[jessc098]

Please help a brand-new mom---I'm running out of ideas!

We just adopted our seven-year-old daughter. She's finished school for the year and beginning a summer camp program that requires a sack lunch every day.

I know this sounds crazy, but I never went to school (was home schooled) and have NO idea what to send in her lunch box every day. She ate a LOT of peanut butter during the school year, and that stuff isn't so good for kids anyhow. There has to be a better alternative. DH swears he ate hundreds of egg sald or tuna sandwiches during school, but my gut says 4+ hours with no refrigeration is unacceptable.

Any ideas? I'm looking to spruce up the old lunch time menu with some healthy lower-sugar alternatives than the old PB&J.

Thanks so much,

JW

[numbr1dbcksfan]

Well.. there is always lunch meat... but I guess that is salty.

Well left over pizza and noodles are usually good cold.. so is chicken.

I dont know about the egg salad or tuna... i wouldnt eat either cold or warm... (or in a box with a fox... in a house with a mouse.. )

So... my suggestion to pb&J alternatives are leftovers. Or just buy the ones with lower sugar.

[hybell]

I'm figuring this out myself, and my almost 6 year old is picky, to boot. I freeze a water bottle and put it in his insulated lunch box, just to be safe (bonus is a cold drink for the whole day!). We've done:
-pita bread roll ups with cream cheese and sliced strawberries
-container with brown rice and chicken from last night's dinner
-quesidillas with sour cream - I heat them up in the toaster oven, wrap in foil
-hard boiled eggs
-marinated tofu chunks (he likes the tofu, still working on the right marinade for him)
-peeled baby carrots with ranch dip
-muffins from breakfast
-string cheese
-dried fruits
-yogurt with a little container of granola on the side

Hope this helps!

[jessc098]

Thanks--these are good ideas! I've been avoiding meats because the lack of refrigeration scares me, but she loves salami, and I'll bet that can't spoil for anything (I'm always a little afraid she's going to "save" lunch for tomorrow in her desk... she's prone to that sort of thing if she doesn't feel like eating).

Thanks again--this adds sevearl more healthy food choices to my lunchbox arsenal.

Jessica

[NorthBay04]

Bagels with cream cheese or other sliced cheese are nice.

[Shelley]

Freezing a water bottle is good, like someone else said keeps things cold plus a cold drink. Or buy a lunch box sized icepack. That's what I use in my girls lunches.
Another alternative to the lunch box is a lunchbox sized cooler. tHEY'RE INSulated so things stay cold with the icepack.
My kids always liked lunchables, only I didn't buy them, I made them with cheese and crackers and lunch meat, was a change from sandwich's and easy to boot. GRapes usually travel well, and baby carrots are good too.
I always allowed them to pick their chips, made them feel like they had a say, well they picked their sandwich too. The variety pack of lunch sized chips are good. I always put a sweet in too, cookies a brownie, etc...
Another favorite of my boys were subs. I'd buy small rolls, once they were bigger sub rolls, and make them subs to take with them. Lunchmeat cheese, lettuce and either mayo or mustard, one liked sub sauce. Goodluck, lunch is and always will be a challenge to the creative Mom, Shelley Mom to 6

[aspenhall]

I think if she knew saving it would make her sick, she'd think twice, so maybe put smiley face stickers on the saveable items....