For Parents

Bulletin: Lunch Suggestions

We strive to make our lunch time enjoyable and relaxed for your child. We encourage and emphasize appropriate conversation, independence, social graces and cleanliness. We consider our lunch program to be an extension of our classroom time. We ask that you take the utmost care to provide a nutritionally well balanced lunch. Take this opportunity to discuss with your child what constitutes a healthy, well balanced meal. We ask that you provide the necessary eating utensils and a clean cloth napkin each day. Please use food containers that can be easily opened by your child. The microwave is not available for heating up lunches. Thermoses and ice packs as needed work very well in keeping lunches at optimum eating temperatures.
This year, Acorn will be serving milk or water with snack and lunch. There is no need to provide a beverage in your childs lunch box. Drinks other than milk or water will be returned home for use after school. Foods that we ask you to exclude will be "junk Food", candy type fruit treats, fruit roll-ups, cookies and cakes.
Please remember that Acorn is a nut free school. that includes all nuts as well as peanut butter. these foods may not be consumed at our school due to severe allergies.

---

Need ideas for lunches or snacks that don't include peanut products? Here are a few ideas for nutritious foods:

• Deli roll-ups (slice of turkey or ham rolled together with slice of cheese.)
• Devilled eggs
• Sandwiches:
  • Cream cheese & Jelly
  • Ham & Cheese
  • Tuna Fish
  • Chicken Salad
  • Egg Salad
  • Mini-hero
    note: If you don't like using plain white bread, other suggestions are ...
    • Whole wheat of other grain-type bread
    • English muffins
    • Bagels
    • Wraps
    • Pita bread
    • Crackers
    • Rolls
• Yogurt
• Applesauce
• Fruit, canned or fresh
  Cut-up melon pieces, orange sections, watermelon cubes, bananas, sliced kiwi, berries, pineapple cubes, etc ...
• Celery, cucumber, green & red pepper slices
• Carrots & ranch dressing
• Cheese slices or cubes
• string cheese
• Cottage cheese & fruit

For those of you who prefer to provide hot foods for lunch, all of the following can be heated at home and put in a thermos:

• Baked beans with hot dog pieces and corn bread
• Buffalo wings
• Corn dogs
• Chicken nuggets
• Pasta - many varities; buttered, or with melted cheese
• Soup
• Chili
• Hot dogs, pre-cut, with macaroni & cheese
• Baked potato - scoup out and add toppings like cheese, chili, bacon bits, veggies, etc... pre-heat and place in a hot thermos
• Rice with toppings (same as with baked potato)

How about breakfast for lunch?

• Cereal
• Oatmeal (in a thermos) & fruit
• Yogurt & muffins

A good suggestion:
Let your child go to the food store with you and choose his/her lunch.