To continue the discussion of natural foods and what we do for lunches, I have to agree with Babernathy. No prepackaged stuff. We are lucky enough that our local grocery store has a "natural" foods section. It is a little more expensive but the money we are saving on Oreos and blue or red kool aid goes into this food. For sandwiches or toast I make my own bread with a bread machine or get it from a place like Montana Mills stores that make it without additives and preservatives. I can get chips from the natural section or even Pepperidge Farm Goldfish is a good choice. You can even find some potato chips that just have potato and some vegetable oil that are good. I send a little fruit, not too much though, because that breaks down into a sugar. I send a couple of cookies which I make, which I cut the sugar in the recipe in half. My son will usually take lunch meat (no bologna or stuff with additives, etc.) but I even use Healthy Choice meats a couple of times a week which aren't too bad, tuna (watch your brand labels for additives) and mayo from a natural food store, and peanut butter (just made with peanuts) and jelly that is just fruit (like Palmer brand) easy on the Jelly--remember--it breaks down to sugar which can create hyperness. Sometimes I even make him a chef salad, but becareful about your dressings. We also have to make sure my son's proteins are higher in the meal than his carbs so I send cottage cheese which I'm lucky--he loves but it has to be, of course, natural like Friendship brand.

I could go on and on, but one more thing I'd like to share is, I know this may seem like a lot of work, but if you check out your natural food stores, you can even find some packaged natural foods like, boxed cereals, mac and cheese, rice entrees or even tator tots that will help in meal preps. I work full-time too so I need short cuts.

I can only say that we went from a very angry child to one that is so happy. Good reading source: Is This Your Child by Doris Rapp

[This message has been edited by mandy (edited 03-19-2001).]

[This message has been edited by mandy (edited 03-19-2001).]

Also great for lunch snacks are pretzels, smartfood, crackers and cheese (not prepackaged), graham crackers, yogurt, dry cereal, peanuts and raisins, carrots (baby organic), cucumber, and we make a variety of different breads with natural pure coa coa powder mixed in...gives a slight chocolate flavour that the kids love.
B