My kids asked the same and i simply told them its free you are having it and that i cannot afford packed lunch every day. They dont like it but i dont like being skint lol
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Find a way. It’s important to him. Do food pick up at the local churches and make him a lunch or just buy the $1.50 lunchables at Walmart.
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Went through the same thing here. Sooo… he packed lunch last year. It may be last night’s leftovers, p b and j, whatever, but he never complained and carried it every day for the year. Doing the same this year too.
Ask what he is willing to give up so you can afford lunch. How about giving up your home & living in a car piled on top of each other? How about heat, light, water? How about TV? Internet? Phones? I’m guessing he’d change his tune. I also like the idea above where he has to buy lunch at the grocery store with whatever the amount allotted for school lunch is.
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You give him set days, and hold to it. He can’t make your inch a mile if you don’t let him.
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There are great cheap ways to pack lunches. I remember when my daughter went off to camp, and I’m an educator, and even though I save a little of my 10 month pay to stretch it for 12, it gets tight. Real tight. I went to Aldi and got her things. Since then, the quality of Aldi has vastly improved. I’d buy name brand peanut butter, but they have yogurt, berries, cheese, sandwich meat, chips, granola bars, and all kinds of things to affordably pack a lunch. It’s actually roughly $1 difference for me to pack lunches verses buying cafeteria. If my kid won’t eat the school lunch, then it’s throwing money away IMO.
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Pack a lunch he doesn’t like then it’ll make it not want home lunch lol… when I packed my daughters lunch I would make her half sandwich’s with fruits and cookie or crackers just three items
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Honestly I would let him pack lunch. You could always get things at a dollar store if needed. The meals don’t have to be extravagant.
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My kiddos are like this as well , I tell them all kids aren’t the same. Just because they pack a lunch don’t mean they have too. I let them choice once a month about packing a lunch and if they do it’s a award to them.
We do once a week. Get the lunch calender from school whatever one he likes least for each week, color in that day on that paper or a calendar. That’s the day he takes lunch. Or a certain day a week. They need a visual so they can see how many days until it’s here. Hang it on the fridge
This sucks and it would hurt my heart so much to have to tell my child she couldn’t pack her lunch if she wanted to 
I have no advice as we homeschool. Just came to say it’s a shitty situation and I’m sorry 
My teen wanted to. She was stubborn. I just didn’t have the time to go get the groceries needed to bring a cold lunch. I told her she could pack whatever was in the house. She did that about 2 times and then realized she wanted the school lunch. Of course 16 vs 7 is a big age difference, but maybe showing him that you just do not have those foods in the home will help him realize it.
I will cut all other unnecessary spending and spend it on his lunch.
I will cut off TV service to pay for his lunch.
Sometimes school lunches are not as good as home made lunch.
I will put all efforts to grant him his wish.
We didn’t have much. But I made lunch for all 3 kids. Every day.
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School lunches are not good. I woek in a school. Kids throw most of it away. Loaded with carbs, fat, sugar. If you pack healthy food it’s thrown away. Kids only eat the sugary treats packed. See it every day.
It’s simple. He’s 7. You’re the adult. He’s to listen to you. And he’s to obey you. And he’s to respect you. And he’s to trust your judgment because, well, you’re the adult with the years of experience to guide him and raise him. He doesn’t have to agree. And at times doesn’t even need to understand the way you do things at the moment. But one day he’ll get it. Don’t forget to do it all with love and reassurance. You got this.
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What about taking a snack to eat with his school lunch? It may be about the “lunch box”. The kids that don’t eat school lunch get to sit down right away or leave earlier at dismissal. That could be it. Or… could be that kids who take a lunch are “cool” with their box. Hope you find a solution.
I send my daughter with leftovers from the night before dinner, that way it doesn’t put a strain on us.
So, my son LOVES to take a PB&J for his. lunches (sometimes he wants bologna) He does not like the school provided lunches.
I found out from a teacher at school, that when he didn’t bring a lunch from home, he wouldn’t eat lunch that day.
So now, we get a loaf of bread, jars of peanut butter and jelly, snack pack of chips, a bag of baby carrots, and big box if the “hugs” juice drinks. If we save it for school and don’t “share”, it will last for a 2 or 3 week period (well, not the bread … i wish it would 2 weeks)
I found we can do school lunch, for around 20bux a month, give or take a little.
Spending the extra 20 bux a month, added some much needed peace to my mind, as I knew he was eating it.
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Put your foot down. Tell him he can only take it once a week and that’s that. And if he fights you on it then it will be school lunch from now on. You set down those boundaries right away and he knows the “consequences” of arguing or pushing
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Man I wish school lunches were even a thing where I live!
They have to pack a lunch daily, unless there is a “hot lunch” which we order and pay for in advance!
I just don’t understand !
You got to feed your kids
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Go to dollar store they have lunchables 1.25
honestly i find school food gross and they honestly don’t give you much at all for the kiddos to eat at lunch i been packing my son lunch for 2 years now he’ll be going to 1st grade and my youngest will be in preschool so i been packing there lunch. i honestly just do lunchables and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a juice and snack and fruit.
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Reward him by doing chores or accomplishing something you want him to do with the occasional home lunch.
Start hitting up your local food bank to help build your pantry for school lunches.
Please help me understand correctly.
Do they give food at school?
I personally would say he can once or twice a week (up to you) and go through the lunch menu each week or monthly and let him pick the day of week that he would prefer to not each school lunch. Write it all out on the menu and leave it one the fridge so you can look at it each week and know you need a little extra that week fot lunch. This is how I did it with my son.
Simply say No! Your the parent. He’s the child.
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Can you get food from a food pantry?
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My mom would always let me on days she knew I wouldn’t eat. Otherwise I ate what was there or didn’t eat till I got home.
We looked at the school menu and some stuff they served the kids absolutely hated. If you’ve ever seen school lunches, they are sometimes really awful so I let them take a cold lunch on those days.
I went through this with my son when we were struggling financially. He got his free lunch at school and just wanted to have some hot fries (potato chips) and/or a little Debbie snack. Maybe he’ll be happy with bringing some chips or a little dessert. That way it’s only an extra $2-$5 a week.
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I let my son pack on days I know he won’t eat. Like Thursdays are pizza days n he hates pizza. Also every other Wednesday is orange chicken and he won’t eat that either. So he takes lunch to school maybe 5 or 6 times a month depending on the menu. We will have drinks n snacks put up high where he can’t reach and saved for those days of the month. He will get a lunch able or sandwich with chips these days and a snack with a juice. But he knows on the other days of the month he will not be taking lunch and will eat the lunch provided at school. But we also do not want to send him to school those days without a lunch because we do not want him hungry when he is coming home. And some days he will ask to go to boys and girls club and if he is gone all day we make sure something is in his tummy even if we have to show up to the school as lunch starts and bring him one. My son is 7 years old as well.
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My daughter is the same and has been asking for years. I stick firm with my “no”. I explained to her finally this year, everything she takes to school means less money for home which means the food isn’t as good at home. We qualify for free lunches and I can’t see wasting that opportunity. My daughter doesn’t like it, and hopefully she never understands the severity of the struggle, but someday she’ll understand
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My 10 yr old also does this and he’s a picky eater. We are a family of 6, I can’t let him and not the others. I do send snacks and tell him to eat what’s at school and he will have another snack at home after school. I will let him take a lunch maybe 1-2 x a month and that’s it. I’ve even got the lunch boxes put up where he can’t get them. I tell him it’s not fair if you do and the others don’t. You need to try what is offered. Doing so he has found he likes salad cucumbers and several other things available at the salad bar.
This makes me sad.
Your child being fed should be a priority. Make it work, it’s your job as a Parent.
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Our state has free lunch for everyone. We are very thankful for that.
Review the weekly school menu with him and then let him pick a day that is serving something he doesn’t like and he can pack his own lunch that day. This way he will feel in control of his choices.
My daughter’s school charges 100 per week for lunch, which I can’t afford so I make lunch for her every day. Simple stuff Mac and cheese, different sandwiches, veggie soup, salad, pasta and fruit, and a little yogurt or milk, and snacks like crackers, granola band ars, and cheese sticks. I buy in bulk so it’s a bit cheaper and last for days since she knows some snacks are only for her lunch
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Can you check with any food pantries around you? Maybe that can help with giving him a home made lunch. I don’t know how the free lunches are now in schools, but years ago they weren’t that great. Not the same as the paid for cafeteria hot lunch options.
What about making 2 extra servings of something they like and peanut butter and jelly to go with. Like Speghetti. If he can have someone warm it?
Is there something specific he wants? If it were me, my son is 6.5, I’d just explain to him, I don’t have extra or enough money to make that happen and I want him to be able to have more than just a sandwich or feel more full after eating. Sometimes, I just can’t with the extra explanation and have to just be honest and usually it works.
I understand where you’re coming from. I can’t afford o lot of food either especially with all the prices going up. My son gets lunch at school, sometimes he wants to bring his own. I’m like I can’t afford lunch at home all alone at school too. I told him you need to choose. I think he wants junk to eat for lunch 
he’s 10. But even when he was younger he tried to do that I want to bring my own lunch. I’m like you eat what their is at school. No different then what you have at home lol. I said lunch at school is better then being at home for lunch lol. I ask him what do you like to take to school, and if I can afford it I’ll get it.
Ummm. I understand that wanting to fit in but… you already said that you can’t afford it and offered a compromise. Great age to start teaching the lesson of not jumping on band wagons and just because all their friends are doing it doesn’t mean that they can. So when all.his friends are underage drinking or ditching school or trying whatever crazy challenge is out there, they don’t feel like they have to do what everyone else is doing. Teach them to be an individual and unique and nor follow a crowd or have to change something to fit in. Sure a lunch is harmless but that fitting in and doing what everyone else is mentality is dangerous
Can’t afford lunch but I bet your hair eyebrows eyelashes and nails look good Lol
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Prayers for your family! AMENE
Or maybe even see if the school offers options for lunch
We do once a week and it works for us
Only my youngest has ever asked to take lunch. Our schools are all free food for everyone. So we compromise and he gets to take it a few times a month or less. He will pick days he doesn’t like what’s being served at school.
I would never make my kids buy school lunch, yuck. There are so many cheaper healthier options. My kids pack their lunches, and I love that they choose too! I’d sacrifice something else to make sure I could afford it. Apply for food Stamos if it’s THAT bad.
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My kids wanted this too and we couldn’t afford it so we didn’t. It’s ok to tell him no there’s a reason you get help with school lunches.
We do once a week. My kids still complain occasionally but we can’t afford to do more than that so that’s just how it is. I do print the school lunch menu and let my littles pick which day they want to bring lunch.
Just tell him “NO”……
You are the parent and he is the child! Stand your ground! If he is hungry he will eat school lunch! End of discussion!
What? This is a joke right??
Give him leftovers from dinner the next day for lunch. No left overs he gets school lunch.
Maybe have him pick the one day a week and have him write it on a calendar and he can plan it out maybe that’ll help
He is seven years old. Who is the boss we let our seven year old. Take cold lunch once in a while.
Packing lunch from home is WAY cheaper than buying school lunches every day!!! And you know he will eat it!
Just curious. Question to the person who originally posted this for advice. Do you smoke or drink alcohol?
PB & J
some crackers, apple. Maybe Try food pantry for help
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Make him pack it himself, he’ll get over it quickly.
You’re the parent. Tell him no he cannot have home lunch every day. But he can have it one day a week. And he has to pack it himself.
I don’t understand the logic of not being able to pack your kids lunch. Pb and j and a loaf of bread are fairly cheap.
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Package of Sandwich meat, bread, cheese slices, and fruit will make few lunches
What is he looking to bring that you can’t afford? When my two 7 year olds started Kindergarten they were bringing lunch and there weren’t any extra funds being spent. They had cold cut sandwiches, pb&j or Nutella. Or I would give them left overs from the night before. They would get 1 snack and fruit and a mini bottle of water or juice. All of that was stuff I buy on a regular basis and keep in the house. Our whole school gets free breakfast and lunch so they were eating that and using what I sent as a snack or not eating it at all so they stopped bringing but their school offers good food.
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My kids starting not to like school lunches anymore… they’re saying it’s gross now it’s not the same… Maybe he don’t like the school lunch like my son says ,it looks like slop in a plate
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Find a place in the after school snack budget and allocate that for packing a lunch . Buy only lunch items like five apples five pieces of fruit ,one fruit per day , celery sticks or carrots, a sandwich a ziplock of chips or pretzels but the big bag and make individual bags let him know these are lunch items only not fir after school. Put it disposable brown paper bag and he buy his milk there or if he gets a free lunch the milk will be free .
Friday funday…if your homework is all done you don’t miss any school no notes home ect all week we will pack lunch on fridays.
I’m grossed out by the “why can’t you afford it” comments. $15 a week or so might be nothing to many of us, but for many people an extra $60 or so a month is not achievable. Check your privilege.
As for what to try, maybe teach him the concept of coupons and make homemade coupons. He can have 1 per week that he can choose is a home lunch day.
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Maybe give him a set amount of money and take him shopping so he can see what he can get for it and visually see he can get more school lunches. Honestly I’m in the other boat. Mine wants to buy but I can’t afford 375 a day when I can pack his lunch for about 2 bucks a day if not less
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You could let him maybe pick a “special” lunch once a month/ week depending on your budget
My kids have been saying the same and i stay firm with my answer is no. I have 6 kids i got be packing 6 lunches everyday plus i rather them eat summat hot instead of sandwiches everyday. It isnt the end of the world just say no and stick to it he isnt going to die over it
We pack a snack everyday not just a granola bar we do 2 things for snack apple sauce and crackers….yogurt and a granola bar and always fill his water bottle with fresh water and reusable ice cubes he eats lunch at school never an argument……our 12 yr old on the other hand whines at me about taking a lunch but she isn’t allowed a snack so I kind of feel like giving for her but if I do for her I have to for him and we can’t do that so I’ve been getting to go snacks for her quick stuff to shove in her binder she can smash between classes quick
You never have leftovers from dinner? Bread is like 88 cents… Go to the food bank. There’s always a way… That is if you want there to be.
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Huh, where I’m from there are no meals at school at all. Parents always provide breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Great concept for limited means families though.
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Oh, this one’s easy. I can afford to send my kids with a lunch. And I purchase their school lunch. Cold home lunches are not nearly as nutritionally balance and healthy as school lunches and eating school lunches keeps the cafeteria staff employed. It’s a win win. I can assure you “all his friends” do NOT bring home packed meals lol. Every child, ever, has used the “all my friends” line to attempt to strong arm their parent into bending to their will. Nip that in the bud now. Make it very clear to him that “but all my friends do” is never to be used because you’re not responsible for nor care about his friends. Only him. Much love to ya, being a mom is a lot of hard choices. Don’t guilt yourself for saying no. He’ll be fine. Lol
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My grandkids lunch are 3.95 a day it’s cheaper to pack a lunch
Oh good gravy,a 7 yr old can earn a little money for something extra he wants,why on earth do parents moddle.coddle their kids,yes parents pay for basics,but extras? Let the kid learn to earn what he wants.
My son wanted to pack lunch last year and we did small things we knew he’d eat like sandwiches and left overs from the night before 
Go to your local food pantry. They may be able to help with things he’d like. Could help out at home too
I tried explaining this to my daughter as well. It’s a waste of money when she qualifies for free school lunch.
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You could send him with left overs from the day before
Pb&j
Homemade lumchables.
I mean theres alot of cheap options to make it doable
Maybe try, he’s asked nicely. Perhaps make it a special day. Like Friday. So he has something to look forward to
Let him eat cafeteria lunch and let him choose what you have on hand for a snack in is lunchbox. As a school employee it’s really all about the lunchbox than having an actual lunch packed in it.
A loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter and a jar of jelly…
My son is 7 and also asked to bring cold lunch to school. I told him that he gets free lunches at school so we can’t pack a lunch every day but agreed to pack a lunch on Fridays only. He looks forward to Friday’s and doesn’t complain about eating at school the other days of the week
I would say maybe go through the lunch menu for the week and comprise. Maybe he can do 2 days of home lunch and let him pick 2 of the days. Like 2 days he won’t like the school lunch.
I like the compromise idea. It is not a bad skill for him to learn. You just have to stick to the compromise. Maybe write it down on the calendar what days he gets to pack so it is a cool day to look forward to. You can make lunches fairly inexpensive if you try to and honestly at that age my kids were usually happy with a pizza lunch able, a caprisun and a couple cookies or a bag of chips.
Hun, as parents, we can only do what we can do and if things are tight right now just tell him no, maybe next year. It’s not going to tarnish his childhood.
How about you both, together, check out school lunch menu together and whatever he likes the least he can bring lunch that day? 1ce a week. PB&J lasts and is affordable. If he can have peanut butter and school has designated area for it.
I find myself in a similar situation often. My son and I wil look at the weekly calendar for school lunches and see on what days he would prefer home lunch over school lunch.
For example, he HATES beef stroganoff day. So on that day, we do home lunch.
He’s cool with pizza day and chicken nugget day… so we don’t pack on those days. 
I can usually get by with only making 1-3 home lunches each week.
My son is so picky, and we do some packing when schools in!but a couple cheap ideas you could do peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, ham and cheese roll ups or turkey and cheese, you can also buy a lb of lunch meat, crackers and cheese and make your own lunch ables and it tends to go farther than actually buying the lunchables thereselves, also bottled water, veggies or fruit…I budget our bills, make a planned out grocery list so I can make sure he gets what he needs as far as packing or any of my other children if they decide to pack, also print out the school menu and let him tell you what he would eat or what he wouldn’t…try the reward thing out and see if it helps! 
If you put your foot down the inch won’t be a Mile. Maybe do Fridays.
A PB&j once a week isn’t going to break the bank. It doesn’t have to be fancy. PB&j some chips ,carrot sticks, an apple ,maybe a juice box done. That’s probably better then what the school is serving and it will help them feel special
Does he like cheese sandwiches? A raw veggie. Or cup of soup from what you made thru the week?
Can you do maybe peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and fruit? It’s pretty cheap and he will feel like he’s bringing lunch.
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Lol I’m my home no means No and we can’t afford it means WE CAN’T AFFORD IT.
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i make her lunch on friday if she had a good school week. gives her somthing to look forward too and doesn’t break the bank also gives a a reason to behave during the week
I didn’t get my lunch packed, so I didn’t eat in High School. School lunches were horrible, but that was my choice. My parents said eat it or go without. I went without. Let him choose.
His may be but yours isn’t. You can’t you can’t period. He will get a lunch at school.