In a couple weeks my two year old will start a 2 day a week kids-day-out program. I still help him eat and often spoon feed him messy items (like yogurt). What are some good & healthy lunch items I can send with him to school? I know I'll pack some fruit every day & crackers or pretzel-fish, but I'm not sure what else packs well & stays fresh for lunch, other than PB&J. Please share with me your experience as to what works well and what does not. Thanks!
I sent my daughter a thermos last year with spaghetti and mac cheese.
You got some great ideas. Ditto on the lunchable-type lunch. That was my girl's favorite, but I'd just make it myself. They also love raisins. Another favorite are these freeze-dried fruit crisps you can get at Costco. No extra sugar, not hard to chew and they come in single-serve bags. Very healthy but my girls call it their chips!
I don't think that you are going to be able to pack PB&J, most MDO out programs do not allow peanut products =(
I would suggest maybe packing the squeeze yogurts (like go-gurt) they aren't to messy, maybe you can even freeze it so it is a little cleaner. String cheese, fruit, just some lunch meat with cheese (no bread, my daughter eats it better without the bread), rotisserie chicken cut up, maybe even apple sauce if you think he won't be to messy.
Good luck, my daughter starts MDO for the first time this year. Cannot believe that my baby is going to school, they grow up so fast.
At 2 years old, it won't take long for him to learn to eat with a little less mess especially in an environment where he can see others doing it; just make sure he always has an extra set of clothes. I would work on spooning and teaching him to use a napkin as much as possible at home. Most places do not allow peanut products, refrigeration, or anything that needs to be heated.
I usually send a lunchable with my daughter who is 23 months, I buy the kind without the cookies in them or make it myself.
I also add some fresh fruit or carrot sticks and a sugar free juice box.
Some other things I've sent with her,
apple sauce, cheese sticks, bananas, grapes, fruit cup, cherry tomatoes, graham crackers, I just try to keep it balanced. I could use some more suggestions too.
My girls went last year & loved it. . . now my oldest is going to kindergarten :o(.
Here are some of our favorites:
PB&J (ours DOES allow it), using a circle cutter from somewhere like Pampered Chef makes it less messy for them to eat it.
cheese toast
cheese sticks, cheese cubes, etc.
crackers w/ cheese & meat: (think lunchables, but cheaper if you just do it all yourself)
turkey roll-ups: turkey & cheese rolled together & heated - really easy to eat!
My kids love the squeezable yogurt and the drinkable smoothie yogurt is good - you could send a straw to make it less messy.
Quesadillas - with or without meat!
Bagged fruit & veggies like carrots are great!
