Hi ladies,
OK I am totally out of ideas for easy to fix (yet healthful) lunch to send to daycare for my son. He is turning 1 year this weekend and so far I have been sending turkey meatballs (from trader joes), fresh cooked chicken, pasta's, peas, and green beans- but other then that I am at a loss. I feel like I send the same 3 things all the time. I need some idea's that are easy to fix and prep, as well as one's that travel well and can be re-heated....I travel a lot for work, so they have to also be easy for my hubby to make :) Any suggestions would be appreciated- I seem to be at a loss for some reason!!!
I am very fortunate to have a daycare that makes my son lunch everyday however here is what I do at home.
Apples (peeled and quatered)
Soy Beans - my son LOVES them!
Chicken hot dogs
instant oatmeal (my son would eat it for every meal)
Chicken & pasta
Chicken & rice
pre-cooked hamburger patties (beef or turkey)
Also, Costco has some good precooked foods that you can send to daycare divided up into single portions
Hi D.,
My son is 14 months old in daycare too, here are some things I fix for him...
Buy a few bags of frozen veggies and give him a serving in his lunch bag each morning. They thaw through the day and reheat very quickly. We buy a bag of mixed veggies, a bag of sliced carrots, and a bag of corn. He loves them!
In addition to the veggies...
Chicken nuggets
Salmon
Pasta
Ground beef
Meatballs
Mac & Cheese
Uncrustables (found in the freezer aisle)
Mixed Fruit Cups (Dole or Del Monte)
Grapes
Strawberries
Banana
Campbells Chicken & Stars soup
I bought a bag of those little dinner rolls and make sandwiches with turkey and a slice of cheese. He takes apart the components but he eats them.
Gerber Graduates also has the little microwave meals you can buy in the baby food aisle. These are good to have on hand just in case you get in a hurry one morning and don't have time - or ideas - to fix a lunch for him. These are great!
Good luck!
-Char
Hi D.,
I have been making lunches for my little girl since she was 1 and now she is 3. Egg salad sandwich is nice and soft for him. I cut the crust off. To change the flavor, I chop fine a slice of turkey or chicken and add it to the egg salad. I have always given her the gerbers veggies and still do now. So for the main dish I usually give a sandwich or soup (Kmart has a bowl thermos that works great). I give a small portion of pirates popcorn, cold green beans (prepackaged at Walmart), crackers after I would crunch them a bit, and then a fruit (grapes, apple bits, banana, etc).
Hi D., First I want to ask you why you have to provide lunch for your son at daycare, I have had my daycare for 11 1/2 years and I provide all meals while they are here. I'm signed up with the Children Nutrition of San Diego. But for a one year old i would do toddler meals, they come in little bowls that you can mucrowave, mac and cheese, spaghetti, beed stew, beans and wennies, unless your provider is wiling to cook for your child like I do, lunchables works as well. J. L.
