Ideas for kids lunch (PB free school)

[schock77]

KCB's thread got me thinking... DD is in a tuition based programs at my school (kind of a perk of district employees) but because she's not an enrolled student, her lunch costs 2.75! I need to save that money so I can keep shopping here. :thumbup:

She eats PB sandwiches like she's going to the chair, but we're in a peanut-free school. Poor thing has had lunchables 2 days this week (of course she wont complain, but still...) I'd LOVE your ideas!

[iJenny]

I got one of those Thermos Funtainers and I send all sorts of stuff in them. Leftovers like Lasagna/Spaghetti, and enchiladas. He loves when I put hot oatmeal in it too. And if I leave the funtainer in the freezer overnight and then put cold yogurt in it in the mornig, its still cold at lunchtime. He just adds granola or grapenuts and voila!
I also make turkey sandwiches on everything bagels or in a tortilla wrap.

[AnnieBananie]

We do a lot of sandwiches around here... just because...

Here's some faves...
Cream cheese and cucumber
Cream cheese and jelly
Nutella (although it contains TRACES of peanuts so prolly a no-no) and marshmallow creme
Ham, cheese (swiss or provolone seems to taste best), and thin slices of granny smith apples... weird but they like it
Pickles and cheese (I dunno... they created that one)

[jessica31876]

my kids love the nacho lunchables. They would probably eat them everyday if Id let them LOL

[KristinCB]

ohhh. i don't know if she has them up here but I remember lena posting some seriously smart things with bento boxes.. oohhhh lena

[Kim]

PB free? Never heard of that! I would have been a goner has a kid, I loved PBJ sandwiches.

[suzann]

My daughter's BFF is allergic to peanuts so we can't send pbj sandwiches either. We use the Funtainer a lot as well. I make salads, such as pasta salad, chicken salad, etc. Or hot things like soup, mac and cheese, or leftovers from dinner. I also send bagels with cream cheese, raisin bread with cream cheese, turkey cheese sandwiches, or whole wheat crackers and cheese.

[Leah]

My kids LOVE soup!

All of our schools here, Canada-wide if I'm not mistaken, are peanut-free.

We send thermos' full of soup, or macaroni (sometimes). Sandwiches - my DD's love egg-salad, salmon, bologna, etc.

[mommabear0408]

Is it all nut and seed butters, or just peanuts? Because I did not give ds peanuts until after 3 years old. We did Sunflower seed butter, sesame seed paste (tahini), macadamia nut butter, and a few others with jelly. Do you have a Whole Foods or Trader Joes nearby? They have a good selection of other-butters. Maybe try them in sammies or as a dip.

DS LOVES "bento type" lunches. Little bits of this and that... celery sticks (strings peeled off w/ a veggie peeler) , cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and dip. Whole wheat pita triangles and hummus, nut butters and cut up apples (soaked in lemon water to keep from turning brown), raisins, whole grain crackers, babybell/low-fat string cheese, mini sammies cut out with cute cookie cutters - all put together in a cute bento box.

Put a juice and maybe a yogurt in there to snack on, and there ya go! :thumbup:

One of my fav sites is "Lunch in a Box" and they have a message board for daily lunch inspirations! :) http://lunchinabox.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=373

[Leah]

What's "Bento"??

[KristinCB]

Bento is just like lunch in a box - all kinds of little things that make up the lunch - check out that site mommabear listed above - fabulous ideas!

[schock77]

Thanks ladies- great ideas to get me started! Today was pizza day, so she ate in the cafeteria, but I'll start planning this weekend. :)

[kim21673]

When my oldest son took his lunch to school I bought a Campbell's Soup thermos and he took lots of leftovers...spaghetti O's, soup, anything like that...I heated it up, heated the thermos and it was still warm when he ate lunch!!

[Paula]

Does she like other types of sandwiches like turkey or ham? That's also an idea. My son who HATES sandwiches used to take snack type things. Here's a list that I used:

* celery and carrots and ranch dressing (he loved this)
* cheese sticks and pepperoni
* bagels with cream cheese and some fruit
* spaghetti noodles with some butter and parmesan cheese on it (they had a microwave at school that they could use)
* spaghetti o's or raviolis
* chips with some cheese to heat up for nachos
* left over pizza

[Angie4b1g]

When my youngest was at a nut-free daycare, I sent him with that Sun Butter. He never noticed the difference.

Thankfully, all our current schools allow peanut butter. The elementary school even offers it as a secondary hot lunch (which my 6 year old takes advantage of at least 3 times a week :D).

My 2 youngest would eat PBJ 3x a day for life. lol

[Paula]

I can not understand why some schools are nut free. Don't they realize that there are other allergies that are just as life threatening? My nephew is HIGHLY allergic to eggs - he can't eat anything with them in there or something bad happens.

Kids who are allergic to things know better than to eat them.

[sprauncey1]

I can not understand why some schools are nut free. Don't they realize that there are other allergies that are just as life threatening? My nephew is HIGHLY allergic to eggs - he can't eat anything with them in there or something bad happens.

Kids who are allergic to things know better than to eat them.

But the problem with peanut (specifically) is that even the oil residue left over from peanut butter on a table/chair etc can cause an allergic reaction. Even if the child doesn't eat anything, but maybe touches the table and then eats his own food. I'm blessed that neither of my kids have the allergy.

[BrattyMeg]

My son's school has an allergy table where kids that have severe food/peanut allergies sit and it's the same table everyday. I thought that was pretty accomodating for them.

[*Kelly*]

*sorry if I repeat*
I have seen my students bring.. ham and cheese rolled up together, corn dog or hot dog, sticks of all sorts.. cheese, veggies, bread, etc., little sausages and cheese on toothpicks, lunch meat/cheese rolled up into a tortilla, soups, chili, s'getti, cheese and tomato sandwich, grilled cheese, bean and cheese taco..

HTHs a little:)

[MamaK]

My girls take tuna cups once in a while, if your kids like tuna. That with a side of bread and fruit/veggis is a good lunch.

sometimes my 6 y/o is tired of sandwiches so she'll take the 'pieces' instead and it still makes me happy. Usually consists of a mini bagel, slices of lunchmeat and a cheese stick... everything that would normally be IN a sandwich but for some reason is appealing to a kid cause its separate. lol

[schock77]

Love all of these ideas! Thanks!

[sprauncey1]

I just wanted to say, I tried sunflower seed butter from our local grocery store (not a specialty store) and it was yummy. A little thin, but that was OK. So if they like sunflower seeds, it really does go good on a sandwich! Or maybe as a dip!

I just figured I'd try it just in case we are ever in a situation we can't do PB at school (we move a lot), I would have a backup!:thumbup: