites! And then at the age of 5 it all changed.

I am going to find out on Monday if there is a microwave kids can use. If that is the case, I will be able to pack her lunches she can reheat. That would make my life so much easier! She will eat sliced chicken, but not salads. All the veggies, besides carrots, cucumbers, celery and broccoli are consumed in soup form. So thermos was a great suggestion. I am going to try out the wrap tomorrow. I''m going to involve her into the making process and will let her put what she wants on it, hopefully that would help.

Please keep your ideas coming.

 

[purselover]

I''m not a fan of sandwiches either so as a kid I brought yogurt, peanut butter and crackers, bagels, and salads

 

[steph72276]

You have a lot of good suggestions here. Just wanted to see if her school has a website? Sometimes they will post the menu up there.

 

[MMMD]

I have horribly picky eaters also so I understand. In our school we are not allowed to pack peanut butter or peanuts so that''s out. Usually I pack more food than they can eat just to give a variety. I pack usually a fruit, soup, yogurt and a bagel. Sometimes they eat, sometimes they don''t. The soup in the thermos is warm not hot but they like it. Sometimes I even make oatmeal or mac n cheese in the thermos but they don''t stay hot so I don''t know if that would bother your daughter.

Good luck, I feel your pain.

 

[mrssalvo]

My daughter doesn''t like sandwiches either and I usually pack her yogurt, cheese with wheatthins,a granola bar, a fruit, and a small treat. I send her with a morning snack too. My daughter is only 6 and not a big eater so that usually will tide her over until she gets home from school and I let her have a snack again then too.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 1/10/2009 3:14:54 PM
Author: steph72276
You have a lot of good suggestions here. Just wanted to see if her school has a website? Sometimes they will post the menu up there.

Ditto, most school systems will post the menus online.

My daughter went through a stage of not eating sandwiches, but she had access to a microwave. I can''t say she ate the most nutritious food during that time, though! I told her this year that a sandwich with whole wheat bread was so much healthier for her and that I wanted her to eat them at least half of the week. And you know what? She has gotten used to it and takes one every day! So periodically do try to get her back into sandwiches because their tastes do change!

 

[MrsG]

Thank you all for your suggestions!!
We are going to the store together today and will definitely going to stock up on yogurts, wheat thins, peanut butter and fruit. We are also getting a thermos, because I think she would eat soups if they remain warm. She won''t eat rice, spaghetti or mac''n''cheese if they are not warm. Her school doesn''t have the menu on the website, but they do send it home every 2 weeks, so we''ll be able to plan which days she will eat at the cafeteria and which days she''ll have to bring lunch. I should have mentioned that we live in Jakarta, and I am afraid that the school (American school) will have a more local menu or will have some local dishes on the menu at least a few times a week.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

My younger son hates bread, but he LOVES plain bagels. He eats them with jelly inside. Other big hits: applesauce (I buy the kind w/out any sugar added, so each container only has 11 grams of sugar), string cheese, wheat thins, gold fish, peanut butter crackers, and granola bars. Most of my friends allow their kids to bring yogurt, but personally, I think most brands have far too much sugar in them.

I try to keep the entire sugar grams in his lunch under 20. . .it's surprising how quickly the sugar adds up AND he only gets water at lunch to cut down on costs. I think milk is 50 cents per day and with two kids, that adds up quickly.

Oh, and on Fridays my kids buy lunch! That way it's a treat rather than a regular meal for them. The lunches are junk at our school and we live in highly rated school disctrict, so the location doesn't mean that the lunches will be better, or worse for that matter. They give the kids corn chips and melted processed cheese OR chicken nuggets.

ETA - I don't see anything wrong with sending her to school with sliced chicken or other meats, veggies and ranch dressing. That makes for a great healthy meal!

 

[somethingshiny]

Summer sausage, ritz crackers and colby jack cheese. Tiny delicious sandwiches! Cold pasta salad, assorted fruits and cheeses.

 

[somethingshiny]

I found this ---
picky eater recipes