How Can Ya Manage School Lunch?

[Gimpwithacause]

Hey everybody, I'm new on here but I have a big question. How do you pack school lunches? Just about everything I used to take to lunch now makes me really sick. Any suggestions of gluten free food that will fill you up that I could take? I haven't been eating anything.

[krystynycole]

I typically bring left overs because it's quick, easy, and cheap...however I have access to a microwave so this is helpful. If you need ideas go to the search bar and search for "lunch" there are tons of pages like this question with tons of ideas. I just did this search and here's one page https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/12526-lunch-choices/

Hope you find ideas!

[weluvgators]

Hello! I am packing lunches for a couple of kids every day. They both prefer warm lunches, and neither has access to a microwave. In the mornings, I heat their lunches on the stovetop and pack them in a thermos. They also like to take nut milks for lunch, usually packed in a small mason jar (we put the jar in a bag in case of leaking - my kids are little, so I can't tighten the lid up too much, and it is good insurance). Other small things we pack include fruit leather, fruit cup, gluten-free cookies/pretzels, applesauce, chips, nut/fruit bar (like Larabar) and fruit/veggie/nut/seed snack.

For the entree, one of mine prefers potato based meals - skillet/oven baked potatoes that I dice and make in batches to keep in the fridge for warming up every morning - she loves eating this with steak, but bbq chicken, pork chop, sliced chicken breast also work well. We have also used sweet potatoes as a base for meals. Another of mine prefers rice based meals - fried rice type stuff - lots of variations for this adding grated veggies and diced meats. Sometimes we do nachos, but that seems more complicated - but ground/diced meat with chips can work well. You can also do stews and soups. We have also done rice and beans - that is nice and filling.

I hope you get some packed lunches you enjoy figured out soon. Good luck!

[Februaryrich]

Not having access to a microwave is kind of an issue if you want a warm meal (obviously) so when I don't I just make myself a sandwich with gluten free bread of course. I bring myself some fruits and I'm good to go.

[Gimpwithacause]

Thank you so much! Those are wonderful ideas! I hadn't thought of nachos or anything like that. And now that ya mention it we usually have lots of leftovers I could take.

[Mango04]

Corn tortillas are great for lunch. You can put anything in them - tuna, lunch meats, veggies and hummus....anything works. Heat them up before you make "sandwiches" with them. You can wrap them in foil so they stay together. (It doesn't matter if they aren't still warm when you eat them...warming them just helps them to not crumble).

It helps to have an insulated lunch bag to keep things cold. You can also get a good thermos to keep things hot (I have one that keeps things warm for hours - you can put soups or leftovers or anything it those)...

[Roda]

Cottage cheese and fruit, homemade lunchables with lunchmeat, cheese, pepperoni and gluten-free crackers, cheese sticks, pepperoni sticks, celery with peanutbutter, nuts, sandwiches with Udi's bread, wraps made out of crepes. I bought this lunch system so my kids could have a warm lunch.

I've been sending them leftovers from supper or pretty much anthing you can imagine. It has opened up so many opportunities for lunch for them.