Calling out an APB to my crafty, not so crafty, Pinteresty, recipe clipping Mommas out there! I neeeeeed HELP! Lunchbox help! My daycare announced this week that they will no longer be providing breakfast, lunch, or snack. (OMG NOOOOOOO!!) That was my lifesaver! My no brainer of the day! And they always served the best hot lunches around! Jake ate everything, and often asked for seconds, and Livvy has been sampling a bunch of new taste sensations like raisin bread, mixed veggies, chicken, and yogurt, with total success.
So to say that I’m sad about this is really putting it lightly. *SIGH*
I don’t mean to sound uncreative here, but here’s what I’ve got for ideas:
Breakfast:
- Pancakes- make a batch, freeze, and grab one, heat it, and eat it.
- Mini bagels
- Frozen waffles- toast and slap some peanut butter or cream cheese on it.
- Yogurt
Lunch:
- Ham, cheese, salami roll ups
- Peanut butter & jelly (or if no peanuts allowed, other nut butter)
- Mini ravioli
- Meatballs & sauce
- cheese & crackers
- Pasta Salad
Snacks:
- Goldfish crackers
- Teddy Grahams
- Yogurt
- Fruit cups
- Bananas
- Trail mix
- Apple slices
- Granola bars
These were just some ideas that I’ve come up with for meals, and I would love some help out there, Mommas! What do you send to daycare with your kids? Keeping in mind the following rules of the game: No refrigerators (but I will put in an ice pack), and no use of a microwave. Aaaaaaand, GO!
CT Working Moms 
Check out http://www.momables.com/. She has a TON of great ideas for lunches. A bunch of free recipes and ideas. I use these all the time as we have to send all of CB’s food to daycare as well. Good luck!!
LikeLike
Apple pie lara bars, raisins, baby carrots, cooked chicken (tastes good cold), and applesauce are a few of our lunch staples that weren’t yet mentioned. Good luck!
LikeLike
Can I just say with Nate starting kindergarten I have promised myself that, aside from birthdays, I will never make those fancy pinterest lunches? Cliff z-bars, cut up fruit, cut up cheese, water, juice boxes, sunflower butter and jam (our school is nut-free), hummus and veggie sticks, yogurts, chips and guac…nothing will be cut into animal shapes or fancy…because I know I can’t keep that up haha. I ate pb&j every day for like…15 years…and it was ok. I’m hoping I can do this whole packed lunch + two snacks as easily as possible haha 🙂
LikeLike
I’ve got you covered. Here goes:
http://bit.ly/nutfreelunches – a list of nut-free products plus a meal plan to go with it
http://bit.ly/LaLaGranola – granola that’s super easy to make and works wonders as a snack or on top of yogurt
http://bit.ly/LaLaGroceries – 5 days of kid-lunch meal plans plus the grocery list to make it happen
http://bit.ly/LaLaBananaMuffins – banana muffins, great for breakfast or snack or with lunch
http://bit.ly/bananaoatmealbars – banana oatmeal bars – the single BEST breakfast on the go. ever.
http://bit.ly/nohasslelunch – the lunch that can be packed in 4 minutes
Hope that helps and best of luck!
-Gillian
LikeLike
I just hopped over to your blog Gillian! Thanks for the great site, I’ll be visiting again for sure.
LikeLike
Super! Thanks for visiting!
LikeLike
I give him son breakfast at home before preschool and its usually the same things you mentioned (although I do give him peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast sometimes since he can’t have them in school for lunch) but here are some of the things I usually pack for lunch & snack.
Lunch:
Mac & cheese
chicken nuggets
turkey burger sliders
turkey, cheese & crackers
pasta and sauce
Snack:
yogurt
fruit
pretzels
cereal bars
pop tarts
dry cereal
cookies
Hope this helps!
LikeLike
Check out Katie Morford’s blog and her book Best Lunchbox Ever. I have found some great recipes in there that we use on a regular basis. Like sweet potato quesadillas.
LikeLike
Do schools allow peanut butter anymore? I was wondering that since so many kids have allergies. Stinks about your daycare! Mine provides all meals too and it’s been awesome.
LikeLike
Yum. Sunflower Butter is a great alternative to peanut or any other “nut” butter. Trafer Joe’s has a great verson.
LikeLike