https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:49:13 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690833 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 11:31:01 +0000 gingerbebe 2690833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've been making these rice/egg pancakes for lunch lately. Basically it's cold brown rice and chopped cooked veggies and meat, bound with egg and cheese and pan fried in little tablespoon portions. The best way I can describe it is like if you added egg and cheese to your leftover fried rice and turned them into patties. They taste just as good at room temp and I send it with a packet of ketchup and he gets all his food groups in one bite. I send it with an ice pack in an insulated bag with some fruit and baby carrots and call it a day! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690814 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 11:09:33 +0000 irene 2690814@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSRS: Pasta salad is a great idea! Thank you!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690808 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 11:05:17 +0000 irene 2690808@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: I wouldnt have thought about it too until I read this article from a friend on FB this morning:<br /> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/01/16/science-says-to-put-a-frozen-drink-in-your-kids-lunchbox/?utm_hp_ref=au-homepage" rel="nofollow">http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/01/16/science-says-to-put-a-frozen-drink-in-your-kids-lunchbox/?utm_hp_ref=au-homepage</a></p> <p>So apparently bacteria still grows when we have an ice pack. It grows "less rapidly" than the food just left out with no ice pack. I wonder if anyone research about thermo food being kept hot, because apparently my mom never thought about that when she was packing lunch for me back then lol</p> <p>@SweetiePie: Thank you so much! I will definitely check out this freezable lunch bag !! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690806 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 11:02:23 +0000 MrsSRS 2690806@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Pasta salad (rotini or tortellini, mini pepperoni, diced veggies, olive oil, parmesan)<br /> Mini bagels with cream cheese<br /> Pinwheels (tortilla, cream cheese, lunch meat, veggies wrapped and sliced into spirals)<br /> Hummus and veggies/crackers/pretzels </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690804 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 10:59:19 +0000 SweetiePie 2690804@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's not a food idea but I wanted to share this lunchbox with you since you said pack with an ice pack. I love this and no extra ice pack needed! Works wonderfully. Tons of colors/patterns. </p> <p>PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag with Zip Closure, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HJ8DG5M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Lt1KybPB42BRS" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HJ8DG5M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Lt1KybPB42BRS</a></p> <p>As for ideas, would he be ok with more like a snacky lunch?<br /> Yesterday I did a bento box with blueberries, carrots, peppers, ranch, chick peas, slivered almonds (I know you said no nuts) and multi seed crackers. He loved it for the variety and it was easy and lots of nutrition. No need to heat and not messy (could skip ranch and do hummus instead, mine doesn't like it but he likes whole chick peas). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690803 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 10:57:34 +0000 winniebee 2690803@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: I've never once thought about bacteria growing in there...it's sealed shut and the food goes in hot. Our school leaves all items in the lunchbox and I have an ice pack in there and my kids have never complained that it is too cold. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690802 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 10:56:03 +0000 irene 2690802@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: Thank you so much -- that's a good point!</p> <p>@winniebee: I will read in more detail but oh wow, I forgot about the option of thermos!!! I used to pack lunch in thermos when I was a kid. Now I am wondering would bacteria grow even when the food is kept hot/warm? And do you heat up the food in the morning, put it in thermos and send it off? Would the teacher know not to put it in the ice chest? Very interesting idea :D </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690793 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 10:39:31 +0000 winniebee 2690793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I pack lunches every day for school and there's no heating up of things for them either. I pack 4 items in each lunch box. Typically one fruit, one snack, a yogurt, and a main dish. My kids are 4.5 and 2 and while they have different fruit preferences, I otherwise pack them the same lunch.</p> <p>Examples of Main dish:<br /> - Deli sandwich or deli roll up<br /> - Slice of cold pizza (my older actually prefers it cold anyways)<br /> - Leftover pasta in a thermos<br /> - Meatballs or sasuage in thermos<br /> - Leftover beans, meat and rice in thermos<br /> - Soup in thermos<br /> - Grilled cheese (my kids don't mind it room temp)<br /> - Cheese quesadilla<br /> - Tuna salad (in just a cup)<br /> - English muffin with sunbutter</p> <p>*the key to the thermos is to fill it with hot water and then wipe it down and fill it with the hot food to keep it warm</p> <p>Examples of "snack":<br /> - Carrots &amp; Hummus<br /> - Pita bread &amp; Hummus<br /> - Cucumber slices &amp; Hummus<br /> - Goldfish<br /> - Cheez-its<br /> - Pirates Bootie<br /> - Veggie Stix<br /> - Cheese Stick<br /> - Muffin<br /> - Cereal bar<br /> - Granola Bar </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690791 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 10:32:44 +0000 PinkElephant 2690791@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: My DD is picky - she basically just WANTs to eat sunbutter &amp; jelly or turkey &amp; cheese sandwiches at school. I try to mix up the "bread" of the sandwich...whole wheat bread, multi grain crackers, bagel/english muffin, rolled in a tortilla like a pinwheel. Same fillings, different delivery - it makes a few options seem like a whole lot more. </p> <p>What about cream cheese and fruit or veggies as a filling? I wouldn't want that (or deli meat), sitting out ALL DAY til dinner time, but for a few hours with an ice pack, I think you're fine. I'd even do yogurt, with the right ice pack. There's a ton of protein in Greek yogurt </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690773 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 10:05:50 +0000 irene 2690773@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: Thank you! I will look into that!</p> <p>@T.H.O.U.: @Bao: Thanks!!! Cold meatballs and cold pizza. Sounds so sad lol but i guess that will be what I'd be doing in the middle of that 3 months.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690770 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 09:55:55 +0000 Bao 2690770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Cold pizza, a wrap, cheese meat and crackers, bagel... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690769 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 09:55:01 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2690769@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Cold meatballs if they will eat that. </p> <p>Also we do frozen yogurt tubes and they dethaw by lunch nicely </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690767 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 09:54:35 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2690767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What about a carrot/zuccini type muffin? </p> <p>Cheese cubes and sliced ham with crackers </p> <p>Lunch meat and cream cheese "roll up" on tortilla </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690764 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 09:51:31 +0000 Mamaof2 2690764@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Don't have any lunch ideas but get a Pack It lunch bag - you freeze the entire bag and it stays cold all day! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-summer-camp#post-2690761 Thu, 02 Feb 2017 09:38:51 +0000 irene 2690761@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I need kids lunch packing tips / ideas and recipes... if you don't mind to share!</p> <p>I am thinking of summer camp and this is pretty much the common set of rules:</p> <p>- There will be no fridge. I will pack lunch with an ice pack;<br /> - Lunch boxes will probably be placed in a "shaded area in a 'not-very-cold' ice chest";<br /> - No heating up available;<br /> - No nuts, of course;<br /> - Ideally no mess, but I've talked to one director and they said they allow utensils.</p> <p>All I can think of is sandwiches and sandwiches... cold sandwiches too, and some fruits and salad, that's it. I am not a big "sandwich maker" so I don't know what else to make other than sunflower seed butter + jam , and grilled cheese! It would be so boring and non-nutritional.....</p> <p>Any ideas, recipes and tips to share for a variety of lunch ideas that can last us through summer? Thank you! </p>