Lunch Ideas - Bellevue,WA

French toast, waffles, cereal, fish sticks, soups, cheese, crackers and pepperoni, buttered pasta noddles & butter, pizza, veggies & ranch dip and a fruit smoothie....
Mix it up--don't cater to the "picky"O., that only makes them stay picky!

Sometimes it's not about what you serve but how you serve it. My daughter is a picky eater too, I bought some seasonal cookie cutters. I use tortillas and bread and cut fun shapes out of them. Grill cheese is ok, grilled cheese in the shape of a bunny, heart, or mickey makes the sandwich so much better. I use the veg and fruits to decorate. Even a snowman with a carrot nose can be fun.

Quesadillas. I love to take tortillas and sprinkle cheese on it, pan fry on both sides (or microwave but it makes it tough and not as good esp when it's cooled) until cheese is melted then slice into wedges and enjoy. My son gets some for his school lunch now and then, often with a little container of salsa/sour cream to dip in.

Pasta.

soup?

Biscuits/crescent rolls with some meat/cheese baked inside.

Lightly buttered egg noodles are easy with a veggie or fruit like applesauce or peas. Without going all-out-casserole, you could also toss some tuna or canned chicken in if you want a protein.

Burritos just made with refried beans, soft taco shells, some shredded cheese, and maybe some salsa for the veggie are also good--you could tear up the burrito and mix stuff for the younger one or let them have fun rolling their own wrap.

I agree with the idea of making extra when you are making dinner and serving it as lunch the next day. You can also do things like fresh fruits, veggies, with yogurt for them to dip it in.
How about scrambled eggs with cheese in it? Pancakes, waffles, you can make those really inexpensively and you could put some fresh fruit on them or in them...instead of butter and syrup. You could have fun witht those...make them on the skillet to look like mickey mouse...use raisins to make a "face"....grilled cheese sandwiches and soup...Try putting things together in new and different ways just to make it interesting....take lunch meat and roll it around a piece of cheese, or cut the sandwiches into "finger sandwiches".

Costco chicken nuggets, hot dogs, spaghetti and meatballs, celery and peanut butter, cheesey rolls (tortillas rolled up with shredded cheese). Quesadillas too..... My son and I also eat leftovers.

One thing my son likes a lot (2.5 yrs) is to dip his food. So try a 'dipping day' where you have lots of finger foods (crackers, broccili, carrot, celery, red bell pepper, chicken nuggets, etc) and various dipping sauces (ketchup, ranch, honey mustard, herbed mayonaise, etc.) I bet if the boys get to squirt them and help out, they'll enjoy it more.

Checked out a recipe book for toddlers written by Anabel Karmel. Found videos of hers on youtube, plus she has her own website with some recipes. She writes recipes for children to help prepare. Found one for chicken dippers that we all really like.

Good luck!

Wow that Hillbilly housewife website has a ton of ideas.Thanks Scarlett! Reminded me that eggs are cheap. Beans too. Make bean soup. Make deviled eggs (let the boys help). Or when you do your dipping day, have egg bites to dip. Or also, with eggs -- do breakfast for lunch and make scrambled eggs and toast w/ pb.

My daycare children love simple things. Whole wheat crackers and Colby cheese or string cheese, with a few fruits and always milk (this a qualifying USDA Food Program meal).

I do some of our family meals (me, hubby and teen daughter), and make extra for daycare the next day...like veggie beef soup in the crock pot. Make some refrigerator biscuits or buttered bread or other rolls and a fruit side and its a meal for us.

Also spaghetti. BIG fave here. I just do a LARGE jar of sauce (prego or other)...and add some chicken or hamburger to it for the protein item. Serve the kids, then add more stuff to it for my family meal that night (we like mushrooms, garlic, green pepper and onions in it...doctor it up more). Kids also like other noodles here...like medium shells or wagon wheels or bow ties. Its a cheap meal and covers the nutritional components with some fruit or a veg on the side.

Pasta salads? Things to dip? Sandwiches made with wraps can be fun (like pinwheels looking). Meat and cheese melted in Crescent rolls. Home made pizzas on English Muffins (just need more of the jar spaghetti sauce, mozz cheese and whatever toppings they will eat. Most of mine just want the cheese, so I get whats on sale or that I can get in double packs at Sam's Club.

For inexpensive, if you can get them to eat casseroles or whatever YOUR family eats...just make extra for a few days a week..and do sandwiches/modified sandwiches/crackers and cheese meals in between. You can do it fairly cheap. I can feed 7 extra kids for little more than my family eats a week...milk is the biggest cost!

Our daycare provider makes lunches for our children and it is included in the tuition, so you may want to consider asking her to either send lunch or "up" your fee if it's really a concern! Otherwise, the idea of making extra at night and then portioning the leftovers out throughout the week (so your son isn't eating the same thing two meals in a row every day) is great!

Our provider serves:
- chicken tenders
- lasagna
- mac and cheese
- fish sticks
- chicken legs
- pizzas
- spag & meatballs
- "breakfast" of eggs, waffles or pancakes
- soups
**She always serves two veggie/fruit choices along with a glass of milk. ** My little guy has better lunches than I do most days and eats like a horse there! She makes it all homemade, but will make a huge thing of lasagna and freeze what she doesn't need for the day and then have enough for 2 more meals for the kids.

what about leftovers, e.g. pasta from night before?
Lavash bread >> do a turkey roll up sandwich..

I think even though the 4 yr old is a picky eater, it's still a good idea to keep introducing new and different foods.. it's easy to think that kids only will eat pbj/mac and cheese (esp since that is sometimes the case) but I also think it's the case because that is what they are fed. (no judgements) that is just an overall observation with my own friends..

anyway, what about tuna or Grilled chicken with rice (can also be done as a left-over..or risotto... turkey burgers, humus with pita chips as a snack. Fresh steamed greenbeans served with quesadillas,
lasagne (veggie or meat)
mini meatballs (turkey or beef) in sauce with rice or pasta

a lot of this stuff can be done beforehand , in which case, all you need to do is heat..

I wish you the best

Basted eggs with a little salt and pepper and toast to dip in the yolk

fat free bologna and cheese

box mashed potatoes with melted cheddar on top (also very good on top of a piece of bologna)

chicken nuggets, fish sticks

chicken noodle soup (lots of fun shapes, etc, or make your own for lots cheaper...can make at night and keep for days in fridge)

Roll Ups - put turkey or ham on a tortilla with cheese and ranch dressing, roll it up and slice it into pinwheels and serve with toothpicks or just cut it in half and let them eat it with their hands. You could substitute cream cheese for the regular cheese and ranch. You can also add shredded carrots, thin sliced cucumbers, green peppers, red peppers, etc.

Pasta - pasta comes in so many shapes, sizes and colors (my daughter loves alphabet/number pasta). You can add cubed ham, chicken or turkey, diced peas, carrots, red or green peppers, etc. Add a little butter and parmesan cheese.

Cheese Pizza on a Tortilla - let them help make their own pizza. You could put a spoonful of pizza/spagetti sauce on the tortilla and let them spread it around and put their cheese on it. Pop it into the oven until the cheese melts.

Quesadilla (which is really just a variation of grilled cheese), soup (served in sippy cups with straws), tofu cubed, veggie burgers, hot dogs or veggie corn dogs, hard-boiled eggs, mini bagels with cream cheese...

Mains
_______

- Leftovers from dinner

- Brunch for Lunch

Sammies:
- Egg Salad (hard boiled eggs + mayo + mustard. TJ's has eggs for under $1.69 per dozen... best price I've found, locally except during sales at Safeway/QFC)
- Chicken Salad (chopped up rotisseri chicken -WHY is it that already cooked chicken lately is less expensive than buying a chicken raw?? + mayo + onion + chopped up apples)

- Trader Joes has a lot of bagged frozen food (like orange chicken for $4, or teriyaki chicken... we just put the sauce on the side for dipping) which lasts for several meals.

- Chicken Corn Dogs or Turkey Hotdogs (okay, not super healthy, but better than the alternative by far)

- Soups (for toddlers; soup part strained into a sippy cup... solids on plate). Udon (a japanese noodle soup) has also been a huge hit amongst kiddo's friends over the years.

- Quesadillas (for that age, BBQ Chicken Quesadillas were a huge hit around here. BBQ sauce on tortilla. Shredded cheese. Left over chicken. Optional onion/tomato/cillantro. Under the broiler for about 20 seconds. Fold in half. Cut with pizza wheel).

- Fettucini Alfredo with broccoli (optional, add chicken).

- Meatballs (we get the "party" meatballs from TJs) with or without spaghetti

- Yogurt Parfet (yogurt + fruit + granola)

- Quiche (make it up the day before and just reheat OR... I tend to make crustless quiche in giant muffin tins to make individual mini quiches. Kids usually love putting their own toppings in their quiche before baking. Typically takes about 20 minutes to bake

- Chopped Salad (another each kid puts in what they want into their salad. Even down to putting the salad in a large tupperware container and having them shake shake shake to get the dressing coated)

- Baked Potatoes w/ _______ (chili poured over the top is one of my son's favorites)

Sides (aside from straight fruit/veggies which you've mentioned)
_____

- Applesauce + cottage cheese (stir together)
- Above, separately
- French toast (bread dipped in egg and sauteed, super easy warm side)
- Tatertots/frenchfries (I prefer the ones from whole foods... they used to cost less than QFC et all, now they cost about the same)
- Mashed potatoes
- Apples (cut up) w/ peanut butter on them
- Carrots boiled in chicken stock
- Stuffing w/ hard boiled egg
- Butter noodles

Pizza Toast

Use bread, sub rolls or whatever, add cheese, tomatoes, cooked chicken (use can if you want quick) spinach and toast it in oven until cheese is melted

Sphagetti and cheese - Cook sphagetti, drain, mix with milk, parmesian cheese, cheddar cheese, add some vegetables (green peas and corn works well with this)

Check out weelicious.com She has some good ideas on there. Also you could ask your sil to start bringing food for her kids to eat a few days a week to help with the cost of food.

Yogurt with fresh fruit chopped in (we buy the big 32 oz tub, it is way cheaper plus no added sugar) and mix in any kind of cut up fruit (strawberries, peaches, plums, blueberries etc)

They don't need a 'main dish' and sides - it is fine to serve multiple individual things. We do hummus on veggie sticks, steamed or raw carrot sticks, steamed or raw broccoli, cauliflower, corn, peas, edamame, brown rice cakes, cheese, leftover pasta, canned (or leftover) salmon (in sandwiches or not), chick peas, any kind of fruit, grilled cheese, PB& J, PB and banana is also good (and probably better for you). I wouldn't worry about him being picky - if this is what is served he will soon realize it and start eating when he is hungry.

I have a list far too long to post here =) But, at that age, my kids loved "finger foods". Let them make their own "lunchables" by providing healthy whole grain crackers, sliced lunchmeat from the deli (healthier than prepackaged) and some cheese. Add some carrots and grapes and you are set!

Other ideas:
cheese quesadillas w/ celery sticks and ranch dip
turkey bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwhich with sweet potato french fries
any pasta noodle with garlic and butter

Check out hillbilly housewife (link below) for some low cost lunch ideas.

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/lunchboxfood2.htm

When my kids were little, I found it best to just give a variety of healthy finger type foods...
cheese cut into cubes
left over chicken cut into cubes
lunch meat cut into cubes
crackers - they really like gold fish
apple slices - my youngest used to dip it in peanut butter
my kids wouldn't eat it - carrot sticks, cucumbers
yogurt

My kids also liked chicken and rice or black beans and rice.