Ideas for a Healthy Kindy Lunchbox..

[happymum81]

My little man who is 4 in a fortnight, started kindy last week. They only allow super healthy food choices and no packaged products into the childrens lunchboxes, they eat morning tea and lunch at kindy. The first lunch is fruit, so Iv bought a variety of his faves such as plums, grapes, strawberries, lychees, rockmelon etc. Its the 2nd lunch that stumps me often..
this week I have stuck to the traditional vegemite sandwich, with cut up ham and cheese in a side bowl and a cup of yoghurt. But obviously I dont want to be sending this every day! This week I thought;
Carrot sticks
cherry tomatoes
Sultanas
Cut up ham and olives with cheese (its his fave!)

If anyone else has any cool kindy ideas.. that would be great :D

[EmPowering]

well youv'e said alot of what i was thinking:laughing: but maybe carrot/celery cut up with some healthy dip?

little mini tortilla with a tiny bit of dip spread on them with a carrot strip in the middle

lots of fruit

dried fruit is good too

you could even put some youghurt in a container (instead of the little indiviual ones) and mix in berries or fruit yourself, much healthier

little container of frozen berries/frozen grapes

for sandwhiches, you could try cream cheese celery and sultanas
grated carrot and cheese maybe a bit of mayo

healthy savory biscuits with cheese? cut up tomato etc?

[A Party of Five]

School Lunch Ideas:

Depending on the kids inclination to eat 'different' food or to use a fork/ spoon at school, think:

Wraps (using lavash bread or mountain bread)

Pita pockets

Vege bake slice or wedge of quiche or frittata

'Loafs' (meatloaf, vege loaf, ham and rice loaf... see recipe below)

Mini frittatas or loafs (make the above in muffin tins)

Savoury muffins (ham, cheese and tomato in Texan muffin tins)

Rice balls, Lentil or Vege patties

Sushi or tofu pockets

Small containers with rice, pasta or noodle salad

"Nachos" (layered bean dip with corn chips in seperate container)

Vege pikelets

Meatballs (chicken or beef, eaten cold with dipping sauce)

Won ton cups with fillings

Puff pastry scrolls

Samosas (using puff pastry, or spring roll paper, you can make them using left over curry, mashed vege's or chopped up stir fry)

Mini pizzas

Soup or risotto (in a thermos, for cooler weather)

More ideas go to Eat at Dixiebelle's (http://eatatdixiebelles.blogspot.com/2008/04/feeding-time-at-zoo.html)

[jennababe]

BUMP!!!


was just about to start this EXACT thread;)

full days at my sons kindy, they have to have fruit for morning and afternoon tea. so im more wanting to know about lunches.

how can u put ham or cheese / yoghurts and things in lunchboxes when there gonna be sitting in a bag and will go warm.

most kindys are the same, no museli bars or even healthy biscuts.

dont really wanna give DS a vegimite sandwhich and 2 peices of fruit for a year. lol

gosh child care was so much easier cos they FED them:p

[Aussiemummy]

I thought of a few things...

-popcorn
-flavoured ricecrackers with cheese
-plain ricecrackers with spreads
-banana or blueberry or apple muffins
-date or carrot loaf
-dried fruits
-dips like hummous, tziki, herb, peanut butter etc with bread sticks or vegie sticks.
-custard
-fruit yoghurts
-mini quiche
-little meatballs with sauce
- dinner leftovers

Some children also like uncooked noodles as a crunchy snack.

[Aussiemummy]

BUMP!!!

how can u put ham or cheese / yoghurts and things in lunchboxes when there gonna be sitting in a bag and will go warm.


I'd freeze a fruit popper or a water bottle. Then wrap it in papertowel so it doesnt wet everything but it will keep it all cool. Also having an insulated lunchbox helps.

[MummaBear03]

Gotta love old threads!!!

For tomorrow, DD has:
1 banana
1 apple
1 plastic screw-top tub with yoghurt
2 sandwiches with cheese and vegetarian deli slices, cut into shapes
2 pikelets

That's for morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea.

[naebie]

DD is only 20 months, but her lunch box tomorrow will have:
Banana and apple (1 to share for morning tea and one for her to eat with her lunch)
Home made banana and rolled oat muffin (http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/13900/banana+rolled+oat+muffins) (small, cooked in a mini cupcake tin)
A small slice of ham and veggie slice (http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/24225/ham+and+vegetable+slice)
Rice cakes with philly cheese
and maybe a small cheese and ham sandwich (cut into a star :))

She also loves boiled eggs in her lunch box

[JJAZ]

Some really great ideas here!!
Will have to remember these for dd next year! :)

[jennababe]

Thanks for the Ideas girls. wow seems like a lot of food for a lunch box. im thinking its better to put more in even if they dont eat it all.. growing active kids get really hungry!!

[MummaBear03]

Thanks for the Ideas girls. wow seems like a lot of food for a lunch box. im thinking its better to put more in even if they dont eat it all.. growing active kids get really hungry!!

Yep no doubt mine will come home with 2 bites out of her sandwich and nothing else touched. But I figure it's better than not sending her with enough food. This is why I started giving her a big breakfast, and she usually sits down after school with her lunch box and has what she wants from it then. My guess is that she'll have pikelets and a banana at 3 this afternoon :laughing:

[august]

I just thought I would share what i recently gave my 3 stepsons in their lunches... Falafel balls, they loved them.
I made them the night before and packed some with carrots , cheese and cucumber in a container.

Other things they have are....
A Boiled Egg
Crackers and Hommus
Mini muffins
Pasta salad
Rice salad
Cold homemade Pizza Slice
Pizza scrolls
Homemade veggie sausage rolls
Pikelets
Corn Fritters
Carrot cake
Dried apricots and sultanas
Those mini weetbix cubes that have apricots in them , in a little zip lock bag or some dry nutrigrain cereal in a little bag.

[~Candy~]

Be careful with carrot sticks. Our kindy won't allow then due to being a choking hazzard. Grated carrot is fine :)

[SassyMummy]

Surely most 4-year-olds can easily manage carrot sticks? :confused:

[~Candy~]

Surely most 4-year-olds can easily manage carrot sticks? :confused:

I agree, I guess it's just a safety policy thing our kindy has. Shrugs?
Our kindy/pre prep also wont allow clingwrap at all too. Surely a 4 y/o isn't going to eat that either, but it's their safety rule.

[SassyMummy]

I guess there might be some kids in the class who aren't as clever? I dunno.

I just found that weird as DD has been having carrot sticks since she was about 2... lol.

[NonnyMouse]

DS isn't at kindy yet, but his daycare lunch is usually:

A small container of fruit (usually something like chopped up oranges, pears, strawberries etc)

A small container of veges (corn, cucumber, tomato, carrot).

A sandwich

A tub of yoghurt

A few slices of cheese

Some sort of treat food (usually either some dried apple & pear snacks, or a few raisins, or a plain biscuit)

(ETA: Our carrot sticks are lightly steamed, thus removing the choke hazard)

[Gothel]

Love this thread, I need these ideas! I am too embarrassed to post what I put in my girls lunchboxes but I will be a bit more adventerous after reading these suggestions :yes::laughing: