What To Pack For Kids' Lunches?

[pedsnurse120304 19]

Ohhhhh so this is why the other kids steal my son's lunch

I am challenged by my son's feeding disorder. He can only eat certain textures and he's underweight. His lunch is chocolate pudding' date=' cheetos, fishy crackers, a cookie with frosting (he only eats the frosting) a hotdog cut up and maybe a bit of chocolate or a few m&m's. I know the teacher just thinks I'm a bad parent, but let me tell you, I envy those who can send fruit and vegies or Soup [/quote']

My son is a terrible eater since he was 1. He is now 8 years old and WE still struggle. School lunch is a pediasure, 2 small danimal liquid yogurts and a snack. Has not had a fruit or vegetable since 1 year old. This has been a battle that I obviously did not win. ( along with many others). I was told this was a phase, some kids are just picky eaters. Oh how I wish that was the case. I also envy when I see children eating fruits and vegetables. I guess we should be happy they eat anything. If it weren't for boost and pediasure, don't know where we would be today..

[iggychic 1,405]

My son is a terrible eater since he was 1. He is now 8 years old and WE still struggle. School lunch is a pediasure' date=' 2 small danimal liquid yogurts and a snack. Has not had a fruit or vegetable since 1 year old. This has been a battle that I obviously did not win. ( along with many others). I was told this was a phase, some kids are just picky eaters. Oh how I wish that was the case. I also envy when I see children eating fruits and vegetables. I guess we should be happy they eat anything. If it weren't for boost and pediasure, don't know where we would be today..[/quote']

Awww from one mom to another with a feeding disorder, I want to send out a hug. It's not a phase as you know and it's hard for other people to understand. We spent three months in Johns Hopkins working to get him to just eat anything (left with him eating the texture of mashed potatoes but not mixed textures...he was 2). We've made progression but it's slow as molasses...maybe one food every three to six months

We have dear friends with a 19 year old. He still struggles with foods and does not eat fruit or vegies because he has difficulty with the texture in his mouth. He's never been treated as 20 years ago they didn't diagnose feeding disorders, they just said your child was picky. Funny thing is he eats the same textures as my son does

I wish you the best. It's a hard struggle that no one understands around you. Sometimes it's rather lonely isn't it?

[SerendipityHappens 1,594]

I used to pack for my 5 year old nephew... Here are some of his favorites. lightly steamed veggies (cold) and hummus for dipping, Spinach and lentil Soup in a thermos to keep it hot, cut up fruit (for some reason way more appealing than a whole piece of fruit) with "fruit dip" made of yogurt, cream cheese and jell-o powder, a small container of that fake crab meat stuff (he requested this ALL THE TIME), mini pita stuffed with tunafish and apple slices, left over mac and cheese (not super healthy but we did use brown Pasta and real cheese!) Pita chips with salsa or hummus for dipping, raisins, Cut-shapes sandwiches. just make a regular sandwich and cut out the shapes from it with a metal cookie cutter, Cheese, turkey pepperoni and crackers... I could go on and on and on, but these things are what came to mind as stuff he really liked a lot....

Also, back when I used to pack for teenagers, popular things were: left over chicken legs, any kind of soup (kept hot in a good thermos bowl) homemade granola bars, cut up fruit with fruit dip(yeah I even cut it up for teens).. Taco kit put the meat in a small good quality thermos bowl, and pack the fixins and shell separately... also fajita kit and burrito kit were popular.

[soocalchic 1,087]

My son is a terrible eater since he was 1. He is now 8 years old and WE still struggle. School lunch is a pediasure' date=' 2 small danimal liquid yogurts and a snack. Has not had a fruit or vegetable since 1 year old. This has been a battle that I obviously did not win. ( along with many others). I was told this was a phase, some kids are just picky eaters. Oh how I wish that was the case. I also envy when I see children eating fruits and vegetables. I guess we should be happy they eat anything. If it weren't for boost and pediasure, don't know where we would be today..[/quote']

Kids do well with routines keep putting it on his plate the more they're exposed to the new foods the better they'll do. it took me a while before my toddler ate cauliflower and broccoli my kids have a jaded palate and love sushi and are not finicky eaters all 3 of them..mind you I'm Hispanic so it's all training.. I don't buy chips and pepperidge farms is the devil goldfish are as bad for you as chips lol

[iggychic 1,405]

Kids do well with routines keep putting it on his plate the more they're exposed to the new foods the better they'll do. it took me a while before my toddler ate cauliflower and broccoli my kids have a jaded palate and love sushi and are not finicky eaters all 3 of them..mind you I'm Hispanic so it's all training.. I don't buy chips and pepperidge farms is the devil goldfish are as bad for you as chips lol

It does not work as easily as you might think. Kids with a feeding disorder tend to have huge issues with texture, so putting fruit on their plate every day does not make them eat fruit. They live in a world of fear of vomiting, and an inability to process the food in their mouth (which is why they vomit). It's somewhat behavioral, but more physical than people understand. The way to success is unfortunately force feeding, but that comes at a price. My son could no more take a bite of cauliflower or broccoli than he can fly to school. It's physically not possible for him.

[asherje 81]

We do fruitables or v8 juices, veggie chips, motts veggie/fruit Snacks

[ashelaine 382]

I make my daughter a yogurt dip with greek yogurt- she dips whatever fruit in that. I do grilled cheese on Protein bread. I got these cocktail loaves (tiny little pieces of bread) in whole wheat and she smears them with hummus. Actually the kid will but hummus on anything- she eats it like bean dip. She likes lunch meat rolled around a cheese stick. Any fruit. i pack her cherry tomatos every day.

[pedsnurse120304 19]

Awww from one mom to another with a feeding disorder' date=' I want to send out a hug. It's not a phase as you know and it's hard for other people to understand. We spent three months in Johns Hopkins working to get him to just eat anything (left with him eating the texture of mashed potatoes but not mixed textures...he was 2). We've made progression but it's slow as molasses...maybe one food every three to six months

We have dear friends with a 19 year old. He still struggles with foods and does not eat fruit or vegies because he has difficulty with the texture in his mouth. He's never been treated as 20 years ago they didn't diagnose feeding disorders, they just said your child was picky. Funny thing is he eats the same textures as my son does

I wish you the best. It's a hard struggle that no one understands around you. Sometimes it's rather lonely isn't it?[/quote']

Iggychic: how are you? Where are you from? there is a place in Queens that is highly known and specialises in eating disorders. NY How old is your son? Mine just turned 8. His is majority behavioral . He will eat pizza and chicken nuggets but only from specific places. If I make them he won't even try it. He eats different types of textures. pretzels, pudding, liquid yogurt, nuggets and Pasta once in a while. First one at the table for dessert. lol..

My husband and i always wonder how the 2 of us have a child that does not like food. We also struggled for a long time. We took him to a feeding therapist who said since its all behavioral she couldn't help him. will drink boost and pediasure,. Keep me posted.

Have a wonderful holiday. If you want to chat or talk in more depth, private message me. You are not alone..

[Kapoorvilla 117]

Just curious is their a difference between eating disorders and feeding disorders? I never heard it put as feeding disorder?

[ozeedonkee 145]

Just curious is their a difference between eating disorders and feeding disorders? I never heard it put as feeding disorder?

Some kids have sensory issues (separate from the physical/medical inability to swallow/eat. I don't know a lot about that), and are unable to tolerate certain textures/tastes. It makes feeding them difficult, and sometimes you just get in whatever you can - anything you can.

My son has Down syndrome and has some sensory feeding issues. For example, he will not (cannot) eat bread, but will happily chow down on chalk or crayon. How revolting

[iggychic 1,405]

i think the terms are used interchangedly, though when my son was a baby it was always called a "feeding" issue verses an eating issue. His issues are also sensory (most kids are that have these types of long lasting problems). Feeding is used with babies because you "feed" them and when they are older they supposedly eat on their own so it's an eating disorder. Either way it's basically the same thing and the causes can be many. Down's is a common one, my son's is because he was very sick as a baby and decided not to eat at two weeks (it's a survival instinct, don't eat, don't feel pain). Once they go past certain sensory development hurdles without achieving them, it becomes a fear thing as well as sensory.

For us it's multi textures or complex textures. My son can't eat something as hard as a carrot. He chews a little then tries to swallow too early because the min there is moisture included in his mouth he naturally swallows like it's Soup. Minestrone Soup would kill him (or at least make a mess because he'd barf every bite). Some kids just can't stand some textures as the poster above noted, and some can't take mixed textures like a sandwich...they can do bread but if you add another texture (cheese, jelly etc) it's two textures in their mouth and they don't know how to process them.

I'll follow up later...my son does not have a "get up late on Christmas Day" disorder and "Santa" needs to wrap some gifts LOL

[lessofmeismore 1,405]

My daughter has sensory integration as well. Feeding was a learning and challenging experience.