Middle School Lunch Portion

[Anonymous]

My middle schooler complained that school lunch portion was too small, even smaller than elementary school lunch. I got a chance to see it by my eyes when I volunteered at school. Students do get more choices at middle school but the quality and portion are not good. On the day I was there, the portion of orange chicken and brown rice might be good for toddlers. As for pizza, I saw students peel off the cheese, I asked them why, they told me the cheese taste like yucky plastic. Last Friday, school lunch looked better than usual, so DS bought double meal, because one meal contains 3 pieces of bite size chicken and some other side dishes. DS finished two, was still hungry, but didn't have enough time to buy a third meal. Do you all pack lunch for your middle schoolers? I did it for about two months then stopped because I ran out of lunch ideas. I wish FCPS can outsource school lunch to some franchise, such as chick-fil-a, panda express, Wendy's, Dominos, chipotle...… Just kidding. I know price is an issue. Just hope kids can eat well at school lunch.

[Anonymous]

My son often buys two lunches. I think the portions are the same for kindergarten as they are at middle school - and maybe even high school! Makes me feel bad for the kids who are on free/reduced lunch though. These kids are growing like crazy and burning through tons of calories. I think the cafeteria food in FCPS is a disgrace. It's all just microwaved in plastic and the quality is atrocious.

I know they hired someone new to try to improve them but I'm doubtful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son often buys two lunches. I think the portions are the same for kindergarten as they are at middle school - and maybe even high school! Makes me feel bad for the kids who are on free/reduced lunch though. These kids are growing like crazy and burning through tons of calories. I think the cafeteria food in FCPS is a disgrace. It's all just microwaved in plastic and the quality is atrocious.

I know they hired someone new to try to improve them but I'm doubtful.

The breakfast portions are large. The kids aren't going to go hungry surviving on school food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My middle schooler complained that school lunch portion was too small, even smaller than elementary school lunch. I got a chance to see it by my eyes when I volunteered at school. Students do get more choices at middle school but the quality and portion are not good. On the day I was there, the portion of orange chicken and brown rice might be good for toddlers. As for pizza, I saw students peel off the cheese, I asked them why, they told me the cheese taste like yucky plastic. Last Friday, school lunch looked better than usual, so DS bought double meal, because one meal contains 3 pieces of bite size chicken and some other side dishes. DS finished two, was still hungry, but didn't have enough time to buy a third meal. Do you all pack lunch for your middle schoolers? I did it for about two months then stopped because I ran out of lunch ideas. I wish FCPS can outsource school lunch to some franchise, such as chick-fil-a, panda express, Wendy's, Dominos, chipotle...… Just kidding. I know price is an issue. Just hope kids can eat well at school lunch.

Hear you on healthy choices, but if want more specific foods, you need to pack lunches. You can send in food from all the places you list. Some FCPS schools have microwaves kids can use too. Or better, give DC option to eat at school or they can pack their own lunches. If you want to help can make some foods up over weekend to take in, do that but still let them decide to buy or pack. It’s an easy task for kids to start doing more independent actions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My middle schooler complained that school lunch portion was too small, even smaller than elementary school lunch. I got a chance to see it by my eyes when I volunteered at school. Students do get more choices at middle school but the quality and portion are not good. On the day I was there, the portion of orange chicken and brown rice might be good for toddlers. As for pizza, I saw students peel off the cheese, I asked them why, they told me the cheese taste like yucky plastic. Last Friday, school lunch looked better than usual, so DS bought double meal, because one meal contains 3 pieces of bite size chicken and some other side dishes. DS finished two, was still hungry, but didn't have enough time to buy a third meal. Do you all pack lunch for your middle schoolers? I did it for about two months then stopped because I ran out of lunch ideas. I wish FCPS can outsource school lunch to some franchise, such as chick-fil-a, panda express, Wendy's, Dominos, chipotle...… Just kidding. I know price is an issue. Just hope kids can eat well at school lunch.

Hear you on healthy choices, but if want more specific foods, you need to pack lunches. You can send in food from all the places you list. Some FCPS schools have microwaves kids can use too. Or better, give DC option to eat at school or they can pack their own lunches. If you want to help can make some foods up over weekend to take in, do that but still let them decide to buy or pack. It’s an easy task for kids to start doing more independent actions.

Don’t think OP worried about healthy based on the alternatives she listed so yeah, easy fix here is just buy a dominos pizza day and send that in with DS for lunches! Solved!

[Anonymous]

My 8th grader takes lunch but has been buying school lunch at times. He says he likes some of it and is hungry. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

My 8th grader usually gets double portions when he buys.

[Anonymous]

Always pack.

[Anonymous]

There is a long thread in Tweens and Teens about packing lunch for teens, that has lunch ideas, OP. I pack both lunch and snacks. Lunch is often something like pasta, and snacks are fruit, yogurt, string cheese, Takis, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son often buys two lunches. I think the portions are the same for kindergarten as they are at middle school - and maybe even high school! Makes me feel bad for the kids who are on free/reduced lunch though. These kids are growing like crazy and burning through tons of calories. I think the cafeteria food in FCPS is a disgrace. It's all just microwaved in plastic and the quality is atrocious.

I know they hired someone new to try to improve them but I'm doubtful.

The breakfast portions are large. The kids aren't going to go hungry surviving on school food.

And many kids don’t eat the fruits and vegetables that come with the lunch option. They would help fill them up as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My middle schooler complained that school lunch portion was too small, even smaller than elementary school lunch. I got a chance to see it by my eyes when I volunteered at school. Students do get more choices at middle school but the quality and portion are not good. On the day I was there, the portion of orange chicken and brown rice might be good for toddlers. As for pizza, I saw students peel off the cheese, I asked them why, they told me the cheese taste like yucky plastic. Last Friday, school lunch looked better than usual, so DS bought double meal, because one meal contains 3 pieces of bite size chicken and some other side dishes. DS finished two, was still hungry, but didn't have enough time to buy a third meal. Do you all pack lunch for your middle schoolers? I did it for about two months then stopped because I ran out of lunch ideas. I wish FCPS can outsource school lunch to some franchise, such as chick-fil-a, panda express, Wendy's, Dominos, chipotle...… Just kidding. I know price is an issue. Just hope kids can eat well at school lunch.

Why are you packing lunch for a middle schooler?

[Anonymous]

I pack a supplement.
Actually DD picks out a few non perishables and a fruit/veggie and I just remind her to put them in her lunch bag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son often buys two lunches. I think the portions are the same for kindergarten as they are at middle school - and maybe even high school! Makes me feel bad for the kids who are on free/reduced lunch though. These kids are growing like crazy and burning through tons of calories. I think the cafeteria food in FCPS is a disgrace. It's all just microwaved in plastic and the quality is atrocious.

I know they hired someone new to try to improve them but I'm doubtful.

The breakfast portions are large. The kids aren't going to go hungry surviving on school food.

And many kids don’t eat the fruits and vegetables that come with the lunch option. They would help fill them up as well.

It's b/c canned slimey-looking peaches are unappetizing and the raw carrots look like they were set-out and re-refrigerated at least 3x already.
That's why most kids don't eat the fruits and veggies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son often buys two lunches. I think the portions are the same for kindergarten as they are at middle school - and maybe even high school! Makes me feel bad for the kids who are on free/reduced lunch though. These kids are growing like crazy and burning through tons of calories. I think the cafeteria food in FCPS is a disgrace. It's all just microwaved in plastic and the quality is atrocious.

I know they hired someone new to try to improve them but I'm doubtful.

The breakfast portions are large. The kids aren't going to go hungry surviving on school food.

And many kids don’t eat the fruits and vegetables that come with the lunch option. They would help fill them up as well.

It's b/c canned slimey-looking peaches are unappetizing and the raw carrots look like they were set-out and re-refrigerated at least 3x already.
That's why most kids don't eat the fruits and veggies.

I’m the PP, even post-COVID there are either apples, orange slices, or bananas available everyday. The veggies are always either carrots, celery, cauliflower, or broccoli florets - with ranch dressing as an option. The carrots can look unappealing at times, but there are other options.

[Anonymous]

the FCPS school lunch fruit is never fresh and always looks awful