Wondering what to pack for lunch now that your child is starting preschool? Well, so have I and in a moment of brilliance, I asked all my smart mommy friends who already have kids in school. Below is a list of their contributions. It’s especially helpful if you, like me, find that your kids aren’t interested in sandwiches yet.

Main Course (sandwich alternatives)

• Sandwich Roll-Ups – Flatten bread or tortillas, spread with whatever, roll and slice to show spirals. May freeze slightly to make slicing into wheels easier.
• Raisin Bread Fingers – spread with cream cheese, may add apple & dates.
• Graham Crackers – spread with cream cheese or peanut butter or topped with cheese, raisins & app
• Meat Spread – combine 1 c finely chopped cooked beef, chicken, turkey or chicken livers and 1 c chopped celery or onion in a bowl. Add 2-3T mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

We make “homemade” Lunchables. I use a biscuit cutter and cut out rounds of bologna, thick sliced ham or turkey. I also cut out rounds of cheese. I put these in round, small Tupperware containers and then put crackers in a separate container.

• Leftovers that are ok chilled or room temp – pasta/mac n cheese/ cut-up chicken and rice
• Hummus and lettuce sandwiches
• Egg salad, light cream cheese on wheat bread (sometimes with jelly)
• Cooked chicken nuggets or sliced hot dogs  (only when past choking age) in a thermos with a side of ketchup
• Greek salad (grape leaves, olives, feta cheese with chopped lettuce
• Whole wheat pasta with chopped broccoli, olives, feta or parmesian cheese, touch of oliveoil
• Whole wheat pasta with chopped egg and a touch of mayo
• Lox, tomato and cream cheese on a whole wheat bagel or the english muffin;salmon salad on whole grain bread or on lettuce
• Ham or turkey and cheese, cubed, with wheat crackers

My youngest son loves cold pasta (after seeing my first child eating it I know a lot of kids started bringing it to preschool too)…I make wheat elbows or rotini and top it with a little parmesan cheese

• Mini whole wheat pitas or bagels filled with: – cream cheese and jelly- cream cheese and smoked salmon- cream cheese blended with raisins- peanut butter and banana- jam and banana- egg salad
• “Cracker sandwiches” with stone wheat crackers and turkey or peanut butter
• Breaded chicken cutlets (leftover from dinner) cut up and cold for lunch
• Small yogurts (the mousse kind by Danon sticks best to the spoon for less mess but only comes in vanilla)

In the winter I sometimes give them Chicken Noodle or Tomato soup in a Thermos (I didn’t start this until Kindergarten).

Snacks/Veggies

• Celery Sticks, Carrot Sticks, Bread Sticks, Pita Wedges or Rice Cakes spread with- peanut butter- cream cheese, raisins & sunflower seeds- cream cheese blended with apples and dates- a creamy dip or dressing- hummus
• 1/2 of a pitted avocado… I just squeeze a little lemon on it and send it in with a plastic spoon.
• Ants on a log: celery sticks stuffed with peanut butter or cream cheese, with a few raisins on top
• Cucumber sandwiches – sliced rounds with cream cheese in the middle
• Steamed broccoli or green beans (so they’re softer but still crisp) with Ranch or Caesar dressing or hummus
• String cheese, pretzels, goldfish, chewy granola bars, peanut butter crackers, yogurt or yogurt drinks (these can double as main course items if yours is picky like mine)!
• Sliced carrots/peppers with a side of Ranch dressing if they want it
• Raisins
• Graham sticks (Earth’s Best)
• Trader Joes rice and seaweed snacks and soy chips (high protein, low fat)
• Trader Joes dried apple rings or dry mango
• Veggie Booty, Pirate Booty
• Shelled edamame is a fun vegetable.
• Stonybrook Farm smaller sized yogurt smoothies
• Baby Bell cheese (cute and fun for them to unwrap the wax covering)
• Corn nuts, sesame sticks, yogurt covered raisins for fun snack
• Veggies fries or pita chips

Dessert/Fruit

• Cut up strawberries dusted with powdered sugar (they LOVE these), peeled apples with caramel (individual caramel sold in produce dept.- especially this time of year).
• Any kinds of berries in season
• Dried fruit: apricots, raisins—even prunes! I also pack cut up pears

I also find that any fresh fruit that is cubed and served with a toothpick for eating goes over well. It is the toothpick that is magical, I believe.

• Pudding snacks
• Rice crispy treats (pre-packed), sweet snack items
• Mini-packaged applesauce
• Cookies: Fig Newman’s, ginger snaps, chocolate chip cookies, Nilla wafers
• Mini muffins
• Homemade oatmeal cookies
• Fruit bites

Drinks

• Milk
• Small bottled water or low-sugar, high vitamin/calcium juice box/drinks
• Lemon or grapeade juice box (no sugar added)
• Apple or grape juice
• Chocolate milk (this always makes my daughter happy!)

Enjoy!