Lunchbox Ideas

[chasing4]

I'm wondering what are good ideas to pack for a kid's cold lunch at school. We just started DD on a low-gluten diet about a week ago and she is already getting tired of the salads I've been packing for her.

[missy'smom]

You can click on the link on my profile to see what we do.

[RiceGuy]

You can click on the link on my profile to see what we do.

Well, that beat my suggestions!

My first thought was gluten-free macaroni in a thermos, or peanut butter sandwiches if you have a gluten-free bread she likes. Now, if the school has a microwave she can use, that opens up all sorts of possibilities.

[kbtoyssni]

Just out of curiosity, why a low gluten diet? Why not completely gluten-free?

[celiac-mommy]

Something new we did today was the Brazilian Cheese breadrolls that was posted here cut into strips and marinara sauce (heated and put into thermos). It packs really well and you get protein with the cheese and veggies in the tomato sauce--I hide LOTS of veggies in my sauce.

[chasing4]

You can click on the link on my profile to see what we do.

Those look great!

Well, that beat my suggestions!

My first thought was gluten-free macaroni in a thermos, or peanut butter sandwiches if you have a gluten-free bread she likes. Now, if the school has a microwave she can use, that opens up all sorts of possibilities.

Something new we did today was the Brazilian Cheese breadrolls that was posted here cut into strips and marinara sauce (heated and put into thermos). It packs really well and you get protein with the cheese and veggies in the tomato sauce--I hide LOTS of veggies in my sauce.

I'm not sure if they have a microwave she could use, I can check on that though. We do have a thermos that has just been waiting to be used and I keep forgetting about it. I can't think of a better time to start using it. Those ideas sound awesome!

Just out of curiosity, why a low gluten diet? Why not completely gluten-free?

I'm not exactly sure why her GI dr. told us to put her on a low-gluten diet. When he called last week and told us her Celiac test came back negative, but he thinks she's still Gluten Sensitive I really didn't think of asking him why low-gluten. I've really been thinking about it a lot lately and I think I'm going to give him a call to find out why he doesn't want her on a gluten-free diet.

[kbtoyssni]

I'm not exactly sure why her GI dr. told us to put her on a low-gluten diet. When he called last week and told us her Celiac test came back negative, but he thinks she's still Gluten Sensitive I really didn't think of asking him why low-gluten. I've really been thinking about it a lot lately and I think I'm going to give him a call to find out why he doesn't want her on a gluten-free diet.

If she has gluten sensitivity or celiac she needs to be 100% gluten-free or you might as well not even bother. Celiac is an autoimmune reaction that will occur if you eat a crumb of gluten so low-gluten is doing the same thing to the body as a high-gluten diet. Testing in kids is notorious for false negatives. They just haven't have the time to do a lot of damage yet. If you suspect it's celiac, I would try to 100% gluten-free diet and see if her symptoms resolve and do a diagnosis based on dietary response. I'm assuming she has some symptoms if she was tested in the first place. You could also try testing through enterolab - you'll get a positive that way sooner than you'd get a positive blood test.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

I love your Bento Boxes, Missy'sMom!

[HAK1031]

A typical lunch for me:

-Nature valley roasted nut crunch granola bars (the only NV bars that are gluten-free, but are really good)

-rice cakes w/ PB

-cottage cheese

-yogurt

-fruit

-salad or cut up veggies, if salad with meat leftover from dinner or deli meat. to keep my salads interesting, I use tons of veggies and not much lettuce.

-tortilla chips

-terra veggie chips

-glutino pretzels

-trail mix (nuts, raisins, m&ms, etc.)

[chasing4]

I'm sorry, I did forget to mention that her IGG levels were elevated. Because of that they did an Upper GI and visually saw inflammation in a part of her small intestines. When the biopsy came back, it was within normal levels. Even though the biopsy came back negative, if I'm understanding this right, she could still possibly be Celiac? I'm sorry, I'm just so new at this.

[MDRB]

Yeah, she still could have celiac disease. Biopsy and blood tests are often not accurate in adults, but it is even worse with children. The best indicator is if she feels better on the gluten free diet.

As for the lunch box ideas, you could do a rice salad, gluten free pasta salad, or chicken sticks (bake slices of chicken breast coated in egg , gluten-free breadcrumbs and a little paprika) all of these options are good cold in case the school doesn't have a microwave. If the school does have a microwave, soups and gluten-free meat balls are a really good option as are any leftovers from a gluten-free dinner.

[missy'smom]

This works well for us and I wanted to put them out there in case it's helpful to others. A picture is worth a thousand words, right? I was brousing through the other bento blogs and photo groups yesterday to get some ideas to start up making bentos for myself as we are going to be heading out of town alot on weekends. I make ahead and freeze stashes of main dishes and just cook fresh veg, rice in the rice cooker in the am, warm up or finish cooking main dishes and add some fruit so it all comes together quickly. If it can be made ahead without sacrificing flavor or texture, I'll do it. I'm NOT a morning person.

[Cheri A]

Wow, your bentos are amazing!! I started making some for awhile, but I fell off the wagon. I think I'll try some tommorrow.

ITA with what the others are posting about being gluten-free. My daughter's testing was inconclusive, she had 3 markers test positve. She did test positive for a wheat allergy. We decided to go gluten-free, and the change in her life was incredible. It can be tough, but it is so worth it.

Carleigh likes to eat meat roll-ups, celery, carrots, cucumbers, Tinkyada pasta in a thermos, leftovers in a thermos, fruit, K-Too cookies, Enjoy Life bars, trail mix made with cereal, EL chocolate chips and sunflower seeds. She will occasionally take a Lund's rice cake, cheese, sunbutter and apples, tostitos.

[Susanna]

For my 12-year old celiac son, I pack:

deli turkey rolled around a piece of string cheese (I put a cold pack in his bag if sending meat)

PB sandwich made out of carmel rice cakes YUM!

little tub of PB and a baggie of gluten-free pretzels for dipping

Trail mix

Protein bars--many are gluten-free, you have to read labels. We eat Cliff BUILDER Bars, Lara bars, some Zone bars, some Luna Bars, etc. I also keep a stock of these in his class in case he forgets his lunch or needs an extra snack

Fruit

Veggie sticks and Ranch dip

Tortilla chips and bean dip and salsa

Hummus and veggies or chips for dipping

Something sweet: gluten-free cookies, or fruit gummies, or a fun size Snicker Bar/Butterfinger Bar, Baby Ruth bar.

Baggie of cashews

Yogurt (and of course a cold pack and a spoon)

For me at work, I bring last night's leftovers, or cottage cheese and a rice cake, or cottage cheese with tomatoes chopped and put on top, or cottage cheese with yogurt stirred in, or bread and almond butter and honey (yum!), any protein bar I mentioned above.

good luck,

Susanna

[chasing4]

Thank you all so much for all the great ideas!

[Kimberk]

My dgtr Aspen is 11, she loves fresh meat & cheese with gluten free crackers, veggies, puddings, & fresh fruit. She is not interested in the breads that we have tried yet.

[Annaem]

My packed lunches include

sandwiches ( find deli meat that is gluten-free and bread)

yogurt

fruit

cheese

veggies

olives

hot dogs ( idon't mind them cold or in a thermo)

chicken wings ( i don't mind them cold)

meat balls ( taste good cold or thermo)

tuna ( buy the individual cans that you can peel the top off)

chips (gluten-free)

plain popped popcorn

cereal (gluten-free)- i just eat it dry. But there's no reason why you can't make yourself a bowl of milk and cereal if you bring some milk with you.

dry toasts that are similar to melba with jam

cosco sells individual jam, peanut butter, salad dressing packets from kraft and smuckers. You need to confirm which ones are ok. These are great for packing a lunch.

Boiled eggs. Also yummy cold.

[Annaem]

i forget the company's name but they make gluten-free rice pudding and chocolate pudding which i get from my local grocer as well as at cosco...

[A&Z'S MOM]

Hi

I ahve two kids who tested positive for celiac.Its been a few weeks.The meals are easier to manage,the lunch boxes are a real challenge.My 12 yr old eats some fruit but my six yr old refuses any kind of fruit except dates.They snack on gluten-free cereal,plain popped pocorn,gluten-free cheese crackers,plain nuts.I am an average cook and my kids r really picky etaers,.Made flourless peanut butter cookies but kids didnot like them.I thought they were yumm personally but really I am getting panicky now.Before the diagnosis,it was usually some store bought cookiies etc.

I need something that is good cold.Chicken stics won't work bc they aren't to keen on meats without some rice and gravy to wash it down with.I am still learning to read food labels .Chocolate is a treat.If you have any ideas ,I would love to read them.

[Susanna]

You have a challenge! If your kids like chicken with rice and gravy, how 'bout last night's leftovers in a thermos? My celiac 12year old boy also likes:

beef jerkey (read labels--some are fine, others have gluten)

string cheese

apple slices dipped in carmel sauce (I know, but it gets him to eat apples!

gluten-free waffles made into sandwiches: peanut butter and jam, almond butter and honey, hummus and cucumber, deli meats and cheeses

cheese slices and gluten-free crackers

hard boiled eggs

fruit roll ups/fruit leather

And, if you just can't get decent nutrition in to them at lunch, get whatever you can into them, and focus on good nutrition at home for dinner and breakfast.

good luck,

Susanna

[mindiemonster]

Hi,

My daughter (age 6) is definitely gluten and lactose intolerant, and most likely has celiac. I'm also struggling with lunchbox ideas. The school DOES NOT have a microwave to use. (My kids go to a very small charter school, their's no room for a microwave.) She DOES NOT LIKE any of the gluten free bread I've found for her, and she will just not eat rather than eat it. She says it smells bad. *rolleyes* I'd let her go a bit hungry, but if she doesn't get lunch she's a pain in the rear and I get notes from her teacher. *sigh* I've been making her a rice pilaf, but I know she'll eventually get tired of that, and I'll be back at square one. Please help.

Melinda

[Darn210]

My daughter always liked peanut butter on rice cakes (or corn thins) that she would "assemble" herself at school . . . too messy to pack otherwise. However, when my son was on his trial diet, he did not care for the rice cakes. A friend suggested peanut butter and nutella on a (cold) pancake. It worked wonders at our house. Before that point, my son would ignore any attempt at an "entree" in his lunch and the best I could get him to eat was a cheese stick. He would also eat applesauce and some chips for a total (lunch) calorie intake of about 300. However, I've been trying to pack some calories into his diet because he is really underweight so this was huge for us, 'cause it adds about 200 calories to his lunch. Every weekend, I make a HUGE batch of pancakes (Pamela's) and freeze (with wax paper in between) and then throughout the week, I defrost them one at a time in the microwave, let them sit on a papertowel to absorb excess moisture and come to room temp. PB on half and Nutella on half, fold and pack. The kids like this SOOOOO much better than the attempts with gluten-free bread. My daughter calls it her "PeanutButterNutellaPancakeTaco" . . . all one word

I'm planning on "experimenting" with a corn breadish-type pancake for something that might work for lunch meats. (We did try a (Pamela's) pancake as a hot dog bun but it wasn't quite right.)

[Juliet]

One way to sneak in a little fruits & vegetables (and fiber) is to make sandwiches with things like pumpkin, banana, zucchini, or carrot bread. I often do pumpkin banana bread with shredded coconut & orange flavored cranberries and add some extra ground flax seed for fiber and use sucanat (evaporated brown sugar - a little less sweet and still has the molasses, but acts like regular white sugar) in slightly smaller quantities than a recipe would recommend. I am then able to make peanut butter sandwiches with them, too, or just give it to them plain. Regular gluten free bread can be a challenge, and often it's not that high in fiber anyway, so it doesn't necessarily have a lot of nutritional value. This way I sneak in a little bit of fruits and/or vegetables, make sure it's higher than fiber than store bought gluten free rice bread, and it's almost always eaten.

Typical lunches:

pb sandwiches with pumpkin bread, waffles, or corn thins (if I don't have time to bake bread - which is often lately)

Brazilian cheese rolls (look for recipe under baking & cooking tips - easy and tasty!)

Bumble Bars

Fruit

snack bags filled with a variety of gluten free snacks: popcorn, nuts, dried cranberries, Whole Foods brand veggie chips, Cost Plus World Market brand veggie tortilla chips, Plocky's Hummus chips, gluten free pretzels, Mr. Krisper's Baked Rice Crisps, Smart Puffs or Pirates' Booty, etc.

Stuff that I add when I have a cold pack for the lunch bag:

Diesel brand turkey sticks

Cheese sticks

yogurt

veggies with gluten free ranch dip

[aprillio]

My daughter was diagnosed yesterday and I need help on what she can eat for lunch. Does anyone have any suggestions? At this time I am so overwhelmed with all the diet foods that she will have to be eating. I dont even know where to start.

[mindiemonster]

My daughter always liked peanut butter on rice cakes (or corn thins) that she would "assemble" herself at school . . . too messy to pack otherwise. However, when my son was on his trial diet, he did not care for the rice cakes. A friend suggested peanut butter and nutella on a (cold) pancake. It worked wonders at our house. Before that point, my son would ignore any attempt at an "entree" in his lunch and the best I could get him to eat was a cheese stick. He would also eat applesauce and some chips for a total (lunch) calorie intake of about 300. However, I've been trying to pack some calories into his diet because he is really underweight so this was huge for us, 'cause it adds about 200 calories to his lunch. Every weekend, I make a HUGE batch of pancakes (Pamela's) and freeze (with wax paper in between) and then throughout the week, I defrost them one at a time in the microwave, let them sit on a papertowel to absorb excess moisture and come to room temp. PB on half and Nutella on half, fold and pack. The kids like this SOOOOO much better than the attempts with gluten-free bread. My daughter calls it her "PeanutButterNutellaPancakeTaco" . . . all one word

I'm planning on "experimenting" with a corn breadish-type pancake for something that might work for lunch meats. (We did try a (Pamela's) pancake as a hot dog bun but it wasn't quite right.)

That sounds good - Beth loves pancakes, and I've got a gluten free pancake mix. She also likes peanut butter and all those things. I make my own jam, so I KNOW it's safe. LOL Beth is also small and tiny. To some extent this is genetic. I'm barely over 5' tall myself, and my husbands family are small boned. But she's almost seven, and wears a size 18 mo panties and size four everything else (she's too tall for 18 mo clothes). She's been in that size for two years, and if we slip from her diet she loses weight. Believe me, she doesn't have any weight to lose.

One way to sneak in a little fruits & vegetables (and fiber) is to make sandwiches with things like pumpkin, banana, zucchini, or carrot bread. I often do pumpkin banana bread with shredded coconut & orange flavored cranberries and add some extra ground flax seed for fiber and use sucanat (evaporated brown sugar - a little less sweet and still has the molasses, but acts like regular white sugar) in slightly smaller quantities than a recipe would recommend. I am then able to make peanut butter sandwiches with them, too, or just give it to them plain. Regular gluten free bread can be a challenge, and often it's not that high in fiber anyway, so it doesn't necessarily have a lot of nutritional value. This way I sneak in a little bit of fruits and/or vegetables, make sure it's higher than fiber than store bought gluten free rice bread, and it's almost always eaten.

Typical lunches:

pb sandwiches with pumpkin bread, waffles, or corn thins (if I don't have time to bake bread - which is often lately)

Brazilian cheese rolls (look for recipe under baking & cooking tips - easy and tasty!)

Bumble Bars

Fruit

snack bags filled with a variety of gluten free snacks: popcorn, nuts, dried cranberries, Whole Foods brand veggie chips, Cost Plus World Market brand veggie tortilla chips, Plocky's Hummus chips, gluten free pretzels, Mr. Krisper's Baked Rice Crisps, Smart Puffs or Pirates' Booty, etc.

Stuff that I add when I have a cold pack for the lunch bag:

Diesel brand turkey sticks

Cheese sticks

yogurt

veggies with gluten free ranch dip

Question: What are corn thins? Also, isn't bannana bread (and others) made with flour? I can't do yogurt cause she's lactose intolerant.

My daughter was diagnosed yesterday and I need help on what she can eat for lunch. Does anyone have any suggestions? At this time I am so overwhelmed with all the diet foods that she will have to be eating. I dont even know where to start.

I'm here for the same reason. What I can tell you is I make, once a week, a big thing of rice pilaf. I cook some rice (I use brown, cause Beth needs all the nutrition she can get) in chicken broth. Then I fry some onion and garlic up in olive oil with salt and chives, and mix it into the rice mix. I salt and pepper the mix, and then put it in the fridge. Then I send a little each day for lunch. I also send some kind of fruit, and a juice pack.