https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 01 May 2026 13:51:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1402304 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 21:44:31 +0000 megjay18 1402304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>today was a success! and now i'm making banana muffins to send with him tomorrow, plus leftovers from our dinner tonight (chicken and sweet potatoes). </p> <p>thanks again for all of the advice. maybe we can all keep posting on this thread with what we're packing everyday for inspiration? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1401494 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 16:19:11 +0000 sotofamilia 1401494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think my LO is as old as yours, but he always gets whatever we eat for dinner as his lunch "main course" the next day, plus then I supplement with fruit or a veggie. For example, he had lentils and rice for lunch today with a side of applesauce. I try to balance his diet out over the day, so he had a veggie pouch with sweet potato and a little cut-up leftover grilled cheese for one snack with no fruit. His other snack was banana and puffs (I can still get away with this becuase he's still little! I'll eventually have to give him more for his other snack, I guess).</p> <p>@T.H.O.U.: that's a really great idea! I might start portoning out things like that on the weekend when I'm home, so it's easy to put together during the week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1401477 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 16:13:18 +0000 T-Mom 1401477@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@megjay18: great, sounds like you are covered then! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1401468 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 16:08:44 +0000 megjay18 1401468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T-Mom: I did think about that. However, this is a very small school/day care with only 7 kids. The only allergy they told us about is banana for one girl. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1401451 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 16:02:52 +0000 T-Mom 1401451@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Today my toddler got leftovers:<br /> chicken, mac n cheese, corn kernals, and orange segments.</p> <p>Other popular items are breakfast or italian sausages, bacon, hard boiled eggs, edamame, chicken nuggets, cheese (babybel, cheese stick, cheddar, or mini mozz balls), fruits...</p> <p>@megjay18: you may want to be careful about the peanut butter since many schools are now nut free (my DD has an allergy). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1401368 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:43:23 +0000 megjay18 1401368@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>ok, we'll see how today went when i go pick him up tonight! i gave him a puree pouch (spinach, mango, pear), babybel cheese, green beans, strawberries and then i flattened out two pieces of wheat bread and made 4 pb rollups and 4 jam rollups (a pinterest idea). i kind of wonder if i should have put meat in there too.. but now i kind of think i'm overthinking it. we usually have meat/protein for dinner anyway.....so it's fine? right? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398192 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 13:34:12 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1398192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One thing that helped us was to get lots of small little containers rather than one large bento box that had to be washed each night. On the weekends I will cut up grapes for example and put a small amount in each 1/4 cup container. I can then portion out a weeks worth of an item. Then in the morning, i am just grabbing individual containers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398186 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 13:32:31 +0000 Periwinkle 1398186@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@78h2o: Haha! I'm sure she'll love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398100 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 13:12:47 +0000 Mrs. Bee 1398100@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>check out all the posts under the bento tag -</p> <p><a href="http://www.hellobee.com/tag/bento/" rel="nofollow">http://www.hellobee.com/tag/bento/</a></p> <p>tons of inspiration! and i never do anything cute to the food so i don't think it takes longer than any other lunch. it helps to have a system -- for instance i always pack a protein, vegetable and fruit. sometimes dairy or grain makes it in there.</p> <p>this is what i pack most (aka the kids' favorite foods):</p> <p>protein - hot dogs, breakfast sausage, chicken teriyaki, fried/boiled egg</p> <p>vegetable - avocado, peas, cucumbers, corn on the cob, pickles, olives</p> <p>fruits - well you probably don't need much help there since most kids love fruit</p> <p>I also pack a brothy soup for olive every day (i batch cook those and freeze in individual portions in ziploc bags so i always have them on hand. defrost overnight in the fridge).</p> <p>other things the kids like include:</p> <p>- cheese, yogurt, peanut butter sandwich (or jam, cream cheese, butter), puree pouches, dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, bananas, etc), granola bars</p> <p>good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398090 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 13:08:36 +0000 78h2o 1398090@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Periwinkle: my LO loves hummus but I haven't given her pita - duh! She will love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398086 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 13:07:19 +0000 78h2o 1398086@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I could use help too!</p> <p>I usually send a fruit (berries, banana, mandarin oranges), dairy (string cheese, slice of cheese, cheese quesadilla, grilled cheese, or yogurt), veggie (sweet potato, brussel sprouts, peas, carrots), and/or a meat or protein (salmon, meatloaf, meatballs, chicken, hummus, refried beans)... Sometimes I send a grain/carb as the main dish - like Mac and cheese or noodles and tomato sauce.</p> <p>Specific things my LO really likes::<br /> Hummus + crackers<br /> Brussel sprouts sautéed with a little garlic pieces of ham<br /> Salmon and rice<br /> Homemade pizza<br /> Annie's shells and cheese with spinach or peas<br /> Pasta salad<br /> Meatballs with parm cheese<br /> Bruschetta-like mix of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cubes, and basil<br /> Cereal bars<br /> Quesadillas<br /> Taco salad with beans-shredded lettuce-cheese-tomato<br /> Chicken noodle soup<br /> Soups with the liquid drained out so they can be finger foods </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398079 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 13:03:38 +0000 autumnlove 1398079@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@megjay18: I use a bento box but there is nothing cutesy like cutouts or decorative picks, etc! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398078 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 13:03:17 +0000 Periwinkle 1398078@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Great thread. I will be following as I am always looking for new ideas for our almost 15 month old. I struggle because our caregiver is vegetarian and I try to be considerate of this, even though we eat some meat.</p> <p>One of our new standbys is a mini whole wheat pita with hummus. He loves it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398076 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 13:02:26 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 1398076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do lot sof leftovers. I've done</p> <p>mac n cheese<br /> cheese sticks<br /> cereal/granola bars<br /> fruit cups (so you don't spend all morning chopping fruit)<br /> yogurt cups<br /> shredded chicken from the night before<br /> tomato soup in a thermos with a grilled cheese sandwich<br /> puffs<br /> animal crackers<br /> baked sweet potato fries... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398073 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 13:01:08 +0000 megjay18 1398073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>you guys. this is amazing. thank you!</p> <p>(also i feel like less of a failure for not making cutesy bento boxes) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398071 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 12:59:40 +0000 Freckles 1398071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: It also ensures that they'll eat *something* since they're so damn picky/finicky at that age! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398065 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 12:57:52 +0000 autumnlove 1398065@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Monday- Turkey and cheese sandwich, a clementine, carrots and olives.</p> <p>Today- Bean and cheese burrito, broccoli, strawberries and some boiled chicken. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398055 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 12:54:50 +0000 mediagirl 1398055@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: great minds. I was just looking for that one! Here is a recent blog post, too: <a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2014/01/30/swarm-what-are-your-little-ones-top-3-favorite-meals-for-breakfast-lunch-and-dinner/" rel="nofollow">http://www.hellobee.com/2014/01/30/swarm-what-are-your-little-ones-top-3-favorite-meals-for-breakfast-lunch-and-dinner/</a></p> <p>And she's right. The idea of bentos were overwhelming to me until I realized how easy they are if you don't try to cutesy them up. Just dump the food in the different sections and go. At this age, the teacher just dumps everything on a plate for her anyways so cute points don't matter for us. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398050 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 12:53:19 +0000 Freckles 1398050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>mrs. bee did quite a few bento blog posts. <a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2013/03/21/bento-lunch-inspiration/" rel="nofollow">http://www.hellobee.com/2013/03/21/bento-lunch-inspiration/</a></p> <p>Bentos seem like a lot but honestly they're so quick and easy to put together. My LO doesn't like to eat a lot of one thing so having small portions worked great. I don't do big bentos anymore, but use these: <a href="http://www.rubbermaid.com/Category/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?CatName=FoodStorage&#038;SubcatId=LunchBlox&#038;Prod_ID=RP092020" rel="nofollow">http://www.rubbermaid.com/Category/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?CatName=FoodStorage&#038;SubcatId=LunchBlox&#038;Prod_ID=RP092020</a> with two liners inside. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398044 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 12:52:42 +0000 mediagirl 1398044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@megjay18: Haha smiley faces!! Pipe dream here, too. :) I have been sending these types of lunches since M turned 1:</p> <p>Chicken, rice, sliced apples, broccoli<br /> Grilled cheese, orange slices, peas, crackers<br /> Meatballs, pasta (with or without sauce), green beans, berries<br /> Leftovers from dinner + a veggie and fruit<br /> Pasta with meat sauce + fruit<br /> Chicken salad, slice of bread, fruit and veggie<br /> Hamburger, bun, corn, fruit cup</p> <p>I like using Bento-type boxes so I can put the food into separate cups. It makes it easier to send lots of different types of food. </p> <p>Some grain ideas: rice, pasta, quinoa, crackers, bread, mashed potatoes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-daycare-lunch-ideas#post-1398009 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 12:46:21 +0000 megjay18 1398009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we recently sent our 14 month old son to daycare/pre-school full time. i honestly have no idea what to pack in his lunch. i was trying to do meat/protein, grain, fruit, veggies and dairy in every lunch. however, the teacher told me yesterday not to pack something more "snack-like" such as goldfish because it can get confusing for the kids when snack foods are part of lunch. (bad mom alert...oops). i guess my issue is that my husband and i both work 45ish hours per week and don't have a ton of time to pack super creative lunches with smiley faces and whatnot (wish i did!). what are some quick, easy lunch-like items that i could send? i found some ideas on pinterest for toddler sandwiches but would also like some realistic suggestions. i'll take any help i can get!! </p>