Lunch box ideas for kids

What are the age ranges? Some older children might not want to be patronised by being given a different meal to everyone else and having to have a child's lunchbox. It might work for the really young ones though. Can you not do a smaller version of the adult meal or just a different more cost effective but still healthy meal? It's just that if I turned up at a wedding and my son only had sandwiches to keep him going all day I'd be a bit worried and he would probably be asking for more food later on!

The ages are 2 to ages 8. To be honest I don't think the kids will be patronised and it's not just sandwiches we're putting in the boxes - we're open to ideas but there will probably crisps, yoghurt, babybel (sp), biscuits, etc or something like this. If the kids are hungry later on there's always the buffet too... The adult meal costs loads so isn't an option. It was more a forum to generate some inspiration/ideas if there are any??

Thank you

I personally think it's a great idea.

Not sure I can be of much help though but I would avoid anything sticky or anything that melts ie chocolate as it will no doubt end up all over the parent's clothes

Having said that when I was little I used to love iced gems and party rings (still do to be honest!)

Raisins, cold pasta, breadsticks, fruit, crisps (remember some parents won't approve!), sausages, sausage rolls... Or ask parents to bring their own?

If you have to do the lunchbox idea I would put enough healthy food in there to keep parents happy, some don't like their children being plied with crisps and sweet things, especially as some children will eat the junk and then ignore the proper food. Try mini sandwiches with different fillings (maybe a bit more adventurous than ham and cheese), carrot and cucumber sticks, breadsticks, mini pots of houmous, cherry tomatoes...if you want to give them a treat or a pudding then I would personally do this separately.

You could do a 'make you own' kind of lunch for the older kids - so you could put some ingredients in and a couple of tortilla / pitta pockets / bagels in.

Go to any supermarke/ wilksons and they have little packets of toys for £1 that you could put in.

As a parent I love this idea!

How about some of the following

Cocktail sausages, Sausage rolls, carrot sticks, grapes, raisins, fruit of some description (banana or apple probably), crisps, babybels, cheesestrings, wraps, fairy cakes

Also, for entertainment, why not pop to somewhere like the £1 and get what I refer to as "party bag tat" type items (avoiding anything that could damage your dress of course!) maybe some colouring books (or print off some pictures to colour in?)