What do you pack for lunch for 4 yo kinder?

[Astrid]

DD1 was quite happy with a lunch that was the same. Ham and cheese sandwhich, or vegemite and cheese. Tub of yoghurt and fruit to share. I found she ate more fruit when they did the share platter, rather than when, in the last term, when they stopped sharing. She also liked zucchini slice, I cooked it in a muffin tin and froze them. Sometimes she would take left over dinner, she loved taking lasagne as the kinder would heat it up for her.

I found the kinder did crack down on parents who sent jam on white bread sandwiches, but mostly they tended to have an issue with prepackaged foods. This was due to health and the amount of rubbish that was created.

[Mak]

Interesting! Thanks for the ideas - it is funny how different things are deemed heathy or not isn't it? I have always taken the approach that moderation is the key for pretty much everything (although I do have some issues with white bread, soft drink and juice).
Definitely no plans to get super creative here either just concerned the options are more limited - but hey that may work to my advantage!!!!

[doll]

some muesli bars are high in sugar and full of additives etc, but if you read the packet, there are actually healthy options out there....

my kids eat trail bars, and while they may not be suitable for kinder due to having nuts in them, (not sure if they are in all of the different flavours or not) the only ingredients in them are different types of grains and nuts... nothing extra added. pure health! i cannot stand them, lol, but give them to the kids alot... hehehehhe evil mother.

[Astrid]

I think it's kind of funny that the centers have rules because once they get to school it's pretty much open slather lol. Personally just so long as my children don't take food that is dangerous to other children (ie nuts, bees & shellfish) I don't see that their baby sitters have any right to tell me what to feed them.

I think that would make an interesting discussion. Personally I am in two minds about it, overall I don't think that they should tell us what we can send, but I have found the restrictions helpful.

[toomanyshoes]

Our kids (kindy and yr3) take water, whole grain sandwich, piece of fruit, veggie sticks (carrot, cucumber, capsicum or mushrooms) and an oat muesli bar.

Sometimes the 9yo (yr3) takes a small can of bake beans instead of a sandwich.

[Crystalwings]

The reason that centre's regulate what you should send to care is because child care regulations and accreditation state that we need to provide parents with information about healthy food and ensure children are meeting their daily dietary requirements by restricting certain foods. I do agree that it can be counter productive because once they go to school they can eat whatever but you would be supprised how many children actually question what is in their lunch box when they have something unhealthy. The amount of times i've heard a child at arvo tea say öh no mum didn't pack me any fruit to have before my snack" is really encouraging. Hopefully healthy food messages will stay with children.

Back to OP lol. For daycare I pack my DD usually little containers with meat (ham or chopped chicken) or baked beans or a hard boiled egg, chopped up cucumber, capsicum, avocado, snowpeas and cherry tomatoes. For arvo tea it is fruit chopped up and plain crackers or plain corn chips with hommus, sometimes sultanas or dried banana, soy or goatmilk yogurt as she is dairy free. We take a peice of fruit for shared morning tea.
Know what you mean about the apples which is why the centre i work at decided that children should just bring their own piece of fruit for morning tea. There were also some parents who didn't contribute at all which was a bit rude.

[sconeonamission]

DS goes to FDC (so no rules per se) 4 times a week, and takes the same thing - every day. The "lunch portion" will change though.

Snack cup of yoghurt
Snack cup of fruit salad (the tinned or tub kind)
Some pasta, quiche or a sandwich (ham and cheese and avocado as spread)
grapes or an apple
rice crackers or saltanas

I sounds like a lot, but he's there from 9-4. Sometimes it all gets eaten, sometimes not. Anything not eaten the daycare lady holds over for the next day.