Dear readers I need your help! My 3 year old has discovered lunchables and thinks they are the greatest things in the world. Several children brought them to VBS this summer and by the end of the week I caved and let him bring one too. Seriously, how bad could turkey, cheese and crackers be right..... apparently pretty bad. After reading the ingredient list I realized how little actual turkey, cheese and crackers were in the lunchable. We won't even discuss how many of the ingredients I could not identify. So, my wonderful readers.... please tell me there is something out there that will appeal to him just as much as these yucky things, because there is nothing worse than having to explain to your three year old that lunchables are not a healthy choice and than fear he will go and condem everyone at the table for eating unhealthy food. Besides, I don't want to give the boy a complex, just some none chemical, nitrate filled food.
Please share with me ideas! I am deseperate!
ps... those cute stinkin' little lunchable jr's that have food already chopped to the perfect size for my little one are just as bad and I finally thought I found something super easy to take with us when we are out!
13 comments:
Hi Steph,
It's your "old" buddy Jennifer O.
I have an idea of course it's not "easy" but make your own using a Pencil box with his name on the pencil box. Using healthy choices from you frig!! It's the packaging he likes don't you think???
Jen
This got me thinking...what would I do? - use ingredients from my frig/pantry. Trader Joe's sells a nitrate-free, preservative-free deli turkey and then add organic whole wheat crackers and some organic cheese. Maybe even use a cookie cutter for the meat and cheese to make fun shapes. For the packaging, I would take him shopping for a super cute little lunch box. :)
I would love to hear if there is something already pre-made out there, but I haven't seen it.
Steph,
I'm in the same boat. Ds loves them and I'm trying to wean him off them.
Lois
I try to make my own with hormone free turkey and real cheese! I cut the turkey and cheese up into bite sized pieces and put it in an older Gerber baby food package.
I had thought about that girls but didn't think about the cute container. I just saw that Target had some cute lunch containers in the dollar spot for back to school with spider man, cars, princesses and hello kitty, maybe I need to pick some up and try making my own! I have some tiny Pampered Chef cookie cutters that would totally work!
I think you've gotten some good ideas on packaging healthier things. I just wanted to sympathize on fearing your child will condemn others ... I face that all the time now. We're vegetarian, and Maggie has started to ask, "Why does so-and-so eat real chicken and we don't?" It's really hard giving her an explanation that doesn't seem like we're judging meat-eaters. Same with Maggie's little friend who asks me all the time, "Why don't you let Maggie drink Coke?"
I'm finding that the parenting things I thought would be hard aren't so much. It's these things I wasn't prepared for that are more challenging!!!
Okay I do not have this problem yet (far from it), but understand your concern. I think making your own with Charlie would be fun. Now here is a link I found (b/c I love doing internet research). http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=173874 The lady used a small sewing box. Not as cute as the Target ones you mentioned, but if you cannot get those perhaps Charlie would have fun decorating a plain container with stickers and such. Let us know how it goes-curious!
Going from the lunchables idea, I've made my kids Bento. It's cute and fun and I think that's the appeal of lunchables.
There are a few sites online that feature Bento ideas and instructions.
By the way, great blog - Connie and Heather at JacksHarvest told me about you. :-)
Have you tried doing Bento lunches? Fun containers (CVS has some with smiley faces for $1.50 each) that you fill with lunch items. In this case you could use a silicone cupcake holder for the sliced meat, another for sliced cheese, and add in some crackers and a little sucker or something. Voila. Healthier. Cheaper. ;)
carrie and bargain babe-
Thanks so much for your comments! I am totally going to do this. Readers beware.... we are going to get "bento" on this blog in the next few weeks! What a great idea for back to schooL!
what great ideas. love the bento idea and the cute litle princess box....i picked up one of those $1 Target ones last week! maybe that will spruce up lunchtime around here!
Can't wait to see pictures of your bento lunches!!! I'm tracking ideas now for my almost a toddler!!!
This link is cool:
http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/look/look-bento-toddler-lunches-031010
- Kate
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