Picky eaters, what do you pack in the lunchbox?

[parkwoodmama]

My 6 year old is extremely picky.  I'm getting tired of packing the same old things.  PB&J's, chips and a capri sun.  Does anyone have any better ideas?  What do you pack in your child's lunchbox?

[rjroberts]

Everyday almost I send, plain yogurt, ham, reduced fat Pringles, milk.  Occasionally we mix it up and she gets fruit yogurt, turkey and milk, sometimes apple juice.  I used to be able to send tuna (no mayo, of course) and plain yogurt, but a couple of her school buddies complained to her that the tuna stunk so she won't let me pack that anymore.  So my options are down to just the few things listed above.  I hope one day she will grow out of this!

[SouthernSAHM]

Both of mine are also pciky eaters.
My daughter will not eat bread , so forget any type of sandwich.
I buy the chicken nugget lunchables. I peel back the plastic over the  nuggets and microwave them for about 30 second on a papertowel. They are really hot. I wrap them up in the papertowel and then in a piece of aluminum foil. I stick it back in the Lunchable compartment and tape it shut.She eats this almost everyday and tells me they are still warm at lunch time. I add Cheez its, or Bugles or Chips and she buys Chocolate Low Fat Milk to go with it. Occasionally she will take Yogurt or I will Freeze Gogurts and stick in there with some Cheese crackers and Graham Crackers.

My son will eat no lunchmeat at all. He gets either  Cheese Crackers or PB and J Crackers, or a PB&J sandwich ,chips, a container of apple or other fruit sauce and either apple juice or a sunny D. Sometimes I add some mini marshmellows.
He will buy his lunch on days they have Hamburgers or Pizza.
SInce both of mine eat breakfast and they also get an afternoon snack at school, I don't stress too much over the contents of the lunch box as long as it is something they will eat.

[aehanrahan]

I was a very picky eater.  I wouldn't eat jelly (still don't), so I just had plain peanut butter sandwiches.  As I got older, I would take some soup in a small thermos.  I also had plain turkey sandwiches.  There wasn't much of a variety, but that's what I would eat.  When I got to high school, I would take the lunch minus the sandwich (I got really sick of them by then) and I would buy something at the cafeteria.

[crazy4this]

I pack whatever they'll eat.  But... with my middle son one of the things that has worked well with him is leftovers.  If he likes dinner from the night before, he gets first dibs on the leftovers, spaghetti, pizza, tacos, etc.

I also found with him that he's more likely to eat it if he helped make it.  Here are some things he's willing to eat:

most fruit (when I pack a banana, I use a felt or ballpoint pen to write a message about eating everything in his lunchbox on the peel... he loves it)
go-gurt (but not yogurt in a cup)
dry cereal (Cheerios mostly)
PB crackers
Cheese and crackers
hotdogs (especially if they're cut like an octopus)
popcorn
goldfish

Try replacing chips with a snack mix that you make together.  I put in cheese-its (or goldfish), raisons, pretzel sticks, and a FEW mini-oreos or M&Ms.  I have gotten to the point where I don't have to put the chocolate in anymore.  If he doesn't like raisons, try dried cranberries, or start with fruit snacks and move into something healthier.

They also make jello cups, and flavored applesauce.  All pre-packaged.  My kids don't really like canned fruit, but for some reason, they like mandarine oranges.

Another little tip.... when you go to McDonalds, get the apples instead of fries and save the apples for lunches or snacks.  THey keep for several days and they're already peeled and sliced for you... E-A-S-Y!

One more thing:  Have you tried encouraging him to buy hot-lunch?  Sometimes carrying money in their pocket is pretty fun for that age.

[zachandcody]

I believe my son is the king of the worst.  He is so picky I'[m surprised he's still alive.  I pack PB&J, a snack, and juicy in his lunch and won't eat anything.  He says the sandwich gets smooshed.  Sometimes he will eat fruit snacks.  He goes on "kicks" where he'll eat only ABC's and 123'a but now he won't eat them because the can is different.  Can you believe it.  He'll only eat pineapple pizaza from Dominoes or papa johns.  He will only eat chicken nuggets from Wendy's or mcdonalds.  Anywhere else they are nasty\.  If you get any good ideas please share them with me because I am having a terrible time getting him to eat.

[fireandice]

I remember peanut butter and jelly always being in my lunch as a kid.It was sooo gross when lunchtime came around the sandwich was smashed and the jelly would always soak in to the bread.Yuck!My son is very thin for his age and although I rarely pack lunches anymore. I'm considering going that route again.His weight worries me and I wonder if he's eating his "hot" lunch from the school cafeteria.Any suggestions?

[crazy4this]

Have you tried "Uncrustables"?  They're actually pretty tasty and they're frozen, so they don't get smooshed very quickly.  THey thaw out as the day goes on.

They also make sandwich keepers... little plastic things to protect the sandwich instead of ziploc bags.  I've never used them, but I imagine that's why they make them.

Another thought about sandwiches, what about letting the kids make their own sandwiches?  Just send 2 pieces of bread, maybe put the PB on it, then send the jelly to school with a plastic knife or popcyle stick for spreading.  I have sent leftover pancakes with my daughter.  I put syrup in a ziploc bag and used a sharpie marker to write on the bag "Please snip the corner of the bag and squeeze out syrup".  I don't have to write it on the bag anymore b/c her teacher knows not to try to open the baggie... too messy.  I guess you could probably do the same thing with jelly.