OT, but healthy sack lunches for kids?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-23-2003
OT, but healthy sack lunches for kids?
9
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 2:28pm

So I know this is off topic, but I don't see much activity down in the off topic board, so I figured I'd post here. My question is, if you usually pack lunches for your kids, what kind of stuff do you tend to pack most often? I'm running out of bright ideas to pack for my DD's lunch. Here's are some of the lunches my DD loves - any others that your kids love, are healthy, and quick?

English muffin pizzas with turkey pepperoni, corn on the cob, grapes, OJ
Korean potstickers stuffed w/meat and veggies, baby carrots, apple slices, OJ
Turkey or tuna sandwiches on WW bread, steamed broccoli, orange slices, OJ
Rice pilaf w/ chicken breast and assorted veggies, clementines, OJ

For snacks I've been packing Annie's Bunnies, Newman's Own pretzels, Trader Joe's JoJo's (Oreo-type sandwich cookies with all-natural ingredients), air-popped popcorn, occasional Fruit by the Foot.

She sometimes tries to push my tyrannical food rules by buying the occasional Cup-of-Noodles at the school snack bar, but I'm trying to get past my food control issues. :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 2:42pm

i don't have a kid, but here's some ideas for lunches and snacks on the go-


i'm assuming she doesn't have access to a microwave or a refrigerator...


vegetarian deli slices (i like "bologna" flavor) on whole grain bread (i know she likes turkey, but if you want some variety without delving into unhealthy processed meat territory, the vegetarian slices are a good option)


natural peanut butter and no sugar added jam on whole grain bread


no-mayo pasta salad made with whole wheat pasta and veggies. (there are a lot of recipes for that use oil and vinegar as a base instead of mayo and are healthier. i don't have a recipe but i bet you could find one online or maybe sol has a recipe. whole foods makes a really good pasta salad that has artichoke hearts in it.)


for snacks - baked corn tortilla chips, luna bars, dry roasted nut & dried fruit

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 3:26pm

You're much more creative than I am about lunches!






iVillage Member
Registered: 06-23-2003
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 3:56pm
Thanks, but you're just as, if not more creative! I really like the homemade lunchables idea, since DD's been after me for a long time to buy her the store kind. I wanted to try those fruit leathers, since I'm not too happy about Fruit by the Foot, but didn't know how they tasted. You don't know how much money I've spent on the healthy alternatives for the junky stuff, and she decides she won't even try a bite. What do you wrap in the tortillas? Where did you buy your thermoses? Sorry for all the questions! :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-23-2003
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 3:59pm
Thanks! I never even knew about the vegetarian deli slices - do they sell them at the deli counter or in the refrigerated areas? I'm lucky that DD's not as big a fan of turkey as she is of tuna, so I tend to pack tuna more often, but I'd love to have a healthier alternative to turkey if she's ever in that kind of mood.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 4:13pm
I put the same thing in tortillas that I put in regular sandwiches, all natural pb and sometimes jelly or turkey and reduced fat cheese.





iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 4:52pm

if you shop at a regular big chain grocery store or a walmart grocery store, the vegetarian deli slices will usually be near the produce section in a refrigerated case. i know, how was anyone supposed to know to look there?! they are definitely a much healthier option as compared to meat bologna or ham slices, etc.


and while i personally think the bologna flavor vegetarian slices in particular taste better than the original meat version, really by the time you add mustard, etc. i doubt even the most confirmed meat eater could tell the difference.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 03-01-2005 - 11:08am

How old is your daughter? It sounds like she is starting to assert her independence in what "she" likes rather than what you want her to eat. Allow her as much freedom in that as you can. Dictating what and how much she can eat could cause eating disorders in the future. I was a sneaker because I wasn't allowed to have, it made me fat.

My daughter (10) is pretty outspoken and independent so I try to include her as much as possible in decision making regarding food. I ask her what she wants, then guide her to healthier alternatives. She wanted tacos the other night. We talked about other things that remind her of tacos and settled on enchillada casserole (made with shredded chicken rather than beef, fat free cheese, fat free beans and lower fat corn tortillas that are baked, not fried) She got what she wanted, I cut the trans fat to nearly zero and the calories by about half.

Both my kids love fruits and veggies. Fruit salad is the most popular lunch item around here. We make our own most of the time and include cheese and crackers and milk. Regular salads are also pretty popular, you just have to pack the dressing seperately so it doesn't make them wilt. Things like croutons and sunflower seed kernals add something special and make the kids more interested in them. I also put in mandarin orange slices and local wuntun crunchies. My kids are less interested in meats. My daughter is an occassional vegan, we switch to tofu and fake meats for her when she decides meat is wrong.

The old Peanut butter sandwich is a staple of son's diet... and dried crunched up ramen noodles which I've decided are the lesser of many evils out there. He would rather have them than chips. They are good crunched over salads too.

Ok, well, I know I'm not much help. My kids have always been pretty good about eating. I allow them more freedom to choose now than I did when they were really small. And, I do allow the occassional lunchable because I think that outright denial causes all sorts of problems and that having one now and then as a treat takes it out of the "everyday" food category and keeps them on track.

Good luck.

~K~

~Kiervin~

Co-author of:  MONSTER'S INK HORROR ANTHOLOGY By Cyber-Pulp Press

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 03-01-2005 - 11:12am

Oh yeah.

If she isn't a fan of fruit you can ease her into it...

Mix one tub of fat free cool whip with one half of a small can of sweetened condensed milk (you can get it fat free too) and some food coloring.

makes a great dip for fruits. Granny smith apples are the favorite in our house with it. you just ease back on the milk to cut calories.

My gf at work brought her son in for her baby shower. He's 13 and rarely would eat fruit. He tried it and ate almost all of the fruit plate. I gave her the recipe and he eats fruit all the time now. She said he is even eating it without the dip, which was the original goal:)

~K~

~Kiervin~

Co-author of:  MONSTER'S INK HORROR ANTHOLOGY By Cyber-Pulp Press

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-23-2003
Wed, 03-02-2005 - 1:24pm

Thanks for your post! My daughter is 5. The whole snack bar thing is new for her, and I think the experience of buying something with her own money itself is a huge step towards asserting her independence. That said, I was joking when I said I was tyrannical about food - I do explain to her why cup of noodles, candy, soda, chips, etc. are unhealthy, and I do assure her that even if she does buy these things I won't be mad. I think that when she does buy them, it's largely out of wanting to fit in with her other classmates, because at home she never asks for these things and happily eats everything I put in front of her.

Also, I'm definitely fully aware of the dangers of possible ED's if parents are too strict about food with their kids. And, having been on the borderlines of ED's before (though not because of my parents) I do not in any way want to push my kid in that direction. But thanks for the reminder!