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Kids lunch protein ideas

abc

Veteran

This is the first year I've had to pack the kids' lunches for school. They are 4 and 3 years old. DD (4) eats healthy and tries new things while DS (3) would eat junk food all day if I would let him.

I try to do one item from each category (protein, fruit, etc) so they're getting some mix of nutrients. Sometimes I pack one or two small cookies but I try not to include junk.

The fruit part is easy. Plentiful and cheap here.

Where I struggle is the protein/lean meat part.

I have countless pins on Pinterest, but if anyone can offer suggestions or a list of ideas, I would really appreciate it. I think I get overwhelmed trying to cut to the chase on all of the pins and articles.

I've tried and they like tortilla with ham and cheese (sincronizada) - but I want to limit the ham bc of processing/chemicals.
peanut butter and jelly sandwich - they like it ok
tuna sandwich - the same, not sure how much I need to limit this due to "health issues" of canned tuna
ham and cheese roll ups - ditto the ham thing
sometimes I send a pre-packaged jello but again, trying to send the cleanest, healthiest food I can to set them up with good habits for life.

My eventual goal is to have a list of items I know they'll eat and mix and match, like pick one from each category and GO!

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks a million.

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26 replies

Latest reply was from

Word Lily

Veteran

100 Days of Real Food has great packed lunch roundups; she doesn't rely on meat very much: http://www.100daysofrealfood.c.....l-lunches/

rachylou

Veteran

Is natural ham available in your area? How about chicken? Are eggs too icky? My mom made scrambled egg sandwiches.

Anonymous

What about little bento boxes and give them fruit, crackers, cheese cubes as their protein.

My son 15 was a picky eater, he is my youngest and I wish I persevered with encouraging (forcing? Lol) as he still only eats a couple things.

carter

Veteran

My daughter's favorite lunch was popcorn shrimp (not breaded, frozen then defrosted), baby carrots, strawberries and a nutrigrain bar. She's 23 now and would still be thrilled with this lunch! My son (18) has always chosen a chicken Caesar salad (with hard boiled eggs if I have them) or wrap and a huge bowl of berries over anything else.

I also used dinner leftovers all the time...sliced steak, grilled chicken/turkey breast, meatballs, roast beef, brunswick stew or bbq beef in a lettuce wrap, etc. If you have a good source for quality coldcuts, I also used to make roll-ups with roast beef or turkey. Inside ranged from boursin cheese and spinach to roasted peppers and havarti.

I will say that I was better about feeding my younger child "grown-up foods" rather than only kid-friendly things. He is much more adventurous about trying new foods than my daughter is.

anne

Veteran

One of mine eats cheese in her sandwich, but eggs are a big one for us. I hard boil a big batch of them on the weekend and the kids (and us parents) can just grab them as we need them - my older children make their own lunch,

Also, and depending on if you have refrigeration, how about Rachy's suggestion of chicken? Either small pieces like those wing drumettes or cubes of breast etc.

Nice that you can use Peanut Butter - not allowed in our school which is a nut-free zone, but DD12 has PB on toast everyday for breakfast.

I have to admit, that health risk or not, we do eat quite a bit of tinned tuna. In Australia you can buy little flavoured tins just right for lunches, and now my daughters are old enough to open them themselves, an important prerequisite. I am trying to included tinned salmon in our diet as well (which isn't as nice, so I use it more mixed in with things in cooking).

anne

Veteran

Oh, and if you want gelatine without the sugar and colouring, you can make your own jellies (not that I ever do that for lunches, it is more something my children make when they are mucking around cooking, eg with mulberry juice - we have a tree) Just google it for the gelatine to liquid ratio.

catgirl

Veteran

My son loves salami and Ritz crackers. I send him with leftovers a lot. He is a sophisticated eater so Thai curry is a favorite. Quesadillas? Cheese sticks?

Laurinda

Veteran

Cold hamburgers? (really, they're tasty)
Hummus dip with vegetable sticks?
(if that is high enough protein)

Sarah

For proteins my girls like yogurt, cheese cubes, cheese sticks, hardboiled eggs, turkey sandwich, and left over pasta with meatballs. I heat the pasta to pipping hot in the microwave and send it in a thermos. She says it is still warm at lunch time.

AJ

Veteran

Nuts are a good source of protein.

When my kids were younger they liked peanut butter on hot dog buns with diced apples sprinkled on the peanut butter.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

My favourite Bfast or lunch till date - boiled egg sandwich. It's so simple. Just grate boiled eggs in a bowl, mix a tbsp of mayo, a dash of pepper and mix. Use as sandwich filling.

I also love boiled chicken sandwiches. Boil chicken breast or thigh. (Boneless). Put it in a small mixer. Add salt and pepper. Add cheddar. Grind you'll have a crumbly paste that's great in bread.

As a kid, I had a staple lunch for years - cheese sandwiches. My mom made them with tomato and cucumber slices plus grated cheese and a dash of pepper. I still love those!

Helen11

Veteran

I find the protein part of packed lunches hard, too.
Boiled eggs are usually eaten, especially if there is a little paper twist with some salt and pepper to dip into.
Cold sausages, again with a little container of sauce for dipping.
Baked beans, in a leak proof container with a spoon.
Yoghurt counts, doesn't it?
Or a Cold Fish Finger from last night's dinner...which is a line from a favourite story, as a little joke.

My kids are a little older, and store lunches in a fridge at school, eat in the classroom, and can open all the containers themselves.

Otherwise I think about what they've had over the course of the day, and if that's included scrambled eggs for breakfast I try not to stress too much.

Kristin SF

Veteran

I struggle with this too. I love all the suggestions above. How about edamame? Salami slices? Mini chicken sausages?

abc

Veteran

Had a reply but lost it, grr.

WordLily, I'm open to non meat options as well. Thanks!

RL, the "natural" hams I've seen still have non-naturally occuring nitrates in them (so not that natural in my book). I'm trying not to be super hard core but want to give them the healthiest options within reason). Eggs are not too icky at all.

A, today I sent crackers and cheese. We'll see how well it's received

Carter, I agree re kid vs grown up food. Leftovers are sometimes an option but not always due to the nature of food here (many times a meat with a tomato based sauce, so not really an option for 3-4 year olds) but I'm gonna try to make more foods that have options down the line for second and third meal uses (hope that makes sense).

Anne, eggs and chicken are definitely options. Re tinned fish, I hear you. I'm trying to be reasonable in my approach and not so restrictive. Looks like you're the same. Thanks for weighing in.

AG, yep we do quesadillas (or sincronizadas) and crackers and cheese. I'm gonna try peanut butter with apple slices next.

Laurinda, they haven't tried hummus, need to add it to the list. My DD absolutely loves beans so if I tell her it's made of beans maybe she'll love it, haha.

Sarah, you made me realize something I haven't considered. I've just relied on tupperware containers or ziploc bags, but if I had thermoses it could open a host of other options. They're still little but this could be key in adding more items/variety for me. Thanks!

AJ, I will try that one! Thanks.

Manny, thanks!

Helen11, you have a good point about perspective and the entire day's worth of food. Trying not to stress out! Thanks.

KristinSF, thanks! More good ideas to add to the list.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!

kerlyn

Veteran

A little late here, but another thought. I'll often buy a rotisserie chicken, pull the meat off and use for a variety of meals. My daughter likes chicken salad (just a simple one with diced chicken, mayo, grapes, sliced almonds) in a pita pocket or tortilla. Or how about a little container of cottage cheese (with some mandarin oranges or berries)? For my daughter I usually pack tuna about once a week. She likes it with cheese cubes and crackers.

elpgal

Veteran

This is what I used to pack for my toddler this summer
Yogurt with almond butter and a teeny bit of jam.
Quinoa with chickpeas, almonds and raisins cooked in broth
Apple, pumpkin butter and cheese sandwich

Agree with the thermos idea. We mostly did
Chickpea falafel with hummus
Beans and rice
White bean soup

Gigi

Veteran

My mom often used thermoses for our lunches. They're great for soups. She even used to pack macaroni and cheese this way, but it would be cold by lunchtime, I think because it wasn't liquidy enough. I've heard also of people putting boiling water in the thermos and then adding a hot dog, which would then simmer until lunchtime (I've never tried it myself).

I personally worry about tuna. I went to a natural health practitioner who once told me that the only tuna he would eat was a brand called Oregon's Choice. I think they catch younger tuna than the other places, and as a result, the mercury content is not as high. I've never tried it myself; I just stopped eating tuna. Here's a link if you're interested: http://www.oregonschoice.com/index.php

Anonymous

Heck, I grew up in the pre-peanut allergy days, and took a PB&J sandwich to school every day along with some veggies, an apple and a knife to peel and cut it with (that was before they started telling us we couldn't take knives).

For my youngest DD, I bought a 10-oz. Thermos that can be used for either hot or cold items. It will keep oatmeal hot for hours; that's what she mostly used it for.

Aquamarine

Veteran

Another vote for hummus. If you make it yourself, you can vary the ingredients to craft a customized protein. You can use any beans. Try black beans with some mild chilli powder, for example. Lots of recipes out there.

Also, have you tried quinoa? It's a grain containing protein. Super easy and fast to cook, can be eaten hot or cold. Add mix-ins to taste...sweet or savory!

Anonymous

What about making your own protein bars?

Jules

Veteran

Canned salmon instead of tuna? I haven't looked into it lately, but it was healthier and environmentally friendly a few years ago.

elpgal

Veteran

Another trick we used was to shape food into balls or cut into strips. Plain salmon - no no but a baked salmon ball was a big hit.

Deborah

Veteran

Thanks for starting this thread. I struggle with my 12 year old who is currently a little picky with his food and would junk and carbs 24/7 if I let him. I will be perusing all the comments and suggestions here.

I personally follow a low carb, high protein diet and I have never felt better, so I am trying to help Master 12 to eat in a similar fashion. I put cheese cubes in his lunch box, cut up veg (often carrots), tonight he asked me for some roasted chicken pieces!! He wont eat tinned tuna (I eat it quite a bit) but he will have a ham and cheese sandwich. His lunch doesn't vary much at the moment but maybe after the above suggestions we will have more options.

anne

Veteran

Wow Deb, you have really got me thinking. My 12 year old eats about 4 slices of GF toast and PB a day, ( plus hefty carb serves in the evening meal and sometimes biscuits in the afternoon) and I thought that was fine as she is in a growth spurt and she swims 2 x 90 minutes sessions a week. Now I am wondering. She does eat plenty of vegies and protein too, and not that much junk.

Echo

Veteran

My kids love cold boiled eggs, hummus and veggie sticks (more carrots than anything else, though occasionally celery), and a thermos has been ideal. We use the Thermos brand that comes with a spoon that fold up and fits into the inner lid so they never have to worry about utensils to eat with. They enjoy leftovers (especially soups and stews) and occasionally something from a can (though I try to limit that). My kids will also eat cheese curds and jerky (the homemade type doesn't have all the preservatives and other questionable ingredients) as well as sliced meat from a previous dinner (roast beef, turkey, chicken, pork roast) in a sandwich.

My kids attend a "nut aware" school, so nuts are not prohibited except in certain classrooms, but we try to be respectful and not pack nut butters (though they eat them at home). They love homemade salmon (and most kinds of fish), but won't eat fish from a can.

Anonymous

Another suggestion, if there is an oriental grocery, look for packets of tiny dried fish. Crunchy protein. Children in Japan love them. My son was a picky eater as a child but eats things that gross me out now, so there is hope. Could you make mini-meatballs? They could be eaten cold and dipped into a sauce or plain. Nuts other than peanuts, like toasted almonds or pecans?