First Child Is Starting All Day Kindergarten, What Kind of Lunch to Provide?

Hi D., I know what you are going through. I not only have raised 5 but now care for 2 of my 3 grands. I think you can send your little on with what she likes to eat. They have great lunch boxes that are insulated and you can add an ice pack to keep cool or a thermos for warm stuff in the winter. I have a 9 year old grandson who mostly eats P&J but his 6 year old sister will take soup in the winter, mac & cheese, carrots and dip, salad, cheese and crackers. Occasionally the lunchable. There is no end to the possibilities. Have fun, be creative! Grandma Mary

I am a kindergarten teacher and I can assure you that those little ones are very capable of carrying their lunch trays. You'd be surprised at how quickly they learn to balance and maneuver them! Depending on how the lunchroom is staffed and how many children are in there at once, there may or may not be someone readily available to assist with opening packages. You could practice opening them at home or even start with a small opening at home that she can continue on her own. Otherwise, you can open any prepackaged food and put it in another container that would be easy to open. Also, keep in mind that schools often have recess immediately following lunch. If you send her with her own, will she remember to keep track of a lunchbox every day or will it wind up left in the playground?

A couple of great books will give you guidance.
Lunch Lessons by Ann Cooper
Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair.
You are getting your child off to a right start by having him/her bring their lunch. School lunch programs do not use high quality ingredients and often undermine a parents best efforts to feed their children good food. Brown bagging it is the way to go!
To learn more about school food visit:
www.betterschoolfood.org

I was a teacher in an elementary school and we always had Teaching Assistants at lunch with the kids, so there were always people available to open packages. I wouldn't worry about carrying a lunch tray. I've seen even the littlest kindergartners carry them. I would worry more about her not liking the lunch, so maybe send a lunch at first and see if she asks to buy lunch later. I would also suggest not sending peanut butter or peanut products, since a lot of schools now don't want you to send peanut butter because of allergies. The school I worked at had a separate table for the kids with peanut allergies but a lot of schools are banning them altogether. If you're concerned about opening packages, you could open them and tape them shut so they are easier to open. You could also work on teaching her now how to open them.

Hi!
My daughter is also starting all day kindergarten next week! I know they said at her school (and this was also true where I worked the last 2 years), that they will help them with getting their trays, opening things, etc. So not to worry! :) But I am planning on packing my daughter's lunch most of the time, anyway. I bought little fruit cups (individual servings)and a few other individually packaged things to send in her lunch. You can also buy crackers and things in normal boxes and then divide them into individual servings in baggies. I also bought carmel dip in the little packets so she can take apple pieces and dip them. We have some of the reusable juice containers that are no spill (like the ones with princess lids...) that I am planning on sending her drinks in each day. Usually you can have them buy just milk at school if you want, too. I think sometimes I might send pieces of lunch meat and cheese rolled up rather than a sandwhich. Hope those few ideas help! Sorry to hear about your recent loss. Email me if you want to chat!
J.

i sent my daughter to k last yr and i was worried sick...my little girl is tiny for her age so this worried me-shes very very shy but i let her buy the first few days so she could learn with the other kids and i let her deceide.My little girl probably packed 5 times all year-she loved the choices(we read the menu together the night before and i let her choose).Id let her buy the first few days so she isnt learning later when the other kids allready know the process and just let her deceide.Theres lunch moniters in the caferteria and they help open there milk and everything.Good luck

I just wanted to share a tip: slice an apple UNDERWATER (in a bowl, whatever) and the slices will not turn brown, they will still be fine by lunchtime. Apple slices do not turn brown because of exposure to air, but because of the change in pressure in the apple when it is cut. (ask a physicist...)
Fruit, to me, was an important part of a school lunch, and if your little one likes apples, slices are easier to handle than a whole apple. Other easily packable fruits I am sure you know about.
(I am the mom of a grown son)

So sorry to hear about your husband.
Also good luck with the kids.
I myself have an almost five year old who will be starting kindergarten and he will be there all day also. He is by far the pickiest eater in the world sp I am just hoping that when he sees his peers in the lunch room eat he will start eating as well. So I would try giving a shot at the school lunch first and if they are not fans of that then start packing the lunch.

Good luck,
Nora

Check out www.laptoplunches.com
My kids love these lunch boxes, and I do too. It's a design that reduces waste, and promotes healthy lunches.
I'm all in favor of not using packaged foods, and providing a home made lunch that is healthy.
Oh, these lunch boxes are excellent quality. I'd suggest getting the ice pack that they sell with it, it fits perfectly.
Good luck!
K.

You're asking us whether or not your five year old can open the prepackaged food?
Wouldn't you know that one?
I mean if you're giving her something you gave her before give to her in the package and she if she can open it.

You're asking us whether the school your five year old is going to helps the little ones?
You didn't ask them?
You can still ask as majority of the schools are open but they are on a summer schedule.
You can ask the day of as well.

Give her a water bottle if you don't want her annoying her teachers and bouncing off the walls. And she will be very thirsty making all those new friends.

I've been sending my daughter to school with her lunch since kindergarten and I recommend it. Everything in school including the kids will be so new, but mommies lunch will be the same. My daugther really appreciated it. And school lunches serve a lot of junk. You can keep her (if you've already begun) in the habit of eating healthy.

D.:

My daughter is starting full day Kinder next week too. I have an older son, so I am much more at ease with the routines, but still nervous for my 'baby' to be on her own:)

In our school, depending on the size of the class there may be an aide that can assist the kids at snack time. Out Kinder lunch is separate, so that makes it easier for them to adjust to carrying trays, plus there is also a lunch aide and mom volumteers whose sole purpose is to make sure that the kids can open their lunches and drinks.

The school office can give you more information--you won't be the first one to ask.

Good luck- M.

If it's easier or you prefer to buy the lunches the school makes then don't worry about your little one. I have a 5 yr old boy in Kindergarten. They help them with their lunches. Most classes have aids that are there to assist with things just like that. They understand the children's age level and will take good care of your daughter and her lunch needs. So just do what is easier for you. She will be fine. As far as juice goes, Juicy Juice juice boxes usually are fine. Any kind of juice box. But most school have milk available for purchase also. Good luck!!

Hi D.

First, my love and thoughts go out to you. I am sorry to hear about your husband's death.

About your daughter, I have a child in 3rd grade and one in 2nd. I agree, some of the packaged foods are hard and frustrating for the children to open. My children still have some problems opening the caps on the water bottles, so this year I bought a stainless steel thermos. I bought that because some of the plastic containers are questionable regarding health.
I do not know if your school has lunch and snack for kindergarten. Ours did, so for drink I pack a water for lunch and for snack I packed an organic juice box. To eat, I would pack organic turkey or pbj or chicken fingers all cut up and in a container. I would send a fruit cut up and some type of side snack like organic pretzel sticks or corn chips. For snack a health bar like a cliff bar.
Hope this helps
L.

At our school, my daughter went to all day kindergarden last year, they have aides so are there just to help the kids open up milk cartons, thermos bottles, etc. Ask the school, my daughter also didn't really like to buy her lunch so she took her lunch most every day and then just bought milk. Trust me you are not the first mom to ask "stupid" questions, I asked them all the time, I didn't have my daughter until I was 40 and most of the other moms had older kids also so I thought I walking around the only one who doesn't know what's going on. Your good, she'll have a great time. Good luck.