Lunch ideas for school?

Domimom · Senior Member

Lunch ideas for school?

CoffeeQueen · Guru

forgive me for asking again, but is he autistic? I cannot recall what the final diagnosis was. Anyway, if he is, it is not uncommon for them to eat the same thing daily. Often they do not like any change. It is not a bad thing if he eats the same thing daily.Allie has a little boy in her class that eats the same thing daily, pretzels, grapes and one other thing that I cannot recall. He will eat nothing else.

I could provide you ideas for lunch, but it would do nothing if the issue is he will not eat much of anything.

What does he eat for dinner at home?

Domimom · Senior Member

CoffeeQueen wrote:

forgive me for asking again, but is he autistic? I cannot recall what the final diagnosis was. Anyway, if he is, it is not uncommon for them to eat the same thing daily. Often they do not like any change. It is not a bad thing if he eats the same thing daily.Allie has a little boy in her class that eats the same thing daily, pretzels, grapes and one other thing that I cannot recall. He will eat nothing else.

I could provide you ideas for lunch, but it would do nothing if the issue is he will not eat much of anything.

What does he eat for dinner at home?

Yes, he was diagnosed with it so I think alot of the picky eating comes from the sensory stuff, smells bother him, he will gag if I cook certain things, etc. At home sometimes he mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, fish sticks and that is about it, I always have to make him something else because he is not the kind of kid who will eat when he is hungry, if he doesn't like it, he WILL NOT eat at all.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

maybe just stick to the same thing for lunches always. This way you know he will eat.

LucsMama · Senior Member

Man, that's rough! Is he into helping cook or anything like that? Maybe let him "pack" his lunch? You already posted what he eats for lunch but What does he eat for breakfast?

CoffeeQueen · Guru

There are a lot of sites out there for kids with autism and eating. Have you checked any of them out. Each kid is very different, but maybe some of the ideas will help you.

Here are a few

http://www.tacanow.org/family-resources/picky-kids-eating-and-autism/

http://quixoticautistic.blogspot.com/2010/07/picky-eating-and-autism.html

there are a ton.

Does he work with anyone at school or have an aid? If so, maybe they can be a resource for you.

Domimom · Senior Member

He doesn't want to help me cook, I have tried to get him to help me pack his lunch and he won't do that either, he always just tells me he wants a lunchable but he only eats the crackers. Yesterday I sent him mac & cheese in a thermos that is supposed to stay hot for 5 hours and he didn't eat it cause he said it was cold, there was no way it was cold. For breakfast he eats cereal without milk or a muffin. He doesn't have an aid or any help because he goes to a private kindergarten. His teacher does try to make him eat but she can't force him. Thank you for all the ideas, I will check out some of the sites. I got a book at the library about cooking for kids and it says for even the pickiest eaters but I know I will make that stuff and he just won't eat it. Just the smell of some things makes him gag.

-- Edited by Domimom on Thursday 24th of March 2011 10:02:41 AM

Robin · Guru

Domimom wrote:
He doesn't want to help me cook, I have tried to get him to help me pack his lunch and he won't do that either, he always just tells me he wants a lunchable but he only eats the crackers. Yesterday I sent him mac & cheese in a thermos that is supposed to stay hot for 5 hours and he didn't eat it cause he said it was cold, there was no way it was cold. For breakfast he eats cereal without milk or a muffin. He doesn't have an aid or any help because he goes to a private kindergarten. His teacher does try to make him eat but she can't force him. Thank you for all the ideas, I will check out some of the sites. I got a book at the library about cooking for kids and it says for even the pickiest eaters but I know I will make that stuff and he just won't eat it. Just the smell of some things makes him gag.

-- Edited by Domimom on Thursday 24th of March 2011 10:02:41 AM

Could you send him some dry cereal and a muffin in his lunch?

What about peanut butter crackers?

My kids wouldn't eat most of the stuff in those cooking-for-kids cookbooks, and I don't even think they're that picky.

Juni · Guru

I feel your pain. I am dreading Gavin eating school at lunch next year. He will probably just have a cheese sandwich every day. At least it's something, I guess. Good luck!

Juanita · Guru

Domimom wrote:
He doesn't want to help me cook, I have tried to get him to help me pack his lunch and he won't do that either, he always just tells me he wants a lunchable but he only eats the crackers. Yesterday I sent him mac & cheese in a thermos that is supposed to stay hot for 5 hours and he didn't eat it cause he said it was cold, there was no way it was cold. For breakfast he eats cereal without milk or a muffin. He doesn't have an aid or any help because he goes to a private kindergarten. His teacher does try to make him eat but she can't force him. Thank you for all the ideas, I will check out some of the sites. I got a book at the library about cooking for kids and it says for even the pickiest eaters but I know I will make that stuff and he just won't eat it. Just the smell of some things makes him gag.

-- Edited by Domimom on Thursday 24th of March 2011 10:02:41 AM

is he in any kind of occupational therapy?

i know they work wonders on kids with sensory issues

Lizzy · Guru

it's a struggle here too and ivy doesn't have any sensory issues - just stuborness ;)

i agree with robin - can you just send some cereal and a muffin? that is pretty nutritious.

Juni · Guru

Oh, and Melissa - thank you so much for those links. I am hoping to work on this with Gavin this summer. I definitely think he has sensory issues so I stopped pushing it until I can actually devote the time and commitment to this. I actually wonder if there is such a thing as being very (very) slightly autistic on the ASD. I don't think Gavin is autistic but there are certain things that he has issues with that are related though not enough that he would need any intervention or anything. Anyway, OT but thanks for the links.