Kid lunch ideas?
July 10, 2024 10:58 AM Subscribe
Camp lunches must be nut-free and unrefridgerated for likely 3 hours. My kid lives off of PB/Nutella and jelly so I’m stumped for lunch ideas.
My kid doesn’t eat deli meat or hummus. They love cheese but only cold from the fridge (didn’t eat the cheese stick that has been out for an hour, but I could try an ice pack?). They generally like rice/beans, quesadillas, fried rice, pasta but usually only fresh and I’m worried about it being out for 3 hours.
My kid doesn’t eat deli meat or hummus. They love cheese but only cold from the fridge (didn’t eat the cheese stick that has been out for an hour, but I could try an ice pack?). They generally like rice/beans, quesadillas, fried rice, pasta but usually only fresh and I’m worried about it being out for 3 hours.
Any issue with using a seed butter like Sun Butter? There's also Trader Joe's (and homemade options) for chocolate hummus that might tempt them.
posted by annaramma at 11:05 AM on July 10 [10 favorites]
posted by annaramma at 11:05 AM on July 10 [10 favorites]
See my previous question on this subject for more ideas.
posted by number9dream at 11:20 AM on July 10
posted by number9dream at 11:20 AM on July 10
rice/beans, quesadillas, fried rice, pasta
Maybe we were ignorant and it was all terribly dangerous but growing up (and honestly, to this day) those were all seen as things that could go in a lunchbox or otherwise be out for a few hours. Three is not very much.
But if you're worried, just use ice packs.
posted by trig at 11:22 AM on July 10 [2 favorites]
Maybe we were ignorant and it was all terribly dangerous but growing up (and honestly, to this day) those were all seen as things that could go in a lunchbox or otherwise be out for a few hours. Three is not very much.
But if you're worried, just use ice packs.
posted by trig at 11:22 AM on July 10 [2 favorites]
That said, are these lunches going to be out in the sun or in uncooled environments the whole time, and if so what are the temperatures where you are?
posted by trig at 11:23 AM on July 10
posted by trig at 11:23 AM on July 10
Seconding sun butter and ice packs. These were standard packing items over the last decade as my children attended day camps. If possible, pack in insulated bag/lunch box. Sometimes brown bags are required and those stink for keeping things cool.
I made my own ice packs using a zip-lock-style sandwich bag with a dampened kitchen sponge (from Dollar Tree) in it. I zipped shut, then folded over the zipped section and taped it (duct tape maybe?) to "seal". I would then place into a second bag, zip it, then lay flat in freezer to freeze. Put two or more per lunch bag each morning. Since they were homemade, I wouldn't care if they got lost. I prefer the manufactured ice packs as they are thicker, but finances were tight and my kids would often forget things.
For snacks I often purchased pre-cut, pre-packaged apple slices. Most kids like these and they seemed to survive with an ice pack. Baby carrots would, too, and they liked getting a snack pack pudding (include disposable spoons!). My kids sometimes ate the snacks instead of the sandwiches. Nothing wrong with the sandwiches, but finger food was preferable. I made sure to feed and hydrate them asap at pickup, though, just in case.
posted by bacalao_y_betun at 11:31 AM on July 10 [2 favorites]
I made my own ice packs using a zip-lock-style sandwich bag with a dampened kitchen sponge (from Dollar Tree) in it. I zipped shut, then folded over the zipped section and taped it (duct tape maybe?) to "seal". I would then place into a second bag, zip it, then lay flat in freezer to freeze. Put two or more per lunch bag each morning. Since they were homemade, I wouldn't care if they got lost. I prefer the manufactured ice packs as they are thicker, but finances were tight and my kids would often forget things.
For snacks I often purchased pre-cut, pre-packaged apple slices. Most kids like these and they seemed to survive with an ice pack. Baby carrots would, too, and they liked getting a snack pack pudding (include disposable spoons!). My kids sometimes ate the snacks instead of the sandwiches. Nothing wrong with the sandwiches, but finger food was preferable. I made sure to feed and hydrate them asap at pickup, though, just in case.
posted by bacalao_y_betun at 11:31 AM on July 10 [2 favorites]
Sunbutter and honey sandwiches are a staple in this households since kiddo's school is nut free. I've had one myself and it's delicious. Just make sure to put a post-it on the lunch box that it's sunbutter and that there are no peanuts or other nuts.
Other solid options are pasta salad, jelly sandwiches, pita and hummus (as long as there are no sesame allergies), or a ploughman's lunch.
Definitely try an ice pack. There are thin ones now that don't take up as much space as those in the past.
posted by donut_princess at 11:31 AM on July 10
Other solid options are pasta salad, jelly sandwiches, pita and hummus (as long as there are no sesame allergies), or a ploughman's lunch.
Definitely try an ice pack. There are thin ones now that don't take up as much space as those in the past.
posted by donut_princess at 11:31 AM on July 10
Get a thermos designed for hot food (such as this). Cook some rice and beans, fried rice, or pasta, and store it in the fridge. In the morning, microwave it until it's super hot, then transfer it to the thermos. It will still be warm at lunch. (From experience: have your child tighten the lid, because you want it to be tight, but not so tight they can't open it themselves.)
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 11:31 AM on July 10 [10 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 11:31 AM on July 10 [10 favorites]
Soy nut butter (roasted soybeans, basically) might be an alternative if sunbutter is not a hit.
posted by pullayup at 11:43 AM on July 10
posted by pullayup at 11:43 AM on July 10
Will your kid eat hard-boiled eggs? That would work with an ice pack.
posted by FencingGal at 11:51 AM on July 10
posted by FencingGal at 11:51 AM on July 10
We gave our son lots of rice and bean burritos, and also went for about a year giving him breakfast burritos" scrambled eggs, beans, cheese, salsa. Pack it up with an ice pack and it's good to go, and very nutritious.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 12:14 PM on July 10
posted by Winnie the Proust at 12:14 PM on July 10
Put a bottle of water in the freezer, pack with lunch to keep stuff cold and also be a beverage when melted. My son liked homemade iced tea, so I’d freeze that.
Every few days, put something new in, to work on expanding options. Meanwhile, wheat crackers, cheese, wraps, etc. A baggie of sliced veg and a small container of ranch was always popular.
posted by theora55 at 12:25 PM on July 10 [2 favorites]
Every few days, put something new in, to work on expanding options. Meanwhile, wheat crackers, cheese, wraps, etc. A baggie of sliced veg and a small container of ranch was always popular.
posted by theora55 at 12:25 PM on July 10 [2 favorites]
Ice packs are great, especially with modern insulated lunch bags, and even better if you put the bag itself in the fridge or freezer too. The only serious requirement is not having something sit at over 40 degrees for over 4 hours, assuming it's not shelf-stable in the first place (bread, tortillas, fruit, chips, etc).
You can absolutely freeze the low fat/skim mozzarella string cheeses and they will still be a little frosty when they eat it, which sounds like it might be a plus.
What will they graze on when cool or room temp? Sunbutter and jelly will work if that's it, but you should try some slightly outside-the-box stuff to expand your options. How about cold pancakes or waffles, pasta salad, egg/tuna/potato/chickpea salad? If not deli meat will they eat meat-meat if it's cold and snacky? Like meatballs, sliced smoked sausage, rotisserie-type chicken or grilled skewer-y chicken? Cold pizza?
Smoothies? Fruit pouches are probably too much for-babies but applesauce or yogurt? You can slice your own apples and keep them from browning with some lemon juice, but you can also make it silly by adding some halved berries so they stain the apples. Even easier are sliced peaches or plums, while it's stonefruit season.
And then there's the packaged options: granola and similar bars, cookies and chips, baggie of dry cereal or granola or pretzels. If the prime goal is to just get some calories into the kiddo so they don't collapse before the end of the day, do that and worry about boring old nutrients for breakfast and dinner.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:11 PM on July 10
You can absolutely freeze the low fat/skim mozzarella string cheeses and they will still be a little frosty when they eat it, which sounds like it might be a plus.
What will they graze on when cool or room temp? Sunbutter and jelly will work if that's it, but you should try some slightly outside-the-box stuff to expand your options. How about cold pancakes or waffles, pasta salad, egg/tuna/potato/chickpea salad? If not deli meat will they eat meat-meat if it's cold and snacky? Like meatballs, sliced smoked sausage, rotisserie-type chicken or grilled skewer-y chicken? Cold pizza?
Smoothies? Fruit pouches are probably too much for-babies but applesauce or yogurt? You can slice your own apples and keep them from browning with some lemon juice, but you can also make it silly by adding some halved berries so they stain the apples. Even easier are sliced peaches or plums, while it's stonefruit season.
And then there's the packaged options: granola and similar bars, cookies and chips, baggie of dry cereal or granola or pretzels. If the prime goal is to just get some calories into the kiddo so they don't collapse before the end of the day, do that and worry about boring old nutrients for breakfast and dinner.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:11 PM on July 10
For camp my kid gets sun butter and jelly sandwiches with a side of cut veggies, and snacks are fresh fruit (cut or whole depending on ease of eating), and sliced cheese with pretzels or crackers or leftover/ overnight oatmeal with dried fruit. Kept cool with a slim ice pack that fits in a mesh pocket in her lunch bag.
posted by carrioncomfort at 1:21 PM on July 10
posted by carrioncomfort at 1:21 PM on July 10
Vanilla yogurt with ice pack ?
posted by St. Peepsburg at 1:38 PM on July 10
posted by St. Peepsburg at 1:38 PM on July 10
For what it's worth, where I live I often buy saran-wrapped sandwiches from open-air kiosks that have been sitting around unrefrigerated since around 6am. Summer highs here are in the low-mid nineties. I usually buy them around 12-2pm, sometimes later. This is a normal thing that people here do. Sometimes if I have to be outside for a long time I'll carry them around with me and eat them in the late afternoon or even evening, with no cooling. Contents have included: omelets, hard boiled eggs, egg salad, tuna salad, pastrami, salami, various vegetables, mayo, aioli, butter, cheese. The only ingredient that ever seems a bit off later in the day is sliced tomatoes.
posted by trig at 2:00 PM on July 10 [2 favorites]
posted by trig at 2:00 PM on July 10 [2 favorites]
Unpeeled hard boiled eggs keep several days at room temp. I can buy them in my local shop as picnic eggs, they are not refrigerated in the shop and I don’t refrigerate them at home.
The kind of cold meats one finds on a charcuterie board are fine at room temp for a few hrs - things like salami, dry cured hams etc.
Nthing the idea of snack foods if your child will eat them. Fruit and veg are generally fine at room temperature.
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:53 PM on July 10 [1 favorite]
The kind of cold meats one finds on a charcuterie board are fine at room temp for a few hrs - things like salami, dry cured hams etc.
Nthing the idea of snack foods if your child will eat them. Fruit and veg are generally fine at room temperature.
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:53 PM on July 10 [1 favorite]
Tahini (sauce) might be a good substitute for nut (butters), if your kid will eat it.
DIY pita pizza.
Veggie burger.
Leftovers.
BBQ jackfruit (you can buy this prepackaged) or chickpeas.
Baked beans and toast. Avocados and toast.
Bagel and cream cheese. Mac & cheese.
posted by oceano at 6:50 PM on July 10
DIY pita pizza.
Veggie burger.
Leftovers.
BBQ jackfruit (you can buy this prepackaged) or chickpeas.
Baked beans and toast. Avocados and toast.
Bagel and cream cheese. Mac & cheese.
posted by oceano at 6:50 PM on July 10
I have a 6 year old kid with similar issues. I pack a lunch bag like this (LL Bean Lunch Box) which is insulated and put in an ice pack and it keeps everything super cold for most of the day. Some things I pack in there include Baby Baybels, Laughing Cow Cheese, pretzels, popcorn, raisins, dried mango, strawberries and other fruit, whole bananas, etc. Since I can keep it cold, I pack cold pasta salads such as pesto pasta made with pesto without nuts and buttered egg noodles. Another tack on sunbutter is dark chocolate sun butter sandwich which is quite good. Since this lunch bag is so cold with the ice pack, you can also pack ham & cheese, turkey & cheese, etc.
posted by ichimunki at 7:21 PM on July 10
posted by ichimunki at 7:21 PM on July 10
Sunbutter is gross. My kid won't eat it and neither would I. He likes wowbutter and I would tolerate it if I had to. But you can also go the other way and send a hot lunch instead get an omie box which comes with a thermos (or just a thermos) and send a hot lunch like chili or rice and beans. My kid would eat chili or rice and beans every day if I could get my act together every day to send it.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 7:14 AM on July 11
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 7:14 AM on July 11
His usual sandwich bread with....
- flavoured cream cheese + something sweet, like jam, honey, or sliced strawberries
- thick layer of salted butter + shaved chocolate (use a veggie peeler on a chocolate bar)
- my kid likes straight up MAYONNAISE on bread and I'd feel totally safe with it out of the fridge for half a day- (the issue with mayo salads spoiling is more about the bacteria growing in the high-protein high-surface area medium of shredded meat or fish)
posted by nouvelle-personne at 2:11 PM on July 11
- flavoured cream cheese + something sweet, like jam, honey, or sliced strawberries
- thick layer of salted butter + shaved chocolate (use a veggie peeler on a chocolate bar)
- my kid likes straight up MAYONNAISE on bread and I'd feel totally safe with it out of the fridge for half a day- (the issue with mayo salads spoiling is more about the bacteria growing in the high-protein high-surface area medium of shredded meat or fish)
posted by nouvelle-personne at 2:11 PM on July 11
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posted by SaltySalticid at 11:05 AM on July 10 [3 favorites]