School Lunch Ideas?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-11-2004
School Lunch Ideas?
10
Fri, 08-06-2004 - 4:04pm
My daughter starts first grade in less than a month and I'm concerned about what to send for lunch. She is a very picky eater and I just found out the school is peanut free. Her favorite lunch (she has it almost ever day) is a peanut butter sandwich (I can't even put jelly on it). Any ideas?

Gwen
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Fri, 08-06-2004 - 4:39pm
Well, first I would check to see how peanut free the school has to be. Is it just a policy or is there a reason? Is there a child in the class or just one in the school. There is a lot of controversy over peanut-free. For kids like yours, it can be a hard to plan lunch.

Anyway, what does your child like to eat? Make us a list then we can help you with it. Without knowing what a picky eater likes, it is hard to make a list. Believe it or not, there are creative ways to make lunch when there are restrictions.

My son goes to a preschool that is kosher dairy. And we LOVE meat. I have gotten really creative with the non-meat items.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2004
Sat, 08-07-2004 - 11:30am
I have never heard of a peanut free school.
Sounds odd to me, but I am sure there must be a good reason.
I havb a question..... have you tried those lunchables? They make so many diffrent ones, maybe you can find some she would like.
I really dont have many ideas, since I am almost in the same problem. My son is in K, and I have no clue what to make him, and what wont spoil beofre he eats it.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2004
Sat, 08-07-2004 - 11:33am
The SCHOOL is 'peanut free'?!

HUH?

Does this mean that no student may bring anything with peanuts to school?

I am flabbergasted. How is it that peanuts are now a controlled substance?

I understand that some people are deathly allergic to peanuts, but they've got to be kidding! Are they trying to say that a peanut-allergic kid could be endangered by the presence of a peanut butter sandwich in another kid's lunchbox? That's like saying that someone allergic to penicillin can't go to school with kids who are taking penicillin! Isn't it?

Maybe I'm out of the loop, but last time I heard, people weren't dropping dead from peanut atoms floating on the breeze like Anthrax spores!

Anyway, enough about my reaction. If your school isn't also 'almond free', you might try your picky daughter on a peanut-butter substitute like almond butter, which is pricey but very healthy. Or cashew butter, or so forth. Maybe she would try sesame butter?

Peanut-free, my goodness. Maybe I'll get flamed by someone for this, but this is yet another example of madness in my opinion that adds to my list of reasons to homeschool.

LOL

-Meg, wife to a wonderful mail carrier and mother to a 3-year-old daughter, expecting a son by homebirth VBAC soon!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Sat, 08-07-2004 - 11:51am
Some peanut allergies are so severe that being in the same room with peanuts will cause a reaction. Seriously, the smell etc. will cause a reaction. And some peanut allergies can be very severe.

I understand the problem of some kids, but I don't really agree with banning peanuts from the school. In elementary school, peanut butter is a staple of many kid's diets. Heck, some kids will only eat that. I am not sure that it is fair to punish all those parents and kids because a few have problems. Perhaps those kids can eat in a seperate area?

I don't know the solution, but the solution now isn't great either.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-2003
Sat, 08-07-2004 - 12:23pm
you think peanut free is hard...i chatted with a lady the other night, whos sons class is going latex free...which includes erasers..cuz one kid is allergic.....

school lunches were always a hassle for my dd, but, if you are concerned about it spoiling,try what i did.... i froze juice boxes..or capri sun packs..it kept the lunch cold, and by the time they ate, it was thawed just right to drink AND no freezer pack to worry about being thrown away....also, on the lunchable front, those are so expensive, so i made my own..... just got a divided covered storage thingy.and put meat, cheese, and crax in it...... and also cut fruit and maybe baby carrots..or raisings or grapes... my girls LOVE that stuff....they like creating......lol.....
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Registered: 05-08-2004
Sat, 08-07-2004 - 1:51pm

Hi ladies,


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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2004
Sat, 08-07-2004 - 4:24pm
Thanks so much for the ideas.
I was so plain when getting things for Andrew and his lunches

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Registered: 05-08-2004
Sat, 08-07-2004 - 4:28pm
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Avatar for sherrieann
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 08-07-2004 - 5:10pm
I have picky eaters too. They'd probably turn into chicken nuggets if I didn't give them some variety every now and then. Check the menu at school - sometimes it could turn out a little cheaper, even with or even just a little more than what it would cost to buy the things to make their lunch for howevery many days they would eat at school. That being said - if you still prefer to make lunch and would rather not go the lunchable route but still make sandwhiches you could buy some plastic cookie cutters and use those on the sandwhiches. A really chilled juice box/bag or thermos can keep the lunch cooled enough if you have chilled things in the lunch box. I also buy the clearanced fun napkins at the party store and use those in the kids lunches. If they'll eat fresh veggies use those in place of sugar snacks and chips and add a dip that they like for it. I have compared chips to cheese nips and although the chips have more calories the sodium is less in chips than in the cheese nips so on Friday's if I make their lunch they get a bag of chips instead just to make it something to look forward to. One other thing is depending on how close to school you are and if you don't mind and can't afford the school lunches you can make a hot lunch at home in plenty of time to take it to the school. Or if they offer warm-ups at the school you can send left overs if they were enjoyed the night before - I know my kids love that too, but I also live not 5 minutes from the kids school and can take it to them if this is the case since our school does not do warm-ups.

Good luck with it - I know I still struggle with my two school-aged children some days and am always looking for new ideas!

Sherrie =}

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-11-2004
Sun, 08-08-2004 - 11:07am
Thanks for all the great ideas! I knew I could count on some of the seasoned moms to help : )

The peanut free thing is new to me to. We just moved to Toronto from the states and apparantly most schools in Ontario are that way. I have no idea if people here are more allergic to peanuts or what...but it's driving my crazy! I can't even find snacks in the grocery store with peanuts...like pb crackers or cookies or the kids favorite cereal bars with pb and chocolate chips. It's crazy, but we have to go over the border to do grocery shopping once in awhile! People here are used to it, so it's no big deal. Toronto is a very cultural place and there are alot of cultures that don't include pb in their diet. I guess it's just us white guys from the states that miss it : )

Also, as someone suggested to try hot lunch. They don't have that in schools here either. Another thing that seems odd to me.

Anyways, it would be so much easier if I could just send dd with a pb sandwich every day but I will definately use your suggestions! Thanks again!

Gwen