Lunch box ideas?

My neighbors daughter has a life threatening peanut allergy. The school she attends is aware of it, but it's not a peanut free school. She was just raised to be careful at school and when she goes to parties and friends homes. At Halloween, we always bought her Starbursts candies and set them aside for any other kids that might have allergies.

Although I sympathize, other kids live on the them, and it's sad the majority is penalized for the minority because parents can't control every situation with kids. Other kids will eat their candy, and most, if not all, are made in plants that have exposure to peanuts.

I disliked peanut butter as kid, though. But I loved cream cheese and jelly sandwiches. My mom used to change it up too with apple butter and cream cheese.

Here is a list I found on-line of peanut butter substitutes.

No peanut butter allowed??

I guess I'll have to home school.

My kids love turkey sandwiches, or pinwheels w/ turkey (tortilla w/ cheese and turkey). I have found you can buy hormel, i think, nitrate free turkey and of course whole wheat tortillas at our house, makes for a healthy lunch. Pita and hummus is another good choice w/ protein.

I haven't ever heard of a peanut free classroom..wow... I guess it is good for those w/ allergies and hard for those w/ out. My pet peeve w/ our school, before we homeschooled, was that they gave candy as rewards.....not what a kid needs to focus at school.

good luck w/ lunch. I hated when my mom gave me soup in a thermos at school-i felt like a dork...but that is a good option too.

No peanut butter allowed??

I guess I'll have to home school.

We were surprised to say the least. It wouldn't be so bad if my preschooler wasn't so picky. This is his first year at preschool so it's been an adjustment. It's not as bad with my first grader, they just cannot have any nut product in the classroom. The teacher is seperating the child with the allergy at lunch.

Daughter only wanted the "Mommy Hates Me" meals, otherwise known as Lunchables. It was okay with me, even though I know it wasn't healthy for her. Somehow making a sandwich at 7 AM was nauseating to me, and wet bread after several hours in a lunch box was nauseating to daughter, even if I packed the bread, meat, mayo, etc., in separate baggies for her to assemble at school. Not to mention my obsession over improper refrigeration.

Frequently I would deliver food to her at school so it would be freshly prepared.

We sort of have the opposite situation going on...

My little guy's preschool is not peanut free (no affected children), but I am severely allergic to peanuts. I've grown up to be very careful, but even so, there have been more incidents of accidental peanut contact in the past year than in probably the last 10 years prior combined.

If my husband is packing his lunch, he will often put a pb&j in his box, but he has to be extremely careful to wipe all the counters down and thoroughly clean everything that came in contact (can't just put the knife in the sink, kwim?).

Our church nursery is peanut free due to my allergy. I feel bad, but I don't feel so bad after a few incidents where kids came in with peanut butter crackers and touched me which led to the oils migrating into my eyes and causing my eyes to swell shut.

So... when I pack his lunch (which we've been doing for about 4 months), here's what I do and some ideas for you.

First of all, a big part of our lunch routine is this box... http://www.laptoplunches.com/
It's a lead free, phthalate free bento style box. It seriously encourages you to pack small portions of healthy foods. And... it's waste free!

I get a lot of my ideas from here.... http://flickr.com/groups/laptop_lunches/pool/

I tend to put one carb such as some pasta salad (make it Sunday night and it should last through maybe Wednesday morning in the fridge) from rotini or elbows, throw in some cut up cucumber, sliced grape tomatoes, any other veggies you've got laying around, and a little bit of greek or italian dressing. Other times, I'll put a turkey sandwich, but he's not a huge fan of that. Or even just some whole wheat crackers.

Sometimes I put in colby-jack slices or cubes. I almost always put in fruit of some kind. Sliced strawberries, blueberries, grapes, mandarin oranges, etc... Then I pack a few baby carrots and some ranch dressing in the tiny lidded container. He's a big fan of regular salad too, so if I have some lettuce on hand, I'll stuff that in there with grape tomatoes and some dressing in the tiny container.

Sometimes I'll put yogurt in the large lidded container, with a little bit of granola on the side to pour on top.

I usually include a little treat like a low fat/sugar cookie and there are some great organic, low-sugar water based juice pouches at Sams made by HonestKids (HonestTEA). You get like 24 for $9. If I'm out of those, I'll fill a stainless Sigg or Kleen Kanteen with watered down grape or cranberry juice.

When Winter rolls around, I'll pick up a stainless thermos and maybe put leftovers in it, but for right now we're sticking with all the in-season goodies that are fresh. His lunch goes into a refrigerator at school, but they are not capable of heating anything. With the Laptop Lunch box, there is an icepack that goes into the available carry-case and that may keep things cool if they don't refrigerate.

Anyways... we love his lunch box because it really challenges us to pack variety and small, fresh foods.

My daughter likes those Gerber Graduates meat sticks. They look like vienna sausages but they are real meat. I pack them in a different container, though so it won't look like I'm packing her baby food...

I am at a loss and hoping some of you SoWal parents can help. Last week we discovered that two out of three classrooms my children are in are now peanut free environments. Peanut butter is a huge staple in our house but in order to protect the kids with allergies we have to find something else for lunch boxes. Any ideas?

I hear ya loud and clear. I wonder if we're in the same class???
First of all the parents need to handout pamphlets about peanut allergies so the students and parents can understand what exactly they are dealing with.
That's what my daughter eats for lunch. It's a good source of protein. But I looked on everything else she may bring in for sides like a granola bar. Nope, contains peanuts. Cereal sticks...nope, they're made in a plant that has peanuts. I say take the little girl out and have her eat with a teacher and then clean the class really good and make sure all of the kids wash up. We definitley shouldn't have to punish our children by taking away a favorite food of most 4 year olds. It kind of reminds me if a child came in and was allergic to the sunlight and we don't let the ohter kids play outside because of the one child. Anyways, I am very concerned with those that do suffer with these allergies.

Northshore, I understand your frustration...
but can you imagine being a 4 y/o little girl who has to leave and eat without her friends every single day for lunch? It would be pretty demoralizing and humiliating

When I was a kid I didn't have a contact peanut allergy, only ingestion. But, with multiple accidental exposures over the years, it has gotten worse and morphed into a contact allergy as well. With each unintentional accidental exposure (peanut in airport Chinese food last year, peanut in "chocolate" ice cream a few months ago) the risk of going into full blown anaphylaxis increases. I choose to keep peanut products in my house, for my kids, but I'm an adult and I can carefully choose how everything is stored and handled. They only eat it when my husband can prepare, serve, and clean. They usually go straight to the tub afterwards

I think what really needs to be explored is why are peanuts in so many products. I picked up a Kashi apple granola bar the other day that had no nuts in it... but was made with peanut flour! Why peanut flour? Can they not find alternatives? Peanut flour can cause anaphlyaxis by inhalation.

Peanuts cause 80% of allergy related deaths. And with the number of affected kids skyrocketing over the past few years, there are only going to be more and more peanut-free classrooms. Perhaps it's time to start getting to the bottom of the issue as to why so many kids have broken immune systems that bring this issue to the table.

I do totally understand what you are saying. It's sad for these families that go through this.
On the other hand the children may sit at lunch with her but feeling a litttle resentment because "it's because of her that I can't even eat my Pb & J." The sucky thing is that it's in so many packaged foods. crazy crazy.
If my daughter does bring in Pb than she'll eat in another room. I hate packing processed lunch meats since most has additives that are known to cause cancer. Plus the sodium that's in it. Yuck. I've been packing grapes, banana, carrots, cheese, yogurt.
I'm saying prayers!!! Have a good night!

Oh, I totally agree on not doing lunchmeat often. We definitely avoid it.

It's probably best not to let the kids know exactly who is allergic. Just that one of their classmates can become very, very sick around peanuts. No need to alienate. Little kids are usually very compassionate and understanding.

I'm so thankful that neither of my children followed in my footsteps, for their own sakes. But we also completely avoided peanuts until age 3 with the first one as a precaution and the 2nd was given peanut products without my consent by a relative (well-meaning, just uninformed) at about 18 months. He didn't react though and we're in the clear now

If your kids will eat it, cheese, crackers, and sausage can be a sandwich alternative. Think of it as a healthy "lunchable."

Can you use another nut butter on the sandwiches? Imagine that would be close enough it would still cause issues.

Crazy that the classroom has to be peanut free - when I was a counselor, PB and jelly was the standard trail lunch and the in-camp default at EVERY meal!

[Airlines will not serve peanuts if made aware of an allergy by a flyer.
quote=Mango;456187]My neighbors daughter has a life threatening peanut allergy. The school she attends is aware of it, but it's not a peanut free school. She was just raised to be careful at school and when she goes to parties and friends homes. At Halloween, we always bought her Starbursts candies and set them aside for any other kids that might have allergies.

Although I sympathize, other kids live on the them, and it's sad the majority is penalized for the minority because parents can't control every situation with kids. Other kids will eat their candy, and most, if not all, are made in plants that have exposure to peanuts.

I disliked peanut butter as kid, though. But I loved cream cheese and jelly sandwiches. My mom used to change it up too with apple butter and cream cheese.

Here is a list I found on-line of peanut butter substitutes. [/quote]

I wonder what is causing all these peanut allergies? It seems they are becoming more prevalent

If your kids will eat it, cheese, crackers, and sausage can be a sandwich alternative. Think of it as a healthy "lunchable."

Can you use another nut butter on the sandwiches? Imagine that would be close enough it would still cause issues.

Crazy that the classroom has to be peanut free - when I was a counselor, PB and jelly was the standard trail lunch and the in-camp default at EVERY meal!

Both classrooms are nut free. So that means no granola bars with nuts, peanut butter crackers, etc. We have never had to deal with this and this year we have two classes to deal with! My 9 y/o is now stuck eating the rest of the Sam's club size peanut butter, poor kid! After he finishes he may develop a nut allergy!

I remember when I was in school having pb & J sandwiches on the lunch tray!:shock:

A friend from California told me that the schools there are completely nut free. I have a feeling we aren't too far from that.

Are the parents just freaking, or are the peanut/nut allergies really that severe?

Why can't they just have meds on hand for the allergic kid on the off chance they react?

Are severe nut allergies really that common in kids these days?

Because if so, I am going to start telling the parent of every misbehaving brat that I am a nutatarian who works in a peanut factory so their child should keep its distance!

My 8 year old is a very picky eater, always has been. At her school they have a "peanut" table, if she brings peanut butter, it's her that has to eat a different table with any other kid that brought peanut butter. I like the way our school handled that.

She didn't like having to sit at the "special" table everyday so I started packing her cheese sandwiches, which she would not eat. I think in her case, it was the large sandwich, she would take one look at it and think, I can't eat all of that. So, one day I made the sandwich on a dollar roll (a small dinner roll). She loved it, at first I was just making her one, but now she asks for 2 and some days will even allow me to add turkey to them. I also pack a refreezable (sp?) ice pack in her bag to keep them cold.

I wonder what is causing all these peanut allergies? It seems they are becoming more prevalent

That is strange...is the allergy itself more prevalent or are the schools trying to prevent a lawsuit? It would be interesting to see if any schools have been held liable in the recent past.

allergies in general have become more prevalent including nut allergies.

For the health of it has "Healthy" lunch meats with out all the junk. I think the brand is applegate farms. I tend to pack a thermos with all kinds of stuff. Spaghetti and meat balls, soups of course, chili, rice and chicken.

if it's just peanut free how about Nutella from time to time, chocolate hazelnut spread-it's my favorite treat!

I think the pinwheel idea is great, a little cream cheese, ranch or mayo as a base and some thin meat and cut it into bit sized pieces.

As a kid I would only eat peanut butter sandwiches or turkey sandwiches in my lunch box, our school did pizza day on Friday so I'd eat that or if we had leftover pizza at home I was always happy for a leftover slice in my lunch box! Although my mom never packed them for me I always like bacon sandwiches if ya'll eat bacon.

All of my friend's kiddo's love the lunchables but I would think by making your own you get to ensure the ingredients. They have pizza ones, taco ones, and such in addition to your meat, cheese and cracker varieties.

Good Luck!

Are the parents just freaking, or are the peanut/nut allergies really that severe?

Why can't they just have meds on hand for the allergic kid on the off chance they react?

Are severe nut allergies really that common in kids these days?

Because if so, I am going to start telling the parent of every misbehaving brat that I am a nutatarian who works in a peanut factory so their child should keep its distance!

There's been quite a few studies on the whole thing and none of them have been able to pin down the "why" as far as I'm concerned. Although I have my theories.

When I was little (first exposure landed me in the hospital at age 2), I was the only kid we knew who was allergic, but these days I could name at least 5 or 6 that I know. Some studies have shown the numbers doubling in recent years. It's definitely the most widespread, deadly food allergy. (80% of allergy deaths) I do have one friend whose child is so severely allergic that he cannot be in the presence of a peanut product. I cannot tell you how many times that poor child has been hospitalized and nearly died. His case is definitely one of the rare, insanely horrific cases. He will never attend school outside the home.. he can't even go to the grocery store and even a family event like Christmas dinner is such a burden on the rest of the family that his mom often just has to stay home with him and let her husband take the rest of the kids, which is totally devastating to her. His case is what I fear we will be seeing more of unless we get to the bottom of this.

I think the last count was somewhere around 2+ million Americans. Of course, the level of reaction ranges, but in my case it has gotten worse as I've gotten older especially since the last few accidental exposures.

EpiPens don't always work. If a child goes into full-blown anaphylaxis, sometimes the pen will only take the edge off just to get them to the hospital where an attempt can be made to open their airway through other methods such as steroids.

The thing is... if you can keep young children from being exposed for as long as possible once discovering the allergy, there's a chance that they can outgrow it or have mild reactions in the future. By the time middle and high school roll around, most of these kids will be able to handle it themselves as far as being exposed. But a young child has a higher chance of being exposed accidentally and each time, it puts them at risk for a more severe reaction.

If you look at the number of people being diagnosed with wheat/gluten and soy intolerance and allergies... well... it makes me wonder if because our society has veered so much from simple, whole foods, to processed foods, we're reacting because of over-exposure. I mean, try and find a processed food that doesn't have gluten in it. Same thing could be said for peanuts. We're being repeatedly exposed by products we wouldn't think even had peanuts in them. Even bath and body items are made with gluten and peanut products. So you're ingesting it, putting it on your skin, etc... Too much of a good thing?

White bread and mayonaise sandwiches. If it's a special occasion add some sugar. ;-)

this is a real thing. i know a family whose little girl who is allergic to "tree nuts", not just peanuts. they have an epipen with them at all times. i taught preschool up until recently & know many children like this. we didn't actully have any at our school. however, the preschool where my nephew goes is peanut free. i like what ktschris said they did at her child's school. it's not fair to alienate the child with the allery--i am sure if they had a choice, they would choose to be allergy-free!

i believe this helps children learn tolerance, and the fact that we aren't all the same & to be sympathetic...as long as the parents display these same responses. in bigger, more metropolitan areas, it is very common for schools to be peanut/tree nut free.

some alternatives, which some have already been mentioned, are...for one, pack your child a thermos with leftovers from the night before (preschoolers usually are not as picky as you would think about the temperature of their food!), or chicken noodle soup or spaghetti, ravioli or noodles with butter. a hot dog. pizza. egg salad. tuna salad. quesadilla. chicken & rice. cheese & crackers. scrambled egg sandwich/biscuit. corndog. hamburger.

i can understand the frustration of not being able to pack peanut butter. but think of the frustration of constantly having to worry if your child may come in contact with peanut butter today & what will happen if she does. i don't have children, thus i don't have these worries; but i know people who do & the fear of your child being accidentally exposed & the fear of it being fatal is unfathomable to me.

just my thoughts...

My granddaughter is in that preschool class. I think it is very unfair for all of the other kids. I am very sorry for the child with the problem but we cannot afford expensive alternatives. It requires alot of time and money to work around this problem. The school needs to find another way or perhaps the child should be home schooled. We do not need to pay the price to solve the problem.

My granddaughter is in that preschool class. I think it is very unfair for all of the other kids. I am very sorry for the child with the problem but we cannot afford expensive alternatives. It requires alot of time and money to work around this problem. The school needs to find another way or perhaps the child should be home schooled. We do not need to pay the price to solve the problem.

Typical response until it happens to you...