https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 04:15:38 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2380556 Mon, 07 Dec 2015 14:37:27 +0000 JoJoGirl 2380556@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You've gotten a lot of tips already, but I pack the same thing for lunch every day - daycare actually encouraged us to do so, saying kids like predictability and routine, so that assuages my guilt a bit :)</p> <p>- protein (either leftover grilled chicken, frozen TJs chicken fingers, cut up sliced lunch meat, or a cut up hot dog) - not thrilled about how processed a lot of it is, but I've come to terms with it as a working mom ;) If we have protein leftovers from dinner, she'll get them.</p> <p>- veggies (cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and carrot sticks almost always)</p> <p>- one HB egg</p> <p>- a cheese stick</p> <p>Sometimes I'll throw a few crackers in there, but I find if I do, she'll eat them and nothing else. This way I don't care which of those options she eats, they're all mostly filling and healthy :) I bought a pack of bento box tupperwares from Amazon with 3 compartments. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2380552 Mon, 07 Dec 2015 14:34:24 +0000 jape14 2380552@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Canoli: It's the target "simply balanced" brand. it comes in a blue box. I think they're in the canned fruit/veggie aisle. here it is on the target website: <a href="http://www.target.com/p/sb-butternut-squash-veggie-add-in/-/A-21541588#prodSlot=medium_1_25" rel="nofollow">http://www.target.com/p/sb-butternut-squash-veggie-add-in/-/A-21541588#prodSlot=medium_1_25</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2380543 Mon, 07 Dec 2015 14:28:33 +0000 Canoli 2380543@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Love all these ideas. I'm getting in a lunch making funk! </p> <p>@jape14: in what aisle did you find the butternut squash purée packets? What brand are they. I looked for them at Target yesterday and couldn't find any. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2377439 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 20:03:46 +0000 jape14 2377439@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are in a nanny share but I pack a lunch for DS (15 months) every day. We have a yumbox bento box that I use to pack his lunch. He doesn't seem to care if things are cold so as far as I know, our nanny serves him lunch cold. Some favorites are:</p> <p>- diced up veggie burger (there's a random brand from Costco that is his absolute favorite or Dr. Praeger's is good, too)<br /> - diced up chicken or turkey sausage (I love the applegate farms chicken apple sage breakfast sausage)<br /> - diced up meatballs (usually homemade which I freeze for later; usually with some shredded zucchini for extra veggies)<br /> - diced up roasted/grilled chicken or low-sodium deli turkey<br /> - bread/english muffin/bagel pieces with PB, hummus, or cream cheese<br /> - non-messy pasta (I make a combo of ditalini pasta with peas/broccoli, pureed butternut squash which they have packets of at Target, and some kind of cheese. it's not messy when it's cold and the ditalini is really easy for little hands to pick up!)<br /> - random veggies: broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, peas<br /> - veggie/potato cakes (the Dr. Praeger's brand - he likes the broccoli/potato and zucchini/carrot/broccoli ones. I think they have them at TJs, too)<br /> - cheese<br /> - any fruits (sliced) but especially blueberries, pears, clementines, or grapes</p> <p>I also usually send an extra piece of fruit (banana or clementine), two pouches (one yogurt-based and one veggie-heavy), and a snack catcher with cereal (chex, cheerios) or annie's cheddar bunnies. He doesn't usually eat all or even most of the extras but when he's going through a growth spurt they come in handy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2377216 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 16:08:17 +0000 gingerbebe 2377216@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We serve my son lunches at home that are super fast to reheat or chop up - like under 5 minutes to prepare max - so I think they will translate fine when we send him to daycare in January. He finger feeds and we feed him neater foods (i.e. nothing sauce-y or stuff that falls apart like orzo).</p> <p>- Diced up chicken sausage, meatballs, chicken nuggets, Canadian bacon, breakfast sausage, shredded rotisserie chicken meat, and sliced hot dog.<br /> - Sticky rice rolled up into balls (sometimes with egg or avocado or some tiny diced meat or veggie mixed in)<br /> - Mac n cheese (made the day before so it clumps into bites)<br /> - Bites of omelet or quiche<br /> - Peas and carrots, corn, canned green beans, broccoli<br /> - Blueberries, cut grapes, clementine sections<br /> - French toast or pancake bites<br /> - Bites of cheese pizza cut up<br /> - Bites of PBJ<br /> - Rinsed whole beans, like black beans or garbanzo beans</p> <p>If he's home, I'll heat it up a little, but he doesn't seem to mind if its cold either. None of these things take more than 30 seconds to heat up in the microwave anyway. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2377131 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 15:20:57 +0000 Mae 2377131@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Champagne: added!</p> <p>@psw27: thanks!</p> <p>@Anagram: i'll have to check that out! I was hoping to pack the night before because i'm going to be getting up really early as it is for this job (i'm working an adjusted schedule to go in early and leave early). But if I make it part of my routine maybe not that big of a deal. </p> <p>@avivoca: thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2377119 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 15:15:12 +0000 avivoca 2377119@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For the (very few) days I have to pack her lunch, I send her with deli lunch meat (ham or turkey), cheese, one slice of bread, applesauce, and either a fruit strip or a piece of fruit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2377116 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 15:13:26 +0000 Anagram 2377116@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: We use the bento thermos so it keeps the food hot 6 hours or so. So I pack it the night before and keep it in the fridge. In the morning while I make my coffee, I heat water in our electric kettle (it boils in 1.5 minutes) and pour that into the thermos for about 10 minutes while I'm getting ready. I come back later at some point and microwave the lunch until it's all hot, and then dump the water and put it all in the thermos. Hot till lunchtime!</p> <p>I do the same for breakfast, since she eats at daycare and we usually pack hot breakfasts like oatmeal, eggs, pancakes and sausage, etc.</p> <p>We have this one: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SL-NCE09-Bento-Stainless-Steel-Vacuum/dp/B0016S7MJM/ref=pd_sim_79_4?ie=UTF8&#038;dpID=41MrkK8ESyL&#038;dpSrc=sims&#038;preST=_AC_UL160_SR115%2C160_&#038;refRID=1VM29B3R069MBQBP4C3N" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SL-NCE09-Bento-Stainless-Steel-Vacuum/dp/B0016S7MJM/ref=pd_sim_79_4?ie=UTF8&#038;dpID=41MrkK8ESyL&#038;dpSrc=sims&#038;preST=_AC_UL160_SR115%2C160_&#038;refRID=1VM29B3R069MBQBP4C3N</a></p> <p>I pack breakfast in the bottom and lunch in the middle, with the afternoon snack in the top compartment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2377112 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 15:12:21 +0000 psw27 2377112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Some things I send for LO:<br /> Avocado chunks<br /> crackers/tortilla chips<br /> turkey and cheese (he doesn't really get the idea of sandwiches yet)<br /> leftover chicken<br /> meatballs<br /> yogurt<br /> fish sticks<br /> any and all fruit (all he wants to eat lately anyway...) </p> <p>I don't really make him a traditional "lunch" like an adult would eat (sandwich, snack and fruit or whatever) I just let him sort of graze on a few small things. He doesn't like pasta or rice, so that eliminates a huge option! Also, I think my son eats all of this stuff cold, I've never asked if they heat it? But it doesn't seem to bother him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2377105 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 15:09:18 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2377105@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: I follow @bitesfortots on Instagram and she posts good ideas.<br /> Congrats on finding a job! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2377097 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 15:05:53 +0000 Mae 2377097@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: she does have a lovey she is obsessed with and sleeps with. She is allowed to take it for naps, which I am THRILLED about. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2377022 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 14:34:41 +0000 lemong 2377022@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Like @Anagram, I usually pack leftovers (sometimes they'll be from 2 nights ago), but pasta and rice are always favorites, along with bagels. One thing I do sometimes is make a large batch of meatballs and freeze them. I'll send them for lunch and they'll usually have defrosted enough overnight and during the morning (lunchboxes are not put in the fridge - we usually put in an ice pack to keep things cold) so that reheating them is easy. Frozen veggies are also great since they also defrost - shelled edamame, broccoli, peas, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2377004 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 14:29:16 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2377004@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following. I have to pack dd's preschool lunches and need new ideas. No microwaving there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2376996 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 14:26:32 +0000 snowjewelz 2376996@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love our little lunchbot with a divider and using those silicone baking cups as separaters! We usually give her a meat/veggie leftover from dinner, and then a fruit. </p> <p>Does she have a lovey? DD is 12 mo and we pack her lovey. I have no idea if it helps (I should really ask the teacher if she uses it for nap or not...). We're 2 months in but DD loves going! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2376993 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 14:25:19 +0000 Mae 2376993@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@runnerd: No they do not provide lunch. They DO provide snacks, although I'm welcome to send extra (and probably will send an extra pouch/day, but thats easy). </p> <p>@Anagram: great ideas! do they heat the meal? or does she eat it cold? I'm trying to decide which would be grosser, possibly dried out over-heated meatballs or cold ones. ya know? Lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2376938 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 14:04:04 +0000 Anagram 2376938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well, my toddler does eat leftovers pretty well, so I tend to pack leftovers from dinner for her lunch the next day (so she doesn't eat the same thing in a row, since breakfast and a snack are in there). I use a bento style thermos and pack her breakfast, lunch, and a snack plus her water and milk cups.</p> <p>I typically pack some kind of meat main and two veggies or 1 carb/1 veggie.</p> <p>Like:</p> <p>fishsticks, green beans, and broccoli<br /> salmon, broccoli, and potatoes<br /> butternut squash pasta with meatballs<br /> cut up Italian sausage, rice mixed with veggies<br /> rotisserie chicken, peas, and cauliflower<br /> a hamburger patty cut into bits, with corn and a veggie patty<br /> two egg omelette with broccoli </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2376934 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 14:01:02 +0000 runnerd 2376934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do they not provide lunch? We send extra snacks like yogurt or string cheese, but they provide lunch.</p> <p>In the past I have sent salmon, shredded chicken, baked beans, and rice as extras.</p> <p>ETA: pretty much any fruit would be easy to send! Although some would be better if daycare will chop up when serving </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/packing-lunch-for-toddlers-and-other-daycare-tips#post-2376931 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 13:57:49 +0000 Mae 2376931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So I'm going back to work full time starting in January. My LO will be 19 months and she is going to a daycare center. It will be her first time being watched by anyone other than us or my mom. </p> <p>My first focus is on what to pack her for lunch every day. I always cook her lunch at home, generally hot stuff, so packing is foreign to me! They will heat things up if I ask them to though, so that is nice. My LO is not big on leftovers so I need to think of stuff that she can eat herself without much management (she is not great with utensils), and that is either cold or will reheat well. And of course stuff that doesn't take too long to prepare for her lunch. </p> <p>Any tips/what do you pack for your kids? </p> <p>I also welcome any other general tips about being a daycare mom :) </p>