Lunch Ideas - Fort Collins,CO

Do they like cheese? My son likes slices of sharp cheddar cheese.
I give him apple slices and cheese for lunch with Saltines and milk.
I think it's healthy and balanced. Hope this helps. T.

Hi L., I found the web site kraft.com very useful. They also have a magazine. It is also very informative for suppers and party ideas. Hope this helps P.

My daughter used to be a really good eater, but now....
Sometimes
1.I give her a yogurt, fruit and goldfish with a juice box.
2.I make my own lunchables
3.I make a Quesadea, chips fruit and juice box.
4.I make a wrap sanwich using a tortia ensted of bread.
5.I sent cooked breakfast sausage

My biggest proble is finding a main food she will eat and I use a veriaty of crackers, chips, fruit and a juice box. Good luck I know what a pain it can be trying to make sure your children get a good meal.

Hi L.-
My name is J. and I also have two boys, ages 7 & 10. They are both very picky eaters too so I know what you are dealing with. I have found that there are a lot of foods that kids will eat cold. Chicken nuggets, noodles, even canned stuff like raviolis and soups. Cheese and crackers is a really easy lunch for little guys. We also do fruit cups, cheese sticks, granola bars and drinkable yogurts. The other thing I did when my kids were smaller is make regular sandwiches with cold cuts and cheese then cut the sandwiches into shapes with cookie cutters. I hope this helps a little, best of luck!!

try familyfun.com or Nickjr.com both are websites with great ideals for meals, games etc.
I just read a receipe for chicken and fruit kabobs . basically cubed chicken, cheese cubes and fruit on wooden skewers.
good cold may not be great for anyone younger than five.
or even try frozen grapes. cut in half toss in little freezer bags and freeze. It taste sweet just like candy without all the sugar and keeps everything in the lunch bag cold.

To help preserve cold lunches, freezing juice boxes or pouches, and packing them with lunches.(Also mini water bottles work too).My older son kept trying to drink the ice pack solutions.

Sometimes giving the kids the choices of which few things to pack themselves may work. Mixing things together may work(Mix the p-nut or other seed or nut butter with jelly or even applesauce). Kids will sometimes eat things when they have a hand in making it themselves. My 5 year lod son loves to make and eat hummus. So we have been able to add things like tomato slices and tuna, frozen shrimp, lunch meat rolled up with spreadable cheese, etc.This lets you do yogurt too.
I also let them pick out things at the store. That way if it comes home and then in their lunch, it has been due to their own selection. "I'm sorry honey, but that is what you picked out at the store,...next time we don't have to get it". Of course some things I will not let them buy, or say upfront the limit.(One fruit leather, one meat stick per lunch, 2 newman-o's)They have exceeded the limit--sneaking stuff)and logical consequence, I don't buy anymore for how long they should have lasted.
I like going to trader joes for real fruit leathers, and Wholefood's has real Turkey sticks, near the meat/ lunchmeat, my 5 yr. old son loves.
My daughter is now 7, I started some of this when she was 5, and she now packs her own lunches(makes her own tuna by self now), and is responsible for washing out her lunch sack.
I just started giving her her own money and basket to put in grocery cart for her lunch stuff.

Heck, she knows how to make coffee,...(my neighbor showed her how for me)flip tortillas and burgers in a pan, use the 30 second button on the microwave to make quesadillas with pre-packaged shredded cheese.
Also kids will eat cold, what we would not even think to eat but warm. (Like sausage links)

There are books out there too, but the ones I have seen usually take to much prep time and include hot things with thermos, maybe go to library and gleen out what is useful. Have the kids read it with you.

I tell my kids they are my babies in my heart forever and that I will always love them. But it is not my job to do everything for them, but to teach them how to do it themselves. Occassionally I pop up with, and "I'm not you maid either, you want to sleep in cockroaches or do you want to pick up that dustbuster?"
All kids are unique, as our families, so I hope you find what works for you and your family.If a Dad is there, get him involved too, being they are boys, or just the variety, might help.

Good Luck,
L. W

Hi L.,
I have a 5 year old and an 8 year old. My 5 year old was in daycare and had to take lunch everyday. She is also very picky. What worked best on days that I'd send cold lunch was cutting up ham (lunch meat) into little squares and a slice of cheese. I would also pack carrot sticks, red bell pepper or cucumbers with ranch dressing. I would then usually add fruit cocktail or a sliced orange. Sometimes I would pack yogurt, goldfish crackers, and either a vegtable or fruit. Generally, because she is pretty picky, I try packing more snacky foods or I would try to make things a little more fun. I would cut the red bell pepper into hearts, cut sliced cheese into stars with a cookie cutter, etc. I hope this helps. I know it is a worry when your child isn't eating. Good Luck!

Hi, L.. I know your troubles with picky eaters! I, too, have 3 & 5 yr. old boys. My kids had Mother's-Day-Out and brought lunch 2 days a week. We've been through the un-eaten lunches before. I would put pepperoni along with one of those frozen plastic "thingys" to keep it cold. Also, the kids loved the Ritz crackers with cheese or peanut butter. Sometimes I would put muffins in their lunch, too. I never really worried too much about them not eating because I would always make them lunch at home afterwards (if they didn't eat).

My son takes his lunch everyday to school and all he wants in it is a PB&J sandwich. He never gets sick of them. I also pack a heathly snack and chips and a drink. I would rather send my son pb&j everyday and him eat then something he will not eat.

Maybe you could ask the daycare what they feed them the other days and see what they eat and dont eat from their lunches then. It may give you more ideas there as well.

Good luck.

Do they like sweet potatoes? My daughter loves them and they taste just as good cold. Just cook them in the microwave then spoon out the insides into a bowl. She also will eat peas and corn - I buy them frozen then heat up in microwave and add a little garlic salt. Cheese slices and pear slices keep well for a few hours.

J.
Daughter of two-year-old girl

There are tons of great ideas here, but I really agree with Jennie. Kids will not starve themselves. I believe my daughter is not a picky eater because I would not allow her to become a picky eater. She pretty much gets what she gets. She has developed this sense of pride about being one of the few who's going to be big and strong because she eats all her vegetables. It astounds me what she will try because of what I've modeled. I would never do Lunchables and Ramen. Then have tons of sodium and additives. Very little nutritional value. The nitrates in ham and most lunch meat are a bit scary. There are finally a few that don't use them. Bologna is a terrible food...as much as I love it! It's so hard to come up with attractive, appealing food that is also nutritious. You may want to start the day with a multi vitamin. I'd also consider frozen smoothies, cheese sticks and homemade pizza (fine served cold). Short term rewards for who eats the most healthy food is an idea. You want to turn their behavior around and establish nutritious habits so don't develop health problems and poor eating habits down the road.

I have a picky eater too, she is almost 3. I have been doing pasta, sweet rice, chicken nuggets, yogurt (I put an ice pack in her lunch box on these days). Her lunch has to be cold too. I am not allowed to take BB&J to her school, because of peanut allergy other kids may have. I don't know if this will help, but just some things I do. :)

my 2 yr. old daughter is not picky but VERY stubborn! if she decides she doesn't want to eat something, no amount of forcing will make her change her mind. what i started to do so that she would actually eat what i fix (b/c we can't afford to be wasting food) AND be happy about it, is i ask her what she wants to eat, and if she for instance, says she wants cheese, then i give her a few slices of cheese, a few crackers and some fruit. that way she will eat the cheese which she picked, see the other food realizing she's hungry and eat that, too. i try to only have healthy food in the house so that way no matter what she picks i know it's healthy! plus, whatever i add to her plate i make sure is a food i know she likes. so in the end we both win...she gets to pick something she wants, and i know she's getting healthy, well-balanced foods!
so i guess my suggestion in a nutshell is just to stock your pantry/fridge with foods you know your kids love, then maybe they can each pack one thing they want that day but you just slip in a couple other things into their lunchbox from 2 other food groups, but that you know they like. i hope this helps some!

Try baby carrots, very sweet. Cut up cucumber spears, strawberries, blackberries, roasted sunflower seeds (without the shells), oatmeal cookies with raisins, fruit leather.

(I have a picky eater too, also a boy. He won't touch anything but pb&j and the above, but at least I know he's getting some fruit and veg. Then at night I give him a grilled cheese sandwich and a glass of milk so I know he's getting lots of calcium.)

I have a 7-year old step-son that is extreemly picky. When I make his lunch, he gets a peanut butter sandwich, some crackers, caprisun and fruit snacks and maybe a couple cookies. When his dad makes his lunch, instead of a sandwich, he gets a cold hotdog. All of last year, the only thing he would eat would be the peanut butter sandwich. I thought it would get old to him, but he lasted all year without complaining or wanting anything else.
I know I have a hard time dealing with his pickiness, so good luck to you.
Jenifer

I would try to ask them what they would like to eat for lunch. Sometimes kids have good ideas. If not just try to find things that they like to eat for snaks and load them up. Or you can take them to the store and let them pick out their own lunchables sometimes that makes it more exciting for them. That's about all I can think of to try. Hopefully one of them will work.
C.

My son is only two months old, however I used to nanny and have any nieces and nephews that I am always around. I know that most of the children I have been around like cold cooked pasta noodles and they come in so many different shapes which makes them even more appealing. You could also try making your own lunchables with the things you know your kids like. I did this when I nannied. It is cheaper than buying the pre-made ones (and it is healthier too!) Hope this helps.

Everyone has given you great ideas! I would just like to ask if you have ever tried the frozen uncrustables pb&j? I love them and all you do is take them out of the freezer and put them in the lunch box. They also have other flavors like peanut butter and honey. Freezing Go-gurts is easy and fast too. There are other lunchbles with nuggets and hotdogs that are good but they can be spendy.

Hi L.,
My daughter (3) is also extremely picky. The thing you have to remember about kids is that they will not starve themselves, and if they're hungry, they will eat until they're full ( unlike adults who just keep going). If I were you, I would continue to pack nutritious lunches with a variety of choices and don't worry about how much they do or don't eat. Also my ped. tells me to keep re-introducing foods- one day you just might be surprised. I know it's HARD! You may also want to think about starting a multi-vitamin to make up for things they may not be getting in their diet. Anyway, good luck!

My Son is 2yrs old and is somewhat of a picky eater. I just give him Chicken niggets, Ramen noodles, I don't really have him eat "meals" we both kind of just snack except for dinner. If you don't mind me asking how old you are. Where do you live? Maybe we could get together

H.