[~*Lou*~]

DD has started Prep. I feel like maybe I'm not sending the right stuff in her lunchbox.

The school does a "bite and write" at 10am so I have to send a piece of fruit (or vegetable) for that - I send an apple as she doesn't like many fruits.

Recess is 10.55am and they suggest a "substantial healthy snack". I have been alternating between a home-made fruit muffin which I have in the freezer, a piece of fruit bread with a smear of jam made into a mini-sandwich, or a tub of fruit puree (apple and raspberry etc). What should I be sending?

For lunch I send either a bagel, wrap, sandwich or rolls (wholemeal or wholegrain or low-GI white), with either ham and cheese or cheese and vegemite, i try to mix it up across the week so she doesn't get bored. I often add a couple of carrot sticks or pieces of cucumber, which she usually leaves.

It varies as to how much gets eaten, often quarter of the sandwich is left for example.

When we get home she's hungry. What are sensible afternoon tea suggestions, obviously I don't want to give her treats all the time, she asks for chocolate milk, I usually try to stick to fruit or pieces of salad vegies, plus vita-wheat crackers with smear of vegemite. Maybe I'm not getting enough protein into her? She's always been a fussy eater.

Someone told me I should include "brain food" but I'm not sure what that is?

Many thanks for any suggestions!
Lou

[tamjk]

I've never been clear on brain food either- it seems to change from week to week.

For my 4yo DS I put in his kindy lunch box a tub of yoghurt with berries or diced mango, a sandwich (usually cheese) and I fill the rest of the lunch box with fruit. He's only got a very small lunch box this year but I find that's a good amount and combination to send for him. He's certainly not complaining of hunger when he gets home.

Maybe try tanking her up with a milk drink or muffin just before dropping her off? I find a high protein, high fat snack just before dropping DS off helps him cope with the day better. Schools with those meal times are assuming the children are eating breakfast at 8am or later, if you're a household that breakfasts at 7am or earlier that is a long time for a child to go without food.

[BronR]

I have one child who doesn't eat fruit at all and i find lunch boxes really tricky once you get past the sandwich/roll whatever.

As well as the things on your list, I often send a hard boiled egg. Some water crackers with cheese. For a "treat" I might include some homemade pikelets with a smear of butter. Not only does this child not eat fruit but she won't touch even a muffin if it has fruit in it, or say banana bread, a real pain as my other child is part fruit bat and loves homemade baked treats with fruit in them as well. Left over pasta or meat (sausages, chicken schnitzel that type of thing) is always asked for from both my kids for their lunch boxes so I tend to cook extra of any lunchbox suitable evening meals.

[ubermum]

My prep gets a sandwich, a banana, a second piece of fruit (grapes in a container, slinky apple in a container, chopped watermelon) and sometimes a home made baked good (muesli bar, muffin) or a piece of laughing cow cheese. I only send the extra item if her lunchbox has been coming home empty which doesn't happen a lot.

She eats one serve of fruit at 10am, the second at recess at 11 and the sanwich at lunch. She doesn't really have time to eat more and often doesn't eat all that because she is busy playing.

[ThatsNotMyName]

It's hard isn't it? Things I've given to DS (just started yr1) are:

fruit break - cut up apple or small whole apple/pear, small banana, grapes, strawberries, vegie sticks, cherry tomatoes

recess & lunch - yogurt with a few berries mixed in (mine eat natural yogurt), cheese & crackers, home baked muffin/pikelet/fruit or cheese scone/vegie sticks & cheese, boiled eggs, sandwiches/wraps, left over pizza, cold sausage, salad, twiggy sticks with olives & salad & crackers, corn/zucchini/ham fritters, mini quiches

I don't send too much as he's often finishing brekky around 8.30, is a slow eater & gets afternoon tea around 3.30.

[we~are~family]

I pack 5 things inc a sandwich, 3 pieces of fruit &/or veg (container of grapes, watermelon, cut of beans, carrots etc) & something "snack-y" usually baked things like biscuits, pizza scrolls, mini muffins. This summer I've also been including a small frozen yogurt thingy. On hot days I pack it all with a Nude Food ice brick (the ones with the fabric type covers), that they can drink as it defrosts. And a drink bottle that they can easily refill if need be.

Now and then I pop in an LCM or similar, but I'm lucky, both my kids usually eat all that, and in 3 years I've never had any complaints that's its boring or there's not enough sweet snack type foods.

[MaggieL79]

Ubermum how do you keep a slinky apple fresh? My kids love slinky apples, but they turn brown in their lunch boxes so they won't eat them.

[intrigued]

Regarding the sensible afternoon snack - if she asks for chocolate milk you could make her a smoothie with milk, 1/2 banana and a spoon of cocoa powder (the pure stuff, no sugar etc), it's close enough to chocolate milk and healthy..
or experiment with whatever you have at home - berries, mango, a bit of yoghurt to make it thicker etc.

[Elizabeth Swann]

Brain food is typically fruit or veg. Some schools allow yoghurt or cheese because not enough kids were eating f & v. At our school it was strictly some raw that came from a tree or vine.

[WhatWouldBuffyDo]

Mine generally take 6 things.
2 x sandwiches
2 x pieces of fruit
2 x "snacks" (ranges from cake, muesli bars to yoghurt and frozen berries)

Most days the lunch boxes come home empty and they have one more snack at 4pm (then dinner at 6). Breakfast is done by 0715 at the latest.

ETA: They are year one and two.

This post has been edited by WhatWouldBuffyDo: 24/02/2013, 02:22 PM