Wimpfheimer : Lunch Tips for Parents and Kids

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Lunch Tips for Parents and Kids

Suggestion: Ask your child if they want to help you make their lunches.

Please note: individual classrooms may be peanut-free, depending on the health requirements of the children in the class. You will be notified if your child's classroom has a peanut restriction and signs will be posted in the classroom. Choking hazards are identified in bold print below.

  1. Purchase two small ice packs (made for lunch boxes) and put in lunch box to keep food chilled. Wash and rotate packs nightly.
  2. Refrigerator space is limited. Please check with your classroom teachers about lunch storage for their classroom.
  3. Send appropriate utensils and napkins each day. Please label utensils if possible. Utensils will be returned in the child's lunch box.
  4. Pack reasonable portions for a young child (e.g. 1/2 sandwich). Send in a limited number of items each day.
  5. Make and pack lunches the night before.
  6. Make and freeze or store bulk items for the week on Sunday night. Line-up small Tupperware containers and load them with cut-up vegetables, 1/2 sandwiches, etc.
  7. Use frozen bread to make sandwiches. It will thaw out by lunch time. It is also easier to spread things on frozen bread.
  8. Slice or section fruit. Remove peels from fruit or crusts from bread if your child doesn't like them.
  9. Have your child make their choices the night before. Try not to send more than they can eat.
  10. Use a cookie cutter on sandwiches or slices of cheese to add variety.
  11. Wash the lunch box out with soap and water daily. Leave open to air dry.
  12. Cut grapes, olives, and hot dogs length-wise.
  13. Send in only seed-free food. For example, avoid or de-seed watermelon before sending it to school.
  14. Final words of wisdom from a four-year-old: 'If it's all healthy, then you don't have to worry about what order you eat it'.

Please note:

  • Peanut butter "tubes" are a choking hazard and are not permitted at WNS.
  • Candy is not permitted in school.
  • Chocolate is permitted in very limited quantities (such as in a cookie).
  • Please send only one sweet treat in a child's lunch.

Lunch Box Ideas

  • sandwich (of choice) 1/2 or whole cut into interesting shapes
  • milk or juice
  • fruit in sections
  • vegetables in small packets
  • healthy cookie or granola bar
  • homemade blueberry muffin
  • small yogurt (strawberry)
  • baby carrots
  • juice box
  • cheese chunks cut into shapes
  • 1 oatmeal cookie
  • 1/2 sandwich
  • small salad or vegetable
  • apple, or orange, or grapes (fruit)
  • juice or milk (if no milk, small yogurt)
  • peanut butter and banana sandwich (if no classroom food allergies)
  • a cup of milk
  • some baby carrots in Ziploc bag or Tupperware container
  • a piece of fruit - orange or apple - sliced or peeled
  • 1/2 sandwich (rice cakes or crackers if they don't like bread)
  • small fruit
  • small yogurt
  • juice box
  • pretzel, cookie
  • milk
  • apple slices
  • peanut butter for dipping (if no classroom food allergies)
  • crackers
  • pizza
  • apple juice
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1 small yogurt
  • peanut butter and jelly sandwich (if no classroom food allergies)
  • apple
  • juice box (the larger size)
  • 2 small cookies