Still, when it comes to lunch at school only standard fare will do. They both want to feel normal and the same as everyone else–and I can’t really blame them. I try to send something fresh with lunch and something fresh with snack–even if it is just a piece of carrot or a piece of apple. Also, I have found if I just send in three things (main course, fresh fruit or vegetable and dessert) plus water they actually eat lunch. If I send in four things or make it too complicated or too healthy it can really backfire and they end up eating nothing. I also have learned to take the focus off of lunch. If they don’t eat lunch, they can eat a meal when they get home from school. If they don’t touch ANYTHING in their lunchbox and I have been told that they had a difficult day, I have informed the teacher that they didn’t eat a thing from their lunchbox and maybe someone could make sure they eat something. Also, I am honestly not trying to be too healthy or too creative with these packed lunches. I am really trying to just get my kids to eat some of what I send.
Also, The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen has a great post on Packing a Healthy School Lunch and one on Ideas for Packing a Healthy School Lunch that have some suggestions that might be of interest.
Main courses:
- peanut butter and jelly on Udi’s gluten free bread
- cold cuts on Udi’s gluten free bread
- homemade chicken soup with Tinkyada organic brown rice pasta
- egg salad sandwich on Udi’s bread
- handful of almonds
- spring rolls
- Applegate Farms pepperoni on corn cakes
with fresh fruit or vegetable:
- a carrot
- apple slices
- grapes
and a treat:
- Glow Gluten Free cookie
- homemade cookie made with nutritious flour or nuts
- Kinnickinnick oreos (well, that is what other kids are eating so I go along sometimes so no one feels deprived!)
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For snack:
- pretzels
- corn chips
- popcorn
- rice chex cereal with some dehydrated strawberries
with:
- nectarine
- apple
- grapes
- carrots
My Doodle's Dairy Free - I completely agree with your insight in this post. My daughter just started kindergarten and I have the same challenge. I was able to talk the school lunch director to allow my daughter to heat up her lunch. So, I am able to freeze leftovers from dinner and send them with her to school.
I also have found peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made with my own gluten free banana bread work great. It's much cheaper than buying UDI's bread and tastes great!
sproutsmama - GF lunches are extra hard when your child's school has a nut-free policy. so many of our GF standbys at home feature almond flour or nut butters.