School Lunch
Last week was School Lunch Week and parents were invited to come to the school to eat lunch with the kids. Each grade was assigned a different day for parents to come. I went on Monday with Brooklyn and on Thursday with Brittany. Can I just say, this was an eye-opening experience for me.
Each month the school sends home a lunch menu for the entire month. This is nice because if the kids don't like something on a particular day, they can pack something from home. As I look over the menu, I'm always a little disappointed in it. School lunch has become so commercialized and I wonder how healthy it really is. I remember school lunches when I was growing up and as unappetizing as they were at times, I think they were nutritious. I think everything was pretty much made from scratch. Nowadays, the school brings in pizza from Dominoes every other Tuesday. They have Uncrustables regularly and potato chips. French fries and potato wedges make frequent appearances as well. Now, in all fairness to the school, they do offer salads, fruits and vegetables along with other main courses that would be considered more healthy.
I've always known my kids were picky eaters (they get it from me) but I suppose, for some odd reason, that I figured they were actually eating what was being served in the lunch room. I think for the most part Brooklyn does eat whats offered, as she is my least pickiest eater. Brittany, on the other hand, I am amazed she can make it through the last half of the school day. When I went to eat with her this was the menu: Popcorn chicken, potato wedges, salad with Ranch dressing, green beans, milk, fruit cocktail, and celery sticks. Although this menu was a little more calorie laden than what I would have liked to see, it was a balanced meal. As we sat down at the table, I looked at Brittany's lunch tray. This is what is contained: Popcorn chicken, potato wedges, and chocolate milk. She informed me that she didn't like anything else and chose not to put anything else on her tray. She drank her milk and ate her chicken and she was done. She didn't want the potato wedges because "they aren't crunchy and I only like the crunchy ones." I realized that Brittany must eat like this pretty much every day. I'm shocked that her blood sugar has never bottomed out due to insufficient carbohydrates. I can't believe she can function in her class throughout the afternoon with such a small amount of food in her stomach. Add to all of this the fact that I'm paying for lunches that are almost completely wasted. That afternoon when the girls got home from school I made an executive decision that we would no longer be doing school lunch. The girls would be brown-bagging it everyday, although they may still eat school lunch on special days, as determined by me. Brooklyn was totally fine with he new plan, Brittany is still mad and continues to argue with me; not that its doing her any good. So I'm curious, what do you, my readers think? Am I justified in the decisions I've made? Does the fact that I am making my kids take their lunch to school because I want them to have a healthy and adequate lunch make me the worst mom ever? I've made my decision and I don't plan to change it regardless of the feedback, but I'd still like to hear your opinions.
Also, if your kids take lunch to school, what do they take? I need some ideas for my picky eaters.
Each month the school sends home a lunch menu for the entire month. This is nice because if the kids don't like something on a particular day, they can pack something from home. As I look over the menu, I'm always a little disappointed in it. School lunch has become so commercialized and I wonder how healthy it really is. I remember school lunches when I was growing up and as unappetizing as they were at times, I think they were nutritious. I think everything was pretty much made from scratch. Nowadays, the school brings in pizza from Dominoes every other Tuesday. They have Uncrustables regularly and potato chips. French fries and potato wedges make frequent appearances as well. Now, in all fairness to the school, they do offer salads, fruits and vegetables along with other main courses that would be considered more healthy.
I've always known my kids were picky eaters (they get it from me) but I suppose, for some odd reason, that I figured they were actually eating what was being served in the lunch room. I think for the most part Brooklyn does eat whats offered, as she is my least pickiest eater. Brittany, on the other hand, I am amazed she can make it through the last half of the school day. When I went to eat with her this was the menu: Popcorn chicken, potato wedges, salad with Ranch dressing, green beans, milk, fruit cocktail, and celery sticks. Although this menu was a little more calorie laden than what I would have liked to see, it was a balanced meal. As we sat down at the table, I looked at Brittany's lunch tray. This is what is contained: Popcorn chicken, potato wedges, and chocolate milk. She informed me that she didn't like anything else and chose not to put anything else on her tray. She drank her milk and ate her chicken and she was done. She didn't want the potato wedges because "they aren't crunchy and I only like the crunchy ones." I realized that Brittany must eat like this pretty much every day. I'm shocked that her blood sugar has never bottomed out due to insufficient carbohydrates. I can't believe she can function in her class throughout the afternoon with such a small amount of food in her stomach. Add to all of this the fact that I'm paying for lunches that are almost completely wasted. That afternoon when the girls got home from school I made an executive decision that we would no longer be doing school lunch. The girls would be brown-bagging it everyday, although they may still eat school lunch on special days, as determined by me. Brooklyn was totally fine with he new plan, Brittany is still mad and continues to argue with me; not that its doing her any good. So I'm curious, what do you, my readers think? Am I justified in the decisions I've made? Does the fact that I am making my kids take their lunch to school because I want them to have a healthy and adequate lunch make me the worst mom ever? I've made my decision and I don't plan to change it regardless of the feedback, but I'd still like to hear your opinions.
Also, if your kids take lunch to school, what do they take? I need some ideas for my picky eaters.
Comments
So my thoughts were this.. They eat ONE meal at school( thank heavens.) They'll survive the lack of nutrition. Make sure they get a good healthy/hearty breakfast.And then switch out mo. of when they pack or not. ( ask what they are going to eat exactly.)
Maybe she can choose the days she wants school lunch if it comes with a promise of eating more then just one item?
I don't know what to tell you after that. I just figured if they don't eat what is offered then they can be hungry. ( I know you have to worry about more then that with Brittany.)
Let see, things I have packed..
String cheese. Bageal w/cream cheese sandwich( ham/trukey/ cheese.) Deli cut sandwhich. pb&J's
Pudding, fruitsnacks. Fruit of various sorts. and carrots and ranch.Capri suns or a quarter to get there own milk.( no not all in one lunch)
Good luck! Let me know how it works out.
Oh, and way to be a good mommy to go eat school lunch with them!
I definantly think a childs nutrition is one of the most important parts of growing up. I feel we are teaching our children how to eat and make good choices for the rest of their lives. You area a good mom for thinking about it.
I agree with Stacey, at least it's only one meal... and although Caesy is not very picky, I do think she only eats a minimal amount of what's offered at school. She, and all the kids actually, are ALWAYS starving when they get home from school, (red flag about the lunch), so they're always grabbing for a snack. They've been known to have bowls of cereal, apples, string cheese, sandwhich, whatever.
So, after reading your post, you've inspired me to also help them be healthier, with or WITHOUT the schools help. I'm going to have many more healthy and filling snacks on hand for that after-school treat- since it comes around 2:30 or 3:00 it could maybe off set some of that lunch and yet still leave them hungry for dinner, if even I have to make dinner a little later than previous. Also, Caesy's teacher is great in that she allows snacks in the class room, provided that they are healthy, minimal, and "in good judgment". It's great for the diabetic child, or the child like mine who just can't wait until lunch. I pack her grapes quite often, and granola bars, raisins, ect. So she has a few mid-morning and is not that hungry come lunch, so although there is pizza available she does not always have the whole thing. I'm not sure that anyone else would agree with this "class-room snack" thing, but it's great for Caesy, and thus far the teacher said it has not been abused and she has not seen any twinkies or potatoe chips. Maybe Britt could stash some little snacky something in her backpack and have a bite or two on her recess?
Brittany actually requires a mid-morning snack most days because of the diabetes, so we're already doing that. In Halifax, the school provided a mid-morning snack for each child. I thought that was such a great idea and I wish schools here would do the same or at least give the option and encourage kids to bring one from home. I think thats great that Caesey's teacher is doing this.