Summer at Norwood-no refrigeration for lunches!?

[Anonymous]

Any info on Summer at Norwood?? We are about to send our almost 4 year old twins there and have just been informed that they do not provide refrigeration for lunches! I would think that this would be a basic service, so the kids could have a balanced, nutritious meal, instead of crackers or other junk. Any ideas on what can be packed for lunch that won't go bad without refrigeration, yet will provide good nutrition??

I know we can put a lunch in an insulated cooler, but refrigeration is much more reliable and consistent and safe. Everyone we have talked to-mom's, the pediatrician, think that not providing refrigeration, which is so basic, is weird. Had we been informed of this before we signed up, we may have opted not to enroll our kids-but it was disclosed only a couple of weeks before the start date! A little untimely in my view. Are they just being cheap (hard to believe with their resources, what we paid for the camp, and knowing that refrigeration is very basic).

Also any other info on Norwood's summer camp would be helpful-I was a lttle bothered about the refrigeration thing, especially considering their resources and so called "commitment" to kids-so now I'm just wondering about the rest of the program.

Any info would be very helpful. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I have worked at a number of camps in the area and sent my children to several others, and none of those had refrigeration for kids' lunches. I think your expectations are a little out of whack. My child's MCPS doesn't have refrigeration for kids' lunches either.

[Anonymous]

I would agree. I have never had refrigeration at any of my child's schools or camps, with the exception of daycare. There are a lot of yummy options that you can pack, which will be just fine in an insulated box with a cooler pack. Enjoy camp!

[Anonymous]

OP's right, though, that weeks or months on end of no refrigeration for lunch leads to repetitive, carb-heavy lunch with questionable nutrition.

There are only so many food items that contain quality protein; do not need to be in a fridge; aren't filled to the hilt with preservatives; AND do not contain nuts.

So though I think it is common around here, it's still problematic for 9 straight months.

[Anonymous]

To the poster that thinks I'm a "little out of wack"-You think basic refrigeration is a luxury? A snobby demand? Refrigeration (at least where I come from-I'm not sure if you keep your food in a hole in the ground) is meant to keep food from spoiling and safe so people don't get food poisoning.

A school like Norwood, which can't provide basic necessities like refrigeration for campers'when they will be there until 3:30pm, I think is appaling. My kids were brought up on fresh, wholesome, nutritious, balanced meals-and it's paid off in terms of they're being very healthy, strong and active.

Sorry, we were just looking for advice on alternatives foods, since we simply aren't used to providing crackers, bread and other junky non-perishables to our kids. Please advise us, since we are "out of wack" and apparently out of touch what you pack for your kids if they are going to be away till 3:30 pm every day. Astronaut food, dehydated crap, crackers and water?

Sorry we are so ignorant and actually beleive refrigeration should be provided with a pricey tuition, so that kids can actually have a real lunch, which as most of us know is critical in their development. I know now that is to much to ask-thanks for setting me straight

[Anonymous]

To the poster that thinks I'm a "little out of wack"-You think basic refrigeration is a luxury? A snobby demand? Refrigeration (at least where I come from-I'm not sure if you keep your food in a hole in the ground) is meant to keep food from spoiling and safe so people don't get food poisoning.

I'm back. I didn't say it was a luxury or that your demand was snobby. I said that, in the many, many camps and schools with which I have experience, it simply does not exist. Your expectations exceed reality, as the poster after me echoed. Get a fucking grip.

Lunch in insulated cooler with an icepack in an air-conditioned room is plenty to keep things fresh enough for the 2.5-3 hours from drop-off to lunchtime (I don't think your kids will be eating lunch at 3:30, moron).

Send an apple, a bag of carrots, and (horrors!) a sandwich. Your kids will be fine and probably could use some time away from you.

[Anonymous]

If you get this out of whack over lack of refrigeration at summer camp, wait until you kids are actually school You will have plenty of more things to bitch about...

I feel bad for the school that gets you

[Anonymous]

OP sounds laughably naïve...and appears well on her way to becoming a first-class PITA!

[Anonymous]

agree with the poster who noted that most camps do not provide refrigeration for lunches. My DCs have gone to camp at Sidwell, St Patricks, Beauvoir, NCS, etc. and none of them have had refrigeration. They usually store the lunches inside so a cool pack should do it.. And it is only a couple of hours - they usually eat pretty early at camps. Make the sandwich the night before so it's in the fridge and starts cold. Of pack it with a cold bottle of water (or even a frozen bottle of water) if you don't want to bother with the cool pack. We have always just packed a normal lunch - sandwich, fruit, veg, cookie (horrors). Neither of my kids likes mayo so we do ham and mustard, or PB&J, or turkey. One kid likes lettuce on sandwiches and we pack that in a separate baggie. Cheese can work if you use the cool pack. Not sure what the peanut butter rules are. My ds eats PB every day and usually that's not a problem at camp - St Patricks did a peanut free room.

[Anonymous]

To the last 2 posters who obviously are very angry, frustrated and volatile (get laid much?), it's clear that perhaps you eat to much junk food yourselves; it's been shown that the brain is definetely affected by what we eat. Mood swings, energy levels, depression, anger (take note last two posters) are sometimes directly affected by diet.

Woudn't it be ironic if we sent our kids to school to get a good eduaction, yet we forget or don't care what we feed them, thereby depriving them of their true potential and ability to concentrate, assimilate ideas and learn? Yet that is the reality in most schools-give them an apple and they'll be fine, as the cursing mommy poster says. Why would they need a nutritious, balanced meal asks cursing mommy, when it's so convenient to just stuff an apple and some crackers in their back pack and shoo them out the door? Second class citizens these kids-mommy is to busy (trying to get laid maybe? Gotta deal with that anger somehow!) to advocate for decent meals-I mean they're just kiddies after all- an apple should do.

Meanwhile the teachers (in the case of the camp-unpaid interns) get use of the refrigerators for their food-but they have such an important and difficult job, and they are adults after all-why deny them that perk-I mean they might quit if they didn't have a nice teachers lounge with a fridge. But the kiddies? no need to provide for them-if cursing mommy says an apple will do, then cursing mommy is right, and who am I to argue?

And as far as the kids needing to get away from me as the enlightened poster said-that's actually correct-thanks for your brilliant insight-this is the time for kids to learn about independence, so that's precisely why they are going to camp! Just brilliant, I tell you.

Now cursing mommy and brilliant insight poster, go back to kicking back on the couch and popping doritos and potato chips in your pie holes and don't forget about the playdate at Mcdonalds, where I hear the food is really nutrititous, and good for you!

[Anonymous]

That's right, OP. Keeeeeeeeep talking.

[Anonymous]

Ok, I'll keep talking! By the way, my last post of 10:04 referred to "the last two posters" By the time I poste this post they were no longer the last two-they both posted at 9:10-both (or one and the same). Just wanted to make that clear.

By the way, I really, really appreciate the ideas and suggestions from the poster who posted at 9:39-those are very helpful suggestions. Understand we are first time parents, from Europe and weren't sure what to expect-we defintely are looking forward to Norwood, but also had some questions.

[Anonymous]

Oh...cursing mommy, I would love to hear back from you as soon as you get the dorito grease off your fingers and you can type again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the last 2 posters who obviously are very angry, frustrated and volatile (get laid much?), it's clear that perhaps you eat to much junk food yourselves; it's been shown that the brain is definetely affected by what we eat. Mood swings, energy levels, depression, anger (take note last two posters) are sometimes directly affected by diet.

Woudn't it be ironic if we sent our kids to school to get a good eduaction, yet we forget or don't care what we feed them, thereby depriving them of their true potential and ability to concentrate, assimilate ideas and learn? Yet that is the reality in most schools-give them an apple and they'll be fine, as the cursing mommy poster says. Why would they need a nutritious, balanced meal asks cursing mommy, when it's so convenient to just stuff an apple and some crackers in their back pack and shoo them out the door? Second class citizens these kids-mommy is to busy (trying to get laid maybe? Gotta deal with that anger somehow!) to advocate for decent meals-I mean they're just kiddies after all- an apple should do.

Meanwhile the teachers (in the case of the camp-unpaid interns) get use of the refrigerators for their food-but they have such an important and difficult job, and they are adults after all-why deny them that perk-I mean they might quit if they didn't have a nice teachers lounge with a fridge. But the kiddies? no need to provide for them-if cursing mommy says an apple will do, then cursing mommy is right, and who am I to argue?

And as far as the kids needing to get away from me as the enlightened poster said-that's actually correct-thanks for your brilliant insight-this is the time for kids to learn about independence, so that's precisely why they are going to camp! Just brilliant, I tell you.

Now cursing mommy and brilliant insight poster, go back to kicking back on the couch and popping doritos and potato chips in your pie holes and don't forget about the playdate at Mcdonalds, where I hear the food is really nutrititous, and good for you!

Wow - 9:39 here. I thought I tried to provide some helpful suggestions - not sure how that came off as angry and frustrated. Glad my kids are not counselors at Norwood with your kids.

[Anonymous]

NP here. Agree with 9:39. You were very helpful. I am sorry the OP is so nasty. Poor Norwood.