Sent: 08 Sep 86 14:37 To: JAMACA_BILL @CHICAGO Subject: Suggestions for preschooler's lunches The reply file will be in \prune.$em2.toddler.lunches, but so far, I've just gotten pleas from parents such as yourself to share what replies I get. So look in a day or two--even the end of the week! Your message cracked me up--that's exactly the lunch I send for my daughter. Maybe she's perfectly happy with it! Let's hope there's some ideas floating around out there. I had a few from my office mate--a pasta salad, baby shrimp with a ketchup dip (fancy!), egg salad, chicken or tuna salad...maybe hot dogs from a health foods store so you don't get the load of salt and chemicals. I'll keep collecting ideas. Stay tuned. Anne -------------------- REPLY 08 Sep 86 13:40 From JAMACA_BILL @CHICAGO Suggestions for preschooler's lunches ANNE, THE REAL TRICK IS GETTING THEM TO EAT GOOD FOOD. MY DAUGHTER HAS A "P.B.J", FRUIT, MILK AND COOKIES FOR LUNCH EVERY DAY...ANYTHING ELSE IS POLITELY RETURNED IN HER LUNCH BOX AFTER SCHOOL. LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS!! BILL -------------------- Sent: 08 Sep 86 14:34 From: BURKHALTER_ROBERT In Reply to: 08 Sep 86 13:01 From LEWIS_ANNE 3:Help! Need ideas for preschooler's lunches! Hi, I'm big on vegetables for lunch. Tomatoes, avocadoes, mushrooms, celery, lettuce. I don't know if that goes over too well with kids tho. I'm also big on carrot juice for lunch. Oh, green bell peppers are nice. bob. -------------------- Sent: 08 Sep 86 16:24 From: MASSUCCO_JOE @SUPPORT Subject: Suggestions for preschooler's lunches Why not try Cheese and crackers (no...I do not place Velvetta and American "Cheese" in this category). A nice cheddar or swiss would be nice, and the crackers could be Low-Salt Wheat-Thins or Triscit. Very nurishing and healthy. - Joe - -------------------- Sent: 08 Sep 86 16:46 From: BATE_SIMON @SNAX Subject: Suggestions for preschooler's lunches Suggestions for preschooler's lunches Try peanut butter, tofu, and raisin sandwiches. 1:1 Peanut butter and Tofu Sprinkle raisins over it. Add Bananas or honey for excitement (or a Jalapeno pepper). S -------------------- Sent: 08 Sep 86 17:37 From: ALEXANDER_MARY Subject: Help! Need ideas for preschooler's lunches! Hi Anne, Packing lunches...that's one of those jobs that is so fun the first time or two....luckily the groceries are coming up with some products that we need. One of the things I've found is that you don't have to pack a wild variety each week (one year, my daughter insisted on having clam chowder and crackers three times a week!) Also remember that the preschool most likely gives them fruit and vegies for snacks. Here are some things that are easy to pack & are pretty good for the kids, too. In the canned fruit section of the grocery, one of the applesauce makers has come out with a package of six individual servings of applesauce. They need no refrigeration. Also, Dannon makes little 4oz sizes of yogurt that come 4 to a pack. These are handy items to toss into the lunch for something extra. My kids really like Kraft singles. somedays I give them 2 or 3 slices and some crackers instead of a sandwich. don't forget that Kraft also makes those little deals with the cheese, plastic spreader & 4 crackers all packed up together. I've also invented "baloney roll-ups" which the kids are just wild about -- lay down a slice of baloney, a slice of cheese, and roll 'em up! Then stuff it in a baggy, and presto, a baloney roll-up. ...ummm, what else...little box juices, raisins, grapes, bananas. If you have a bit of salad left over from dinner, it will make great finger foods for lunch the next day. So will dinner rolls. My son has a carrot fetish, and loves those. For awhile, both the kids wanted a small pickle almost every day, but that's worn off now. They also went through a hard boiled egg phase. There are also some good canned soups on the market. Hope this helps! Mary -------------------- Sent: 09 Sep 86 07:35 From: MARTIN_JUDY @CANADA Subject: Suggestions for preschooler's lunches breads - portion pack saltines/ritz/breadsticks/mini-melba toasts/ cocktail-size specialty breads, dinner rolls.... - also oatmeal cookies, ginger snaps etc because they're not all that high in fat/sugar and they go well with cheese & cream cheese - muffins milk - commercial pudding in a cup (surprising how easy little hands can open the stuff) - they stand up well at room temperature quite high in sugar unfortunately, but for a treat.... - wax-covered baby gouda & edam. The wrap is easy to remove unlike the foil-covered process cheese portion-- and if all else fails, the wax is used as playdough. ("well, I don't really like the cheese, so I throw it out. But buy more because I love to play with the wax"-- I don't buy more) - freeze the tetra-pack individual packs (white or chocolate) if it's lunch, otherwise good and cold will still be cool by mid-morning - skip the milk - use juice tetra-packs instead. slightly more expensive, but oh-so-convenient veg-fruit - dried fruits - cut-up fresh fruit (finger-size), dipped in (lemon-juice, ascorbic-acid, citric-acid, "fruit-fresh") and water mix to prevent browning - a handful of those "trail-mix" concoctions or granola meats - I'm a bit wary about anything that may not be refrigerated especially with mayonnaise (like tuna or egg), but... pepperoni sticks, cubes of cooked meat, devilled eggs, crisp, fried bacon cheese slices, peanut butter & banana, peanut butter & bacon Will you make the file available? I have 2 in full-days and lunches get boring for them too. They seem to go on streaks - peanut butter for weeks on end, then when I'm all stocked up on the stuff, they hate it. Judy Martin ------------ Sent: 09 Sep 86 08:27 To: LEWIS_ANNE @PRUNE Subject: Help! Need ideas for preschooler's lunches! My wife, Sandra, uses a book called, "Feed Me I'm Yours" as a reference for this kind of stuff. I believe you can get it from most any library. Rex -------------------- Sent: 09 Sep 86 08:34 From: CARLSEN_RICK @TSII Subject: 1:Help! Need ideas for preschooler's lunches! Not to worry--kids that age will let you know what they like. They usually won't eat what they don't like. It's fair to try good things--but ask the kid. Medical studies show that kids usually know what they want and what they need. I recommend keeping a selection of fruit available, along with other foods that are considered "good". (My generation was forced to eat spinach--now we find it is not good for kids. This generation favors broccoli--what will we learn about it?) I would recommend lots of Pasteurized (NOT homogenized) milk and milk products if you can find it. --------------- SENT: 86-09-11 16:53 FROM: DECOU_CANDACE @MFG SUBJECT: Help! Need ideas for preschooler's lunches! Anne, I know the feeling. I have two kids for whom I have to come up with creative ideas every day. One of the favorites is left-over pizza. I buy a large size and put individual slices not eaten in freezer bags. They thaw out by lunch time and most kids love the stuff cold. I also tend to buy those little 'cheese n' cracker' snacks that are just the right size for lunchboxes. Celery with p-nut butter is also good to put in sandwich bags and send along. Winters make time for home-made soup which can be frozen and later re-heated and put in those swell thermos bottles for them. This is also useful for left-over spagetti or any other hot-meal which can be quickly warmed in a microwave and sent off with them. Left-over chicken is a real favorite. Add a little fresh fruit or some sort and their set. My kids don't drink milk, so I also buy all those little can of juice and send one along. That avoids having two thermos bottles. Make sure to keep lots of plastic baggies around and little plastic spoons or forks. Kids tend to loose lots of stuff, so don't send real silverware if you can avoid it. Hope this helps a wee bit. Candace ------------------ SENT: 86-09-12 08:47 FROM: GOLDMAN_MARC @EASY SUBJECT: Suggestions for preschooler's lunches ANNE MY WIFE DOES THINGS LIKE CUT THE BREAD FOR SANDWICHES IN THE SHAPE OF HEARTS, OR CUTTING SMILEY FACES OUT OF THE BREAD. IT DOES NOT CHANGE THE CONTENT, BUT DOES GIVE SOME VARIETY. -------------------- SENT: 86-09-22 14:17 FROM: WYMAN_JANE SUBJECT: Suggestions for preschooler's lunches This is hardly news, but those teeny boxes of raisins used to delight Jed.... j --------------------- SENT: 86-09-24 16:00 FROM: WALTERS_CHARLES @TSB SUBJECT: Preschooler's lunch suggestions Hello Anne, This is in reply to your 8 September request for preschooler lunches. The following is from my wife: Cupertino Natural Foods (by Mervyn's) has a boxed noodle & cheese dinner that's a favorite with our youungster. Cream cheese and cracker sandwiches are always fun. Bran muffin mixes from the health food store can be varied with cranberries of banana or applesauce. These are great with cream cheese too. Have you thought of refried beans? (We season Rosarita's with onion & garlic powder & cumin to taste). Our son loves these at room temperature. He's old enough to have a small bag of Frito's for dipping. Shredded cheddar or jack cheese can be stirred in for added nutrition. Cold baked beans (we prefer B & M Brick Oven) are another favorite along with S & W "natural style" sliced cling peaches (cut smaller). Substitute a smoothie in a kid's thermos or flavored Kefir (cultured milk) for a real yummy energy boost. Smoothie - (Good for quick breakfasts too). In a blender: 1 egg 1/2 cup yogurt (plain or vanilla or whatever) 2 or 3 big scoops vanilla ice milk 1/2 cup orange juice 1 TBsp "Naturade" NRG Natural Protein Powder (don't forget the straw) ---------------- Printed by: LEHEY_GREG @ESSG Sent: 25 Sep 86 19:36 From: LEWIS_ANNE @PRUNE To: DL.COSIG @ESSG Subject: COSIG: Toddler lunches reply file I just wanted to tell all you parents out there that a pretty respectable reply file has been built by now from the slow dribble of replies. It's in \prune.$em2.toddler.lunches, and I thought I'd let you all know about it, in case you wanted a look. Additionally, if a light goes on your head while reading these ideas, please send them in. I'll add them to the file. We all need to share our good ideas!! Thanks to all contributors. Anne