[icewoman]

Hello all. I am having some problems packing lunches for my kids. Let me know if this is well balanced.

Easy Mac macaroni and cheese
fruit
vegtable
drink

I think it sounds fine but I was thinking maybe they should have a meat in there to but the cheese is suppose to be a meat substitute.

The other meal the kids like is the ragu express which is noodles with spaghetti sauce on it. Would you need a meat with that? I just don't want the school to think I don't know how to pack a lunch. Thanks for your help.

[Dyanm1]

Ice,
How old our your kids?

When DD started preshool last year I was totally clueless! But now I'm an old pro. I don't send anything that needs to be heated as they don't do that. They also, send home whatever your child doesn't eat, so that you can monitor what they are and are not eating. So without further ado......

PB&J sandwich or just lunch meat/no bread. Ham or Salami
Drink ~ Choc. Milk or juice pouch thing
Yougurt or Gogurt
Fruit ~ grapes, babanas or an apple
Chips

and other varies things:
carrot sticks
string cheese
fruit snack
cookies
Cheese & crackers or Peanut Butter & Crackers

It just depends on if she ask for something in particular or what I happen to grab. Funny thing is, she only eats about half her chips and usually brings home any junk food (cookies). I don't expect her to eat it all ~ She is only 3, but I want her to have choices. Like I said, they send home leftovers, so that I can modify what I send.

Hope this helps

[Jen]

Well I don't know much about packing lunches for school but I do my dh's lunch everyday. I usually send him a sandwich, pop, pudding or yogurt, carrot stixs with dip and an apple or banana. Sometimes I'll send him strawberry applesauce instead of pudding or yogurt. When I pack my lunches for work I found that buying a bunches of small plastic containers for dip and salad dressing was extremely helpful.

Is there access to a fridge or microwave? I don't normally send my dh with sandwiches that need refridgeration ie egg salad if they don't have a fridge at the office. You can go with some kind of a lunchmeat/cheese combo with mustard if there is no fridge. Also instead of bread you could try pitas or wraps. I have made something like a chicken caesar pita for lunch before and just wrapped it in cling wrap. Just don't fill them too full or it can be a real mess.

[icewoman]

I guess I should have mentioned where my kids go to school there is no hot lunch program so they have access to microwaves that for the younger kids the teachers will heat up stuff and fridges for stuff that needs to be kept cold.

My son is in all day Kindergarden and my daughter is in 3rd grade.