Challenge #4 - Lunch box Challenge, all welcome!

[pinkscrapbooker]

Love the laptop lunchbox for my daughter as she is a nibbler. They aren't cheap to buy in Australia, but have just had a US friend bring me some more. BPA free, and very flexible combinations. Like the sound of the portable oven, might have to investigate one for the kombi

[cookie1]

We take ours away with us in the caravan. That is actually the purpose it was originally bought for.

[pandateddy]

My kids are at high school now and they don't take lunch to school. They don't buy it either. The newest thing is that they don't eat it at all ! They keep telling me that no one at school eats lunch there anymore because its not cool. Its pretty sad that the high schools are not doing anything to encourage the kids to eat lunch.
However, I do know that the books from "Chef Laurent" have some great lunch ideas. He runs a school canteen and they use a thermomix to make a lot of the items they sell in the canteen.

[judydawn]

That's the first I have heard that pandateddy although I guess I don't know any high school kids at this phase of my life. How can growing children not want to eat    OK I can understand them not wanting to take a packed lunch but I would have thought buying it was not so uncool.  How's their appetite for the evening meal?

[CreamPuff63]

once you taste good food how can you not enjoy eating it? kids! my son would never eat breakfast preferiing to eat it at school and buy his lunch. I gave up harping on - he had heard all the lectures - cost me an absolute fortune and then he turns around and starts eating breakfast and lunch when I kept my mouth buttoned up. Sometimes I think you need to tell them whats good for them, but then you have to leave it up to them to make the right decision and think its their own doing. Then again I don't know cos they are all different.

[pinkscrapbooker]

Sounds like sage advice cream puff. We had some success with a velcro chart that all owed the children to choose a set number of foods from each food group. Used the pictures that non verbal kids use to communicate, they were allowed unlimited vege cards, lots of fruit/meat/dairy serves and only two portions of treat food. Having now read sweet poison, lots more food would have to go in that group, and i would be less strict about salty chips etc. It's all about balance with kids isn't it!

[Zan]

I've just blogged the last 2 weeks of the girls school lunch boxes (took a record in case I got to the new year with no ideas on what to make them, lol, as I'm always looking for inspiration - they just don't do sandwiches etc.)
Fairly indicative of their usual lunches, though with xmas chocolates, lol.
Just the lunches not morning teas or fruit.
http://thermomixmeals.blogspot.com/ (there are three posts)

[sue_h]

Thanks everyone for some great ideas. DH and I usually take left overs and fruit. Kids have 4 small compartments in their lunch box that I fill with whatever is on offer,
fruit,
vege's and dip
wraps,
sushi,
zucchini slice
cheese
grated apple/carrot salad

and if we have biscuits/cakes then something from there as well.

I'm going to love lunches next year with the TM. It makes cooking a breeze and a joy to create new interesting snacks. I'll be calling on some of the recipes and sites suggested above.

[judydawn]

Check out Chelsea's blog for some ideas for lunchboxes  http://fulllittletummies.blogspot.com/

[Yvette]

My sons high school doesn't have a canteen they have a cooked lunch everyday so I don't have to worry about sending food.

[nazar]

wow  what amazing ideas that you ladies  have , thanks to everyone who has posted them .

l never heard of bento lunches or had seen there lunchboxes before
but l had thought that there must be a better idea than the lunchboxes l buy from bigw that break after a few months  which annoys me  as l live 2 hours drive from big w
 l will be getting the bento ones through the link you sent
thank you  with these ideas and you ladies not so far away { on the internet ]  that lunches never need to be boring again
 

[judydawn]

I have to agree nazar, this forum has a never ending supply of great information.  Glad you are having a read of different topics and picking up some good ideas.

[astarra]

OK I know this is an old topic, but probably one alot of people could find VERY handy... I just wish I had have seen it years ago!! I've been making a packed lunch for DH 5 days/week for nearly 7 years now, last year eldest DD started Kinder so she had 3 packed lunches/week, this year in Prep needs 5/week...! Am loving the ideas on here, and just wanted to thank everyone who has posted them!! Hope others find it handy too, especially at the start of another school year.