School Lunches (for those that make them) - what do you include?

[LittleMy]

My son is 6 and in P2. He has autism and a very restricted diet as a result - he’s entitled to free school meals but there’s no point as he wouldn’t eat it. I have to pack him the same lunch every day; a white bread sandwich with cold cuts of chicken, a yoghurt, a mini Cathedral cheese, an apple, a soreen bar and his water bottle filled with ice cubes in. Sometimes he will have a Dairylea Lunchable in place of the sandwich. I like to mix the other snacks up a little bit and sometimes put in a little sweet thing as a surprise treat but he’s very rigid and if I tried to put in anything remotely different then guaranteed he’ll bring it back home uneaten.

My youngest is 4 (also on the spectrum) and attends nursery where snacks and lunches are provided for. He will usually eat the same thing every lunch (chips or baked potato if it’s on offer, sometimes chicken nuggets and a yoghurt). He’s a very plain eater like his older brother, very fussy. He won’t eat sandwiches so dreading the day when it’s his turn to go to school and have a packed lunch. Hopefully by then he’ll be eating a bit more of a varied diet.

They will not eat a single vegetable (and it’s not without trying, believe me). At this stage I do give in to what they will eat within reason because otherwise they’d starve.

 

[Ibrokethegoddamnwheel]

Interesting thread, I’ve been wondering lately if what I put in my children’s lunches is too much. They usually have a ham, turkey or tuna wrap with mayo, yogurt tube, a tub of fruit, usually some type of berry, grapes, melon or a mixture, and a Soreen/cereal bar/fruit winder/mini cheddars/cheese dunker type thing. On Fridays instead of the last thing I’ll put in a small ‘treat’ like a little cake or biscuit bar, small bag of party rings or cookies, sometimes crisps. I chuck in an extra piece of fruit for their snack.

 

[nbt]

I agree with others - simplicity is key.

Mine gets some kind of sandwich - bread/pitta/bagel/wrap, bag of crisps, jelly pot, chopped up cucumber/peppers, apple/pear, cheese snack and a biscuity thing.

Whatever doesn’t get eaten at school ends up being the after school snack.

Your friends daughter will no doubt say she prefers your pack ups whatever you put in, because of the novelty of someone else doing it!

 

[Jaynefnw]

It has been years since I had to make up a lunchbox for my kid as he is now 22 and it's his bait I make

But I used to give him when small, a sandwich of his choice, fruit, a yoghurt, crisps and a biscuit/muffin with a bottle of water or juice.
His school did start removing the crisps and any chocolate/biscuits they saw in the kids lunches...... Which I kicked off about, as the same school would sell fried sausage /bacon sandwiches to the kids at the breakfast morning clubs, so unhealthy food was fine if the school made some money, plus the teachers would all hit the near by greggs at lunch time for themselves

Also my kids school would make the kids line their lunch boxes up on the classroom windows, so you can imagine the state of their poor lunches by lunchtime in the summer, my son often said his water was too hot to drink and his food was soggy. Of course us parents mentioned it to the school, who eventually moved their lunches to just outside their classroom door on a shoe stand.

 

[sasuss]

Sounds great, but you might want to check with your friends as to whether the school is nut free.

My kids usually just take a sandwich and a piece of fruit, they hate wasting their time eating lunch and would rather be out playing, I tried for a while with a few different things but it would all come back unopened or worse opened but uneaten, all rattling and crushed to bits in their lunch boxes.

 

[btw]

Mine is fussy so I struggle as I feel his packed lunch is the same everyday!!

I usually rotate between salami wrap, ritz crackers with ham + salami (homemade lunchable type thing) or pasta and pesto!
Then usually a mini pack of party rings or cereal bar, strawberries, crisps, peperami, banana and frube yoghurt!
He usually leaves the banana but I pop it in as an extra incase he’s extra hungry as I just put it back in the fruit bowl for someone else to eat at home if he’s left it!

 

[Kim Mild]

Do people not put crisps and biscuits in now?

What about buffet type food like mini sausage rolls or samosas?

 

[Tublet83]

If she doesn’t like sandwiches does she eat wraps? Cold pasta with pesto and some veg goes down well in my house, have also sent in cold pizza before as well with some sides

 

[Amyx1518]

Ham sandwich (no butter), crisps, a frube yoghurt, sliced peppers/cucumber, a slice of melon (pre-packaged from Asda 3 for a £1) some sort of chocolate bar and a fruit roll up if I have them in. My child is very fussy.

 

[HowlOwl]

A sandwich, a BabyBel, a mini flapjack and some chopped peppers and salad is the usual, plus a bottle of water.

 

[Happyvalley]

I second that, keep it simple. My son would take a ham or cheese sandwich, some mini cheddars and a yogurt or banana. He doesn’t like wasting time eating when there’s football to play!

 

[1001 others]

Sounds great, but you might want to check with your friends as to whether the school is nut free.

My kids usually just take a sandwich and a piece of fruit, they hate wasting their time eating lunch and would rather be out playing, I tried for a while with a few different things but it would all come back unopened or worse opened but uneaten, all rattling and crushed to bits in their lunch boxes.

Surprisingly, nuts are okay at this school (I know they are banned at many).

Great advice, thank you!

 

[jeam90]

I have a little boy and a teen girl. They’re 6 and 14.

My 14 year old makes her own but it usually consists of:
-sausage rolls/sandwiches/wraps/pasta/soup/salad
-crisps
-orange
-chocolate bar/treat

For my 6 year old I love making his lunches so I make a range but usually
-pasta/soup/salad/salad wraps/pasta salad/star sandwiches/hummus and veg dippers
-pepper and cucumber sticks
-sweet potato crisps/cheese straws/veggie straws/organix crisps
-little fruit salads with apple/strawberries/raspberries/blueberries/banana/grapes
-chocolate dipped oranges/energy balls/mini biscuits/smarties/flapjacks or biscuits

For snacks usually homemade energy bars/breakfast bars or he loves shreddie bars. Daughter usually just takes a brunch bar!

 

[1001 others]

We have a friend's daughter coming to stay for a few days as both of her parents are off to a conference.

I've bought:
* Mini yoghurts
* Crackers in several flavours
* Individually wrapped cheese sections
* Fruit chutney
* Salami slices
* Assorted nuts and dried fruits
* Fresh fruit
* Miniature packs of Ribena

I'd love to hear what others (regular, everyday people!) include, for inspiration.

The school doesn't have any rules about what should and shouldn't be included, and her mum said she'll eat anything (except sandwiches).