Need Lunch Ideas for Picky Eater

Run, don't walk, and find yourself a copy of the September issue of Parents Magazine. Mine just came in the mail yesterday and there were several pages of AWESOME lunch combinations (sorta shown Japanese bento-box style...small compartments so you get a few different choices and the food doesn't touch, no baggies so it looked eco-friendly). They had a list of other ideas too to help you get creative in providing protein, whole grains, fruit & veg & a little treat for your little luncher!

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C.

I have 3 grade schoolers like that!!! lol One will only eat peanut butter sandwiches (no jelly) and the other will only eat ham. My daughter doesn't like any lunch food except chicken nuggets! THEN, I found Rachel Ray's family cook book called Yum-o! which has an entire chapter devoted to this. You can get all the recipes off her website by the same name! It's awsome. I have the advantage that my kids love Rachel, so anything that she says is good has to be!! lol Also, try letting your little ones "make their own lunch" It's amazing what they will eat when they have made it!
Good luck to ya!

1 mom found this helpful

I was really inspired by this site
http://lunchinabox.net/

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This exact situation is the topic of the book "Bread and Jam for Frances" - I have made references to it when my kiddo tries to get picky and it has helped.

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Good luck. I don't know that he'll eat any of these, but here are a few things I put in lunches that my little guy will usually eat: ham&cheese sandwiches, cheese and crackers, applesauce, fruit and jello cups,go-gurt or drinkable yogurt, fruit juice or milk, pudding cups, leftovers in a insulated thermos type container of whatever we had that he liked (spaghetti w/meatballs, cheese pizza, fettucini alfredo w/brocolli, popcorn chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, etc.)

Hi C.,

I have daughter who does not eat any lunchmeat or sandwiches of any kind. Has been some problem during school, but 2 things she will eat is cereal and soup...so...I pack a plastic container of cereal and she buys her milk at school. It works great for her. Also, we purchased a small hot thermos and at least 2-3 times a week she takes soup or rice or even left-over spaghetti. It stays warm until lunch.

Hope that helps some!
Good luck!
D.

the cheese and cracker snack pack item. or PB or cheese and pretzel sticks?? make the jelly sand different ways,using croissants,ritz crackers,maybe even a breadstick or bun?? bologna could be cut in different shapes to match cheese pieces?? bologna made into meat salad??
whatever the child likes is always easy to rememdy with a little imagination. wish I could help a little more than this...but not knowing what exactly he will eat......
if you run out of ideas you might even try the local hospital dietary dept. Dietitians usually have good ideas for making lunches. Good luck!!! I know it's very trying at times. J.

I know this sounds silly, but there are peanut butter and oatmeal based protein bars out there. Like Southbeach, Kashi and Fiber One. They are like granola bars only they pack 5-10g of protein and alot of dietary fiber too. Given as a "treat" along with the bologna or jelly sandwich and some fruit makes for a truly healthy lunch and they don't even know it. I do this with my 10 yr old picky eater.

I ate PBJ sandwiches all through school and it wasn't because I was picky, it was the only thing my mother made for me. When I got old enough to make my own sandwiches, I still made PBJ because it kept well and I did not like the taste of warm mayo. I think you're thinking about it too much! =) Make him what he likes and leave it at that. He might end up trading it in the end anyway so I think it's best to not dwell on it too much.

They serve yogurt and bagels sometimes as a lunch at our school. My son likes hummus with pita. He is a very picky eater and doesn't like deli meat. Will he eat veggies with ranch dressing or a hot soup? Good luck. I'm with you here with my picky eater. I have the feeling that mine will be eating a lot of chicken nuggets at hot lunch.

Peanut butter and jelly on whole grain bread is a complete protein and very healthy. Keep in mind that he'll probably end up trading food with the other kids. Start talking to him about nutrition so he can have some idea about healthy food choices.

Sorry to say, but you may be stuck with the bologna or the jelly. When I was in elementary school I would only eat grape jelly sandwiches on white bread. That's it. Nothing else - ever. That's all I would eat until I got into junior high. Lol.

Maybe try lunchables. They go on sale quite often, and he could maybe at least eat the cheese & crackers! Also, I've heard of cutting sandwiches into animal shapes using cookie cutter. That may spark some interest! If he eats bologna & pb&j, then I don't see the problem w/ that! I'm sure he's not the first picky first grader! Other snacks -- string cheese, vitamin C fruit snacks (they now come in cool cars & tractor shapes!) 100 calorie packs are great portions for the little ones, and are usually on sale buy one get one free. Good luck with the first day of school!

Hi,
My son is the same way (10 yrs old now). He gets into phases where he'll only eat one thing. Last year it was butter on graham crackers, before that it was bologna rolled up with mayo and before that it was pb&j crustless. I just give him what he likes everyday and they eventually get sick of it and move on. Plus, once he sees what others are eating, he may experiment with new things. The goal here is to get him to eat so that he has the energy for school. Good luck!

I hope he is not eating the bologna and jelly mixed together! that sounds a little gross! lol. Just to let you know, kids are like that. I have two boys, 19 and 13. the oldest only ate salami sandwiches when he was in elementary school. now, he only wants to eat turkey sandwiches. the 13 yo only eats salami sandwiches now. I can sometimes convince him to add a little turkey or ham, but not too often! try to add a little other meat to his sandwich and see what happens! they usually tire of this stuff and come up with their own ideas after awhile. don't worry. just be sure to give them fruit, and other treats in their lunch bag.

Hi! I once saw a website recommendation on Mamasource about this topic and am keeping it for future reference:

http://lunchinabox.net/

I haven't really looked at the website (since my kids are young) so I cannot personally vouch for it. But I hope it helps!

cheese & cracker packets, cream cheese stuffed celery sticks or peanut butter, applesauce or jello cups, snack pack lunches to name a few things.

My son is the same way and he is 12 yrs, old. Just ask him what he wants in the way of a sandwich for lunch and fix it even if it is the same thing day after day. After a while he might start to ask ask for something different. As for the snack give him a different fruit every day. Hang in there. Does your son like nuts. They have protein. What else will he eat that you can hide food in. There is a book by Jessica Seinfeld's called 'DECEPTIVELY DELICIOUS'. GO GET IT NOW!!! Either at the library or buy it. It has fantastic recipes that you can fix to hide food in that pickey eaters will not eat. Like cauliflower in mashed potaoes, carrots in sapgetti sauce. This book is great and you may thing of ways to hide other food in food. THIS IS A BOOK ALL COOKS SHOULD HAVE.