What do you pack for lunch for 4 yo kinder?

**Mak** · February 3rd, 2011, 08:55 AM

So DD1 is starting 4yo kinder tomorrow - it is a big day from 9-3.15.
We have 2 options for the actual lunchbox, lol but I am starting to obsess about what to pack for her, enough healthy stuff to be interesting and appealling but not over do it!
So the plan is a sandwich, container of grapes, yoghurt (sml tub frozen) and some popcorn. They have to take some fruit to share also. I was planning on freezing some water in her bottle so the rest remains cool.
So any tips, ideas and hints???

**BeautifulMadness** · February 3rd, 2011, 09:11 AM

when i figure it out ill let you know lol

**Tinks** · February 3rd, 2011, 09:15 AM

I think what you've got sounds fine.

I used to put sultanas, yoghurt, cheese, saladas, yoghurt, fruit (cut up), popcorn, sometimes I did a small salad for them and sometimes a LeSnack.

**Mak** · February 3rd, 2011, 09:19 AM

Thanks for the replies! One of the mums made an off the cuff comment about being shocked about the crap in the kids lunches which has made me think about things a bit too much.

***Belle*** · February 3rd, 2011, 09:22 AM

Is it for just lunch or also morning afternoon tea?

At DD1 old kinder we had to supply morning/afternoon tea and lunch

I would put: water sandwich, cheese, yogurt, fruit and sultana's we were not allowed to give popcorn or anything else resembling non healthy (they classified popcorn as not healthy and juice too)

At DD1 new kinder we just supply lunch only, they get morning and afternoon tea of fruit plates and cheese, so I just supply a sandwich and yogurt and maybe sultana's if she wants. and water .

**~*Niadalla*~** · February 3rd, 2011, 09:32 AM

Gosh, what happens if you have a SUPER fussy child like mine, who doesn't do fruit??

**Mak** · February 3rd, 2011, 09:35 AM

Niadalla - it has been interesting to see how some of the super fussy kids just jump in with the rest of the crew when snack time has happened, although the sessions were only 2 x 2hrs so they could hang out until afterwards.
Belle - interesting about the popcorn, I guess it could be in regards to the packaged stuff, I was going to do it myself tho. Morning and afternoon teas are to be taken as well - I guess we'll work it out over the next few weeks!

**~me~** · February 3rd, 2011, 09:42 AM

I use one of those Tupperware lunch boxes that has the compartments in it. I put a sandwhich, fruit, sultana's and biscuits like rice wheels or rounds, sometimes cheese.
Dried apricots.

**Calluna** · February 3rd, 2011, 09:42 AM

Popcorn is usually extremely salty, hence the unhealthy.
All the centres I've worked in have asked parents to provide 2 pieces of fruit for a fruit salad for morning tea. We always had HEAPS of apples lol. It was rare that a child didn't eat any, probably because thier friends were. After Fruit we'd give them a snack from thier lunchbox as well, So not a big deal if they didn't eat thier fruit. Afternoon tea was fruit and anything left from lunch was offered.
What you've planned sounds like plenty. It should be kept in the fridge so anything uneaten should be fine for the next day.

**Mak** · February 3rd, 2011, 09:47 AM

Hmm surely not the air-popped popcorn?? No salt or anything added here!
Lol at the apples - DD1 loves choosing her fruit so we try to take something 'different' which becomes a wee bit exxy at times! There are always too many apples!

**Calluna** · February 3rd, 2011, 09:51 AM

I dont know then, maybe ask them. Different centres have different rules.

**Phteven** · February 3rd, 2011, 09:55 AM

I usually do sandwiches and fruit with a snack (cheese, dried fruit, popcorn, museli bar etc).

When I tried to mix it up and get creative the boys were a bit resistant - it seems that when it comes to lunchboxes they prefer familiarity over creativity.

**Arimeh** · February 3rd, 2011, 10:08 AM

I pack the same thing for DS twice a week - he goes to a daycare centre that runs a pre-kinder program cos he just missed the cut off for kindy down here.

He gets sandwiches, yoghurt, cheese cut up and rice crackers to put it on, muesli bar and 3 pieces of fruit. Usually an apple, banana etc. Yesterday he took an apple, nectarine and cut up watermelon.

I have packed popcorn for him (air popped, no salt) and the carers were ok with it. But they usually don't like it cos it's z choking hazard to the younger kids.

**Queen** · February 3rd, 2011, 10:14 AM

My DD1 has a few variations of the following

Vegemite Sanwich, sultanas, celery/carrot sticks, sakatas, corn thins, vege chips, popcorn, yoghurt, cheese sticks, dried apple.

Good luck

***Belle*** · February 3rd, 2011, 10:24 AM

interesting our centre wont allow musli bars of any sort due to nut free policy and yes any kina popcorn is considered unhealthy so are rice wheels only plain crackers allowed i even got in trouble for giving a milk arrowroot bickie and juice

**Phteven** · February 3rd, 2011, 10:31 AM

The fruit museli bars in the purple packet are nut free (except for 'traces'). I think they're called Be Natural.
By rice wheels do you mean the puffed rice crackers because they are pretty much only rice and air if you buy the plain ones? I imagine the flavoured ones have got some crazy stuff in them.
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.