Lunch - Melbourne Beach,FL

I usually do leftovers from dinner a couple of nights per week - pasta with meatballs, tofu, or chicken with rice and veggies. I have also done carrots and cucumber with hummus, chicken nuggets, pizza, etc.

In addition to one of the things above, I also give fruit and some kind of chips or crackers.

You can also do other kinds of sandwiches - egg salad, tuna, or chicken salad.

We do a lot of soups in the hot thermos. My daughters fav is Chicken Tortilla soup with tortilla chips, and my son is Chili with goldfish crackers. Sometimes I'll even pop some chicken nuggets in the oven while we're getting ready and put them in the thermos containers. My kids are the same way when it comes to school lunch, and love hot homemade lunch days. If they'll eat salad that would be pretty easy to put together the night before. You could make your own uncrustables. Those are quick, and you'd just have to pop them out of the freezer in the morning. Chicken salad with crackers. Cold pizza, or even diy pizza lunchables. Those are a fav of my kids, but I will not buy a lunchable. The ingredient list just too junky for mini pizzas! lol Also try pinterest. That's where I get a lot of lunch ideas from. Just search kids lunches. Good luck!!

Pack anything they have been eating before school,started. Hot foods in a thermos, cold sandwiches. Just ask your kids what they want.

DD gets a number of things. She's not a sandwich kind of person, so maybe bread cut into shapes or crackers or goldfish or pretzles instead, with string cheese, yogurt, raisins/craisins/dried fruit, fresh fruit, canned fruit (in a small container, not the can), a drink and some lunchmeat separate from the crackers or bread. We've done cereal, certainly. If your kid will eat them, hard boiled eggs might be a good one. Hummus and pita? Or hummus and veggie sticks? It's very good with carrots. Cornbread mix makes great mini muffins.

I often pack all the non-perishables the night before and shove the rest in when she's eating breakfast. Add the ice pack, put it in the fridge and it's the last thing to go in the bag before we leave.

My son likes soup, spaghetti, or mac n cheese in a thermos. He likes peanut butter and honey sandwiches. He likes pepperoni and crackers. With each of these I also give him a drink, a fruit and/or veggie cut up and a side of pretzels or bread and butter or crackers. He's super picky and he does not want any different lunches. I think it's boring personally, but he's happy.

I have found that when I ask my kids what they want then they tend to eat it. We use thermoses often for hot foods or cold foods. Leftovers from dinner are great within the next day or so.

Get them involved in packing their own lunches.

My kids love tortilla roll ups with turkey,lettuce and cheese inside. Or peanut butter and honey.

If you use a thermos then there are endless possibilities.

Something else I find is that I make sure they eat a big breakfast and sometimes just send a snack type lunch then feed them a big "snack" when they get home.

Our lunches vary according to what the kids want and the week we are having. So, ask them to make a long list of the things they like to eat and would eat during their limited lunch period. Then go off of their list.

Good luck and best wishes!!

We do a protein (hummus, peanut butter & jelly on whole grain, grilled cheese(you could do sunflower butter if you are peanut free), beans, left overs) and either two veggies and a fruit or two fruits and a veggie. Veggies - edamame, green pepper, peas, corn, carrots, celery, hearts of palm, green beans, salad, asparagus). Fruit - apples, grapes, berries (any kind), melon (any kind), plums, bananas, dried fruit. Peaches tend to squash, as do pears and DS doesn't like mango or papaya but those are good. I pack the hummus or any mushy spreads in a separate container and DS can spread them at school.

For my oldest, he loves pbj on a tortilla. He also gets turkey or ham
& cheese sandwiches. My youngest has 2 kids in his class w/severe peanut allergies, so that's a bit more challenging. I make him quesadillas. Sometimes just cheese. Other times, I'll add whatever meat as had for dinner the night before. My youngest is in pre-k & they'll heat food up. Some of the kids bring Mac & cheese, those individual cups.

1. guacomole ( snack size) with carrots and nacho chips
2. sliced apples
3. almond butter and jelly on crackers
4. soy bacon sandwiches
5. a slice of zuchini bread or a homemade cookie
also I plan on giving soup when its a bit colder.

My kids hate packed lunches - we only buy, but our school has an awesome salad bar and believes in sustainable living, so mostly it's organic food. The lunches are more expensive, but it's a new thing. Last year I packed everything, but most of what I could think of to pack isn't nearly as good as what they're providing this year. I hope every school goes this way!

PB&J
Tuna w/ltl mayo & crackers.
wraps filled w/turkey diced cooked bbq chicken & shredded lettuce
Does he hate salami? Salami & crackers is generally liked by kids.
Bean burrito. Heated up & double wrapped in foil.
Mini carrots & Ranch
Dry cereal

Carrot sticks, peanut butter on crackers, already peeled fruits, graham crackers, Vienna sausage...