Lunch ideas for preschooler?

[JanineRivera]

My dd is almost 3 and starting preschool in a week.  She will only be going 2 mornings a week but I do need to pack her a lunch and snack.  I am wondering if you ladies have some good ideas for easy to pack lunches?  Here are some of my ideas and would love for you to chime in: (note: no nuts allowed)

of course leftovers from dinner is an option if it can be packaged easily

cut up hot dogs

baby carrots

grapes

edamame

cut up apple

egg salad sandwich ( she is not a huge sandwich eater though)

turkey sandwich

????

Thanks Ladies:)

[samstress]

these are all great ideas.

leftovers are great.  i heat them in the morning, put them in a thermos type container and they are still warm at lunchtime.

dd loves hummus and vegetables (usually carrots).

yogurt

string cheese

cottage cheese

cut up fruit (usually strawberries, grapes or oranges)

a homemade trail mix is also a hit, but you said no nuts.

[JanineRivera]

thanks samstress ... I did buy one of those thermos containers and wasn't sure about it getting use but it sounds like it would:)  forgot about yogurt and string cheese:)

[caenach]

I second the hummus & veggies option.

DD's lunchtime rotation items:

--any kind of cut/sectioned fruit--especially strawberries, apples, grapes, pears, mango, apricots, plums, nectarines, & melon

--sliced veggies--cucumbers, bell peppers, grape tomatoes, raw green beans, raw peas in pod, edamame, avocado

--peas (she loves "cold" peas, so I will put some frozen peas in a container and they'll usually still be somewhat chilly by lunch)

--cooked broccoli

--peanut butter & jelly

--sliced roasted chicken

--ham and cheese sandwiches
--our version of the "lunchable" with whole grain crackers or pita, sliced baked ham, cheese cut into circles

--trail mix, as suggested above, with or without nuts--dried pineapple & sunflower seeds & raisins & pretzels are popular here!

--whole wheat noodles with small amount of tomato sauce, a little parmesan cheese, and diced zucchini, or spinach/kale

--definitely yogurt with all kinds of mix-ins!

--quesadillas with roasted corn, bell peppers, spinach, whatever

--baby spinach salad with raspberries, tomatoes, pears, pecans (not for you!), feta cheese, & cucumbers

--sliced hardboiled egg

--breakfast for lunch! whole-grain pancakes or waffles cut into strips with a little container of syrup for dipping, maybe some chicken-apple sausage!

--soba noodles with peanut-soy sauce & sauteed red cabbage

--tortilla roll-ups with chickpeas & cheese & cucumbers

--zucchini fritters/pancakes with cucumber-dill-yogurt for dipping

--homemade chocolate pudding for dessert

--applesauce

I always try to get DD to eat brown rice or other grains like quinoa or barley, but she won't! If she would, I'd think they'd make good "salads" when mixed with veggies! She also refuses to eat potatoes, but I've packed sliced roasted garlic potatoes for DH & I with good results. She also loves those canned peaches-in-syrup, so she gets those sometimes for dessert.

[Skippy918]

I usually send dinner leftovers with a veggie or a home-ade soup, plus a yogurt, avocado and fruit bowl.  DS doesn't care if his food is cold when he eats it.  Some of the soups I make are lentil, black bean and tuscan bean.  He loves them.