Lunch Boxes & Lunch

I agree with Heather and for her recommendation of laptop lunches. Go to their site and there are a few places to get them here in the Houston/Texas area. Also, they have lunch ideas that are healthy. As far as "safe" lunch boxes, The Laptop Lunch bento boxes are made of safe plastic. They are a very environmentally aware company in California by moms. My son uses one for school. http://www.laptoplunches.com/.
Once in awhile lunchables are okay if you are in a hurry but try to avoid them. I make a lunchable by using a cookie cutter to cut the ham and cheese but I use healthier ingredients. There are lots of sites that offer healthy lunch ideas. I am blessed that my son loves veggies and healthy foods but avoid sugary snacks now at an early age and your child will eat healthier. I do give him sweet snacks but he would rather eat carrots, apples, celery, etc. I have listed a few sites to give you ideas to pack lunch. The night before, I usually pack the lunch so you are not pressed for time in the morning. When you are making dinner put in "leftovers" into one of the containers and you are halfway there. In my son's laptop lunch, I use Rubbermaid Blue ice packs that has small little compartments and I fold over and it keeps his lunch cold all day.

Here are some sites to get some ideas to pack lunches(I am on a different computer than my home one where I booked marked the sites so hopefully I am typing the right info)...
http://www.laptoplunches.com/.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art34420.asp
http://www.parenthood.com/article-topics/article-topics.p...
http://www.themomsbuzz.com/LUNCHBOXIDEASANDTIPS.pdf
family fun
http://www.recipes.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Lunch_Box_Ideas
http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/collections/lunch+box+ideas

There are a ton more ideas just google Lunch box ideas and you will get plenty of ideas. If you need more of my booked marked sites just email me and I will send them from my home computer. FYI - I do not know if your daycare will do this or not but don't let them throw away the food your child doesn't eat and you can see what your little squirt eats or doesn't but remember to keep sending example cucumbers even if your squirt doesn't eat them one day but maybe in a week or two they will try it.

Good luck!!!

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I love the lunchbags on etsy.com- they are hand made, often from recycled materials. HEB and Whole Foods carries stainless steel lunch stuff like kiddy thermoses ect. Walmart MIGHT but not as likely.

For lunches, my girls like mini carrots, apple slices (sprinkle with vitamin C powder or lemon juice to preserve the color) crackers, cheese cubes, veggie chips....I don't like the lunchables because they have stuff in them we don't eat and are expensive. For drinks, Minute Maid 100% juice or Juicy Juice are much better then Capri Suns. And a word of caution- the Capri Sun waters are even worse! They have corn syrup, artificial sweetener, and more...

S., mom to 5!

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I bought a Laptop Lunch for my daughter and it works great! http://www.laptoplunches.com/
They are all about waste-free lunches and protecting the environment. The order comes with a thick booklet of lunch ideas. It is easy to make completely organic lunches with this set and their ideas.

Depending on what your child eats, there are lunchables that have small crackers, meat and cheese. You didn't say how old your child was, but if she/he needs small pieces, they make a JR. type lunchable that is small pieces of meat and cheese.
Be sure to ask the school if peanut butter is allowed b/c a lot of schools are not allowing Peanut butter any more due to allergies.
Also, remember to buy freezer packs to keep stuff cold in her lunch box.

The one thing I'd caution you about is **NOT** to send anything containing PEANUT products without checking with the pre-school first. Some have VERY STRICT no-peanut allergies.

Also check to see if they limit the COLOR of juice allowed. They may not want colors that may stain carpeting.

search flickr.com for great presentation ideas. kids like fun shaped food. i searched bento , lunch, school lunch was ick. but got great ideas.

Finger foods would be great. Be sure to check with the school to see if anyone in the class has airborne peanut allergies. I recommend that you pack the foods in such a way that he is able to open them himself.

The soft material boxes are best, they don't hurt as much when swung around. Get one of the little pillows that will freeze. It will keep his drink cool until lunchtime. As for the food...what does he eat at home? PB&J has been a lunchbox staple for years, Lunchables come in varieties of meat, crackers and cookies. Microwave a weiner slightly, put it in a bun and place it beside the frozen container. Juice box or a small bottle of water, but no milk. Always give him a snack of goldfish or snack crackers. Any of the breakfast bars are good. Chex Mix is fun to eat. Cut up apples will keep OK, but I do not suggest bananas as they will turn black when closed up in a dark lunchbox.

There soft sided lunch box's out there, they will sometime also have one of those frozen things that will keep things cool before lunch.I put in cheese sticks, raw veg. with a dip even dips for fruit. There are lots of choices pick the things that he likes to eat and will eat.

My son loves lunchables & Capri-Sun in his lunch.