What's in your DC's lunch bag today?

RHitch · September 2011

I am having the most difficult time packing DD's lunch for school. Her school requires us to include 1/3 of the daily recommended service sizes in each food group (grains, veggies, fruits, milk, meat/beans), and I just can't figure out the best items to pack. If it was up to DD, she would eat PB&J every day, but I don't want to do that. I have found a ton of links, but they are usually filled with so much information that it makes my head hurt. Can you all please tell me what is in your DC's lunch bag today? Thanks!

kelbrian · September 2011

Today's lunch:

Sunflower seed butter and blackberry jam on 12 grain bread.

Banana.

Blueberries and arugula (yes, my child is weird and LOVES arugula).

GoGoSqueeze applesauce pouch.

String cheese.

Here are some other things that we rotate with. Today was kind of weird because we need to go grocery shopping, so she ended up with a lot of fruit.

Turkey/ham/chicken, grape/cherry tomatoes and cheese cube kabobs or just tossed together.

Pumpkin or banana bread with cream cheese or pumpkin butter.

Cracker 'sandwiches' with Boursin garlic and herb cheese.

Pasta salad - quinoa pasta (has more protein than wheat pasta), olives, bell peppers, cucumbers, mozzarella cubes and Italian dressing.

Greek yogurt - has more protein than regular. My DD likes the Chobani Kids.

Pancakes (I make batches of beet pancakes and pumpkin pancakes) with whipped cream cheese and sliced strawberries to make a panwich, as my kiddo calls them.

Whole wheat tortilla spread with sunflower seed butter and honey, with a banana rolled up in it and sliced like sushi.

For sides, I usually do a GoGoSqueeze applesauce pouch, string cheese, fruit (grapes, blueberries, peaches and mango are favorites), carrots and either Annie's snack mix, veggie straws or freeze dried strawberries, raisins, sunflower seeds and banana chips mix.

KathrynMD · September 2011

your child's school directs you about what to pack for them? huh??

shouldbworkin · September 2011

She has a thermos with "smart" pasta, mixed veggies and meat sauce along with a banana and (soy) milk. She gets two snacks a day at school too, so I don't pack a ton for lunch.

RHitch · September 2011

KathrynMD:

your child's school directs you about what to pack for them? huh??

Yes. We are required to pack something out of each of the food groups, or they will give her a school lunch. She more than like will not eat a school lunch (she's picky), so I do not want to pay for it.

Thanks everyone for your help on this! I will definitely be using your ideas.

kmhunt11 · September 2011

Carrots, grapes, cashews, some yummy German salami, crunchy Chinese noodles (can't remember what they're called), veggie/fruit juice.

Tomorrow I plan on making her an english muffin cheese pizza, plus apple slices and more carrots. I might put some peanut butter in for the apples, but she's 3 and doesn't really get dips.

Her school is cool- they checked allergies for the class/school and made the nut decision based on that. No one is allergic this year so they rescinded the nut ban. I was thrilled!