Jody is starting a new preschool tomorrow and I was just wondering what some of the other parent use to pack a lunch. Ziplocs, foil, tupperware? what is the easiest? any tips will be appreciated. I was also thinking about using underwear a little larger than needed, so he can don and doff them himself.
Thanks, Marlyn mom to Jody 3 ROBPI
Lunch boxes and bags
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F-Litz
- Posts: 970
- Joined: Fri May 26, 2006 6:53 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI, LTBPI at age 6.5, Sensory Issues, CP, Diaphragm Weakness, Aspberger's
- Location: Ambler, PA
Re: Lunch boxes and bags
that is a really great question...and I can answer that from two viewpoints (1) being a mom with a child who has bpi and (2) being a room mom in Maia's preschool.
I was extremely surprised when I was a room mom at the amount of "packaging" that mothers sent their kids to school with. Not one child was able to manipulate the packaging - the teachers and the parents helpers had to go around the room and open 4-7 packages for each kid and make them up a "plate" with all their goodies unwrapped. Believe it or not, Maia was the ONLY child who didn't need help. I put her food in a ziplock plastic container that had three sections and she had a regular thermos with her drink. Worked great and she didn't need an ounce of help.... and her food was healthier. I know there were a few items that I swore about under my breath but for the life of me I don't remember exactly what it was...but they all brought it! It was SO frustrating! oh yes, now I remember, it was those little fruit pieces in a cup where they juice it to the very top and the lids are excruciating to remove they are so glued down.... every kid spilled theirs.
I was extremely surprised when I was a room mom at the amount of "packaging" that mothers sent their kids to school with. Not one child was able to manipulate the packaging - the teachers and the parents helpers had to go around the room and open 4-7 packages for each kid and make them up a "plate" with all their goodies unwrapped. Believe it or not, Maia was the ONLY child who didn't need help. I put her food in a ziplock plastic container that had three sections and she had a regular thermos with her drink. Worked great and she didn't need an ounce of help.... and her food was healthier. I know there were a few items that I swore about under my breath but for the life of me I don't remember exactly what it was...but they all brought it! It was SO frustrating! oh yes, now I remember, it was those little fruit pieces in a cup where they juice it to the very top and the lids are excruciating to remove they are so glued down.... every kid spilled theirs.
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brandonsmom
- Posts: 1401
- Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 4:43 pm
Re: Lunch boxes and bags
Hunt's Pudding cup are horrible too.
As for hints, I agree 100% with Francine, the easier the better with all age children, especially the little ones.
Brandon takes cold lunch once in awhile, but I can tell you the items that he has a hard time opening because they always come home uneaten, because no one will help or he will not aks for help. Some fruit snacks are horrible, and he hates Capri sun drink boxes because he cannot set them on the table to stab the straw in !!!!!!!
GAYLE
Mom of Brandon 9 1/2
As for hints, I agree 100% with Francine, the easier the better with all age children, especially the little ones.
Brandon takes cold lunch once in awhile, but I can tell you the items that he has a hard time opening because they always come home uneaten, because no one will help or he will not aks for help. Some fruit snacks are horrible, and he hates Capri sun drink boxes because he cannot set them on the table to stab the straw in !!!!!!!
GAYLE
Mom of Brandon 9 1/2
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Kath
- Posts: 3242
- Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 4:11 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: I am ROBPI, global injury, Horner's Syndrome. No surgery but PT started at 2 weeks old under the direction of New York Hospital. I wore a brace 24/7 for the first 11 months of my life. I've never let my injury be used as an excuse not to do something. I've approach all things, in life, as a challenge. I approach anything new wondering if I can do it. I tried so many things I might never have tried, if I were not obpi. Being OBPI has made me strong, creative, more determined and persistent. I believe that being obpi has given me a very strong sense of humor and compassion for others.
- Location: New York
Re: Lunch boxes and bags
Gayle
I am willing to bet that Brandon will NOT ask for help!
I still hate to ask anyone for help and as a result will avoid certain things just not to deal with them.
I love ziploc anything it makes life easier.
It seems to be that packages have become harder and harder to open for safety's sake.
I use to pack my kids lunch in wax paper and slip them into plastic bags.
The kids could open it and spread it out almost like a plate and put their dessert/fruit on it.
They just threw the whole thing away when they were finished.
Happy school days to all the Parents & Kids
Kath robpi/adult
I am willing to bet that Brandon will NOT ask for help!
I still hate to ask anyone for help and as a result will avoid certain things just not to deal with them.
I love ziploc anything it makes life easier.
It seems to be that packages have become harder and harder to open for safety's sake.
I use to pack my kids lunch in wax paper and slip them into plastic bags.
The kids could open it and spread it out almost like a plate and put their dessert/fruit on it.
They just threw the whole thing away when they were finished.
Happy school days to all the Parents & Kids
Kath robpi/adult
Kath robpi/adult
Kathleen Mallozzi
Kathleen Mallozzi
Re: Lunch boxes and bags
Thank you both for your responses. I hate the fruit cups with the juice and the gel. Nothing but a mess!!! Jody can open his lunch bag with one hand - he uses his right arm to weight bear on it to hold it still. I think I will go with reusables like Gladware. And he can open a juice box- but it has to be a box, not bags like capri sun. I love the new Mott's 4 Tots. With less sugar. That way- the teacher only has to open on thing, besides he can't hold a ziploc open just yet. We have to put all bagged items into bowls and cups. I think he will be just fine. He is independant and won't always ask for help. Thanks!!!
Re: Lunch boxes and bags
Thank you Kath too!- I think our messages posted at the same time!!
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marieke
- Posts: 1627
- Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:00 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI
no external rotation against gravity, can only go to 90 degree fwd flexion, no hand-to-mouth
1 surgery at age 14 (latissimus dorsi transfer). In 2004, at age 28 I was struck with Transverse Myelitis which paralyzed me from the chest down. I recovered movement to my right leg, but need a KAFO to walk on my left leg. I became an RN in 2008. - Location: Montreal, Qc, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Lunch boxes and bags
Want to know what I hate? I was a nursery teacher for 3 years and then did pre-k for 1.5 yrs.. what I hated most was the yogurt ot pudding tubes! EVERY kid would hold it tight and tear the top off... of course squeezing it onto their shirts or floor or table or chair or each other or all of the above!
They sound like a great idea for kids.. NOT! Not unless the kid can hold it without queezing it to open!
Marieke (31, LOBPI)
They sound like a great idea for kids.. NOT! Not unless the kid can hold it without queezing it to open!
Marieke (31, LOBPI)
Re: Lunch boxes and bags
Marieke:
My kids' pre-school teachers used to walk around the room with scissors! If a kid wanted to "eat" their yogurt tube, they had to ask, and the teacher would come by with a pair of scissors and cut the top off.
Juliana ate a lot of mac and cheese, cottage cheese (for a while-they opened it for her while she was interested in it), and cold grilled cheese. We use a lot of thermoses in this house. And those rubbermaid 'juice boxes', the reusable kind. I love those!
good luck,
claudia
My kids' pre-school teachers used to walk around the room with scissors! If a kid wanted to "eat" their yogurt tube, they had to ask, and the teacher would come by with a pair of scissors and cut the top off.
Juliana ate a lot of mac and cheese, cottage cheese (for a while-they opened it for her while she was interested in it), and cold grilled cheese. We use a lot of thermoses in this house. And those rubbermaid 'juice boxes', the reusable kind. I love those!
good luck,
claudia
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F-Litz
- Posts: 970
- Joined: Fri May 26, 2006 6:53 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI, LTBPI at age 6.5, Sensory Issues, CP, Diaphragm Weakness, Aspberger's
- Location: Ambler, PA
Re: Lunch boxes and bags
Tupperware (online store) has a container called Lunch'N Things - it is currently on sale for $6.60 - it's four sections (juice box, sandwich, two snack areas.... looks good to me! this is exactly like the Zip lock container that Maia used to use (but they don't make anymore)
Re: Lunch boxes and bags
I am really excited about this topic!
I have always prepared my daughter's lunches and snacks. Lately she has had pepperoni, but otherwise she has never had processed foods. I swear by three things: refridgeration available at the school, two-sided tupperware, and a 8 - 10 inch torrilla corn-based shell cut into 8ths.
On one side of the tupperware, I always provide finely sliced uncooked fruits or vegatables, either as a mix or just one, like apples, raisins, radishes, broccolli or cauliflower tops, not quite ripe avocado, apples, pears, bananas, any melon, mango!, pepper, celery or carrot sticks diped in peanut butter, or coursely grated carrots, string beans, a cob of corn cut into 4ths, cantaloupe, pickle spears, greens/spinach/lettuce cut in strips and thinly coated with oil/vinegar.
And then on the other side, I call it the "paste" and the "bag". The paste is on the bottom, and the bag is on the top. From time to time I have actually decorated the bag with food coloring.
In the bag are the torrila 8ths wrapped in waxed paper. Your child will love opening his/her torrilla 8ths. (If you have time you can lightly brush the torrila shells with an olive oil and ginger, garlic, curry, or even fruit perserve mix.)
And the paste : rice tossed with some olive oil and raisins or finely cut celery, peppers, tomatoes, small potatoes cubes, even scrambled eggs; hummus (chick peas); tuna salad; avocado salad; a slightly mushed kidney bean salad; chicken salad; eggplant, squash, regular or sweet potatoes steamed or roasted and then coursely tossed ... anything that your child can easily pickup with one of the torrilla 8ths.
Throughout pre-K and kingergarden I provided this to my child everyday, much to the annoyance of her teachers (One teacher actually and loudly accused me of depriving my daughter of sugar!) and parents becuase my child was bold and confident in defending her foods. Not long into First grade, I was more than doubling my daughter's lunches so that she could share with her classmates, and then in the Spring parents were providing very similar foods.
CHILDREN RESPOND TO GOOD FOOD!!!! It makes them feel safe, comforted, smart and LOVED!!!! And, I will add that I am not a wealthy person. A packaged box of processed cheddar cheese and meat, some crackers and a single portion of maybe pudding or ice cream costs vastly more than a half cup of honey-sweetened cooked rice and a cup of a chopped fruit or vegatables. When you shop you have to make choices, and you have to plan.
dunloe
I have always prepared my daughter's lunches and snacks. Lately she has had pepperoni, but otherwise she has never had processed foods. I swear by three things: refridgeration available at the school, two-sided tupperware, and a 8 - 10 inch torrilla corn-based shell cut into 8ths.
On one side of the tupperware, I always provide finely sliced uncooked fruits or vegatables, either as a mix or just one, like apples, raisins, radishes, broccolli or cauliflower tops, not quite ripe avocado, apples, pears, bananas, any melon, mango!, pepper, celery or carrot sticks diped in peanut butter, or coursely grated carrots, string beans, a cob of corn cut into 4ths, cantaloupe, pickle spears, greens/spinach/lettuce cut in strips and thinly coated with oil/vinegar.
And then on the other side, I call it the "paste" and the "bag". The paste is on the bottom, and the bag is on the top. From time to time I have actually decorated the bag with food coloring.
In the bag are the torrila 8ths wrapped in waxed paper. Your child will love opening his/her torrilla 8ths. (If you have time you can lightly brush the torrila shells with an olive oil and ginger, garlic, curry, or even fruit perserve mix.)
And the paste : rice tossed with some olive oil and raisins or finely cut celery, peppers, tomatoes, small potatoes cubes, even scrambled eggs; hummus (chick peas); tuna salad; avocado salad; a slightly mushed kidney bean salad; chicken salad; eggplant, squash, regular or sweet potatoes steamed or roasted and then coursely tossed ... anything that your child can easily pickup with one of the torrilla 8ths.
Throughout pre-K and kingergarden I provided this to my child everyday, much to the annoyance of her teachers (One teacher actually and loudly accused me of depriving my daughter of sugar!) and parents becuase my child was bold and confident in defending her foods. Not long into First grade, I was more than doubling my daughter's lunches so that she could share with her classmates, and then in the Spring parents were providing very similar foods.
CHILDREN RESPOND TO GOOD FOOD!!!! It makes them feel safe, comforted, smart and LOVED!!!! And, I will add that I am not a wealthy person. A packaged box of processed cheddar cheese and meat, some crackers and a single portion of maybe pudding or ice cream costs vastly more than a half cup of honey-sweetened cooked rice and a cup of a chopped fruit or vegatables. When you shop you have to make choices, and you have to plan.
dunloe