Okay- with school just starting around the corner- I need cheap ideas for school lunches! I have an idea for all the sides but nothing for the "main course"! My oldest does not care too much for sandwiches anymore- maybe she will eat them 1x a week (but- it has to be wheat with either pepperoni or hard salami- which is not bad since you get a ton of meat for "cheap"). Last year I tried to send in soup and other types of warm foods in a thermos and of course she did not like that (she is in those miserable tween years!). Pretty much last year I sent in extra vegies and fruit since I was at a loss on what to send her- does anyone have any ideas for school lunches they would like to share? TIA!

Maybe some hearty salads? I have this salad shaker thing that I got for a dollar at Bed Bath and Beyond, - it has a reservoir for the dressing that you push in when you want it dispensed so that nothing gets soggy. I make a really good salad that would be really hearty for lunch: chop up tomatoes, cucumbers, and red or green pepper, feta cheese, and some garlic, add EVOO, some pepper and some salad vinegar or balsamic vinegar (my favorite yet it does turn the salad brown), mix and serve with a piece of pita bread. You don't use much feta cheese so it really is economical.

What does she like to eat? I'd start with that first.

My daughter can be a bit picky when it comes to packed lunches and in the past she has been very happy with the school lunches but this year my son starts and so the cost will double....time to pack more!!!! Thankfully my son survives on pb&j!!! But of course my daughter gets "bored" with that...so last year I had to get creative...(not my easiest challenge!!) One lunch she loves is homemade pizza lunchable...I just pack a cheese stick, pepperoni slices, crackers and pizza sauce....she loves it..and I even stuck a funsize candy bar in and surprised her with desert. Another lunch she likes is chicken nuggets...I just bake them in the morning and wrap them in foil....I put her frozen juice in right next to the chicken and throw in a leftover ketchup packet from carry out along with some fruit and carrot sticks and she is set.You can do the same with hotdogs..cook, wrap in foil, add packets of condiments and even some shredded cheese just be sure to pack a frozen bottle of water or juice to keep it from spoiling..If she likes fruit , pack her a bowl of fruit and make some dip (fat free cool whip and sugar free vanilla pudding (generic brands of course) mix together) and cheese and crackers....I always feed my kids balanced breakfasts so if they just "snack" at lunch I know between dinner and breakfast they will be okay....sometimes snacky lunches are better received than nurtritional ones and if they are going to toss out most of the lunch I pack I would prefer it to be snacky stuff rather than lunchmeat and bread and the good expensive stuff !!! For the littler kids anything "dippable" or cut into fun shapes sparks that appetite...Good Luck .

Snooks -- I appreciate your idea that serving a good breakfast makes lunch less stressful! I'm going to remember that!

Marlene

Thanks everyone! She is the typical kid who gets tired of everything every once in a while. For the most part the only things that she really cares for are "noodle" type meals (yet she refuses to take a thermos in ). She does like mexican, and chinese type foods.

I totally hear ya girl! My 16 yr old dd gave up taking lunches last year!!! I really hated thinking about her not eating all day in school but if I sent stuff, it just went in the garbage, came back home or some other kid ate it...waste of my time and money. I finally had to let go of the control and let her make her own decision about eating/not eating and deal with the concequences of those decisions. She does eat breakfast (not always a healthy one!) and eats good at home so I'm thankful for that. Some days she will let me put a baggie of crackers or grapes in her backpack, just in case she wants to eat....it's better than nothing I guess .

My son on the other hand loves to have his lunches! He is still at the age that he doesn't mind taking a thermos. He loves taking soups, subs, pizza, salads, etc.

My dd will take Mac n cheese!
Cheese and crackers! she has had soup!
*she is getting tired of sandwiches too*
I have taken her sandwiches and used a cookie cutout and cut out shapes for her!! she loves that!!

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My older son is not a sandwich eater either and he says that his lunch is still too hot to eat if I pack it in a thermos, so hot foods are out. He likes pasta salad as a main thing or his favorite is for me to put a bowl of cereal in his lunch (I have cereal bowls with a lid) and he buys milk at school.

Also, you said that you have plenty of ideas for the sides. There is really no rule that says there has to be a main course - as long as you put enough food in there it doesn't really matter if it is a lot of smaller servings. My kids are more likely to eat everything when I put a small amount of more things in their lunch - if I put 2 crackers and cheese they will eat it all, but if I increase it to four they don't eant any. The same with carrot sticks - 4 is the magic number they will eat, but if there are more, they don't even eat the four. I think the larger servings overwhelm them a little.

My girls like various kids of pita sandwiches, also they like pizza rolls, I will cook them in the am and wrap them in foil, Left over pizza, homemade lunchables, meat and cheese roll ups, wraps, My dd likes to take salads, (I will also send her with either some crackers, a roll or a slice of bread to go with this.)
I will keep thinking.

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~Jill~

"Religion is meant to be bread for daily use, not cake for special occasions" ~ Unknown

For my 8 yr. old DD I have sent a hot dog in a Thermos. I cook it and put it in very hot water. She knows she is to ask the lunch lady to open the Thermos and help her get the hot dog out. There are 3 or 4 lunch ladies and most of them have kids in the school, so they are used to doing stuff like this!

I wonder if she'd eat room temp chicken??? If I cook it and wrap in foil and add a cold pack? Will have to ask her. The kids lives on plain ol' PB, no J!

My 5 yr. old will go to before school care (she has afternoon kindergarten) and will take a lunch 2xs a week. She will eat bagels and cream cheese, spinach and ranch, salads, mac and cheese, so she will be easy.

My older DD likes no dip (unless it is melted chocolate!), no cheese, no BBQ sauce, ketchup on fries only...sigh

I have also sent leftover stir fry or Chinese takeout in the Thermos too.

My 8yr. old has lactose intolerance so she does not drink milk, we've tried 'em all...And she only bought lunch 2 times last year. Hoping 3 rd grade she will change...