Lunch

[Anonymous]

Could you boost the pasta salad’s calories and nutrition? Add a second cheese stick? If the issue is that she’s hungry after eating them that seems like a place to start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You sound SUPER controlling. She's a teen? Not 8? Let her eat what she wants.

Teens still need advice on healthy eating. I remember putting table salt on my roasted chicken as a teen and my father told me how excessive salt can cause retained fluid. I never used table salt again and don’t put it on the table. He appealed to my vanity of not wanting to be bloated. That’s just one example. Gaining 15 lbs in two months if there wasn’t a growth spurt is something to watch.

Your father was controlling. It would make sense thar you turned out so tight (I can tell from the way you wrote your comment.) No shame here. I had one too. Loved him, but he had a lot of "views."

[Anonymous]

My son takes a small bagel, fruit (berries or grapes), chips, a sweet, and a drink. Sometimes nuts or trail mix or raw veggies. He's in 8th so I imagine he'll eat more when he's older.

He's a snacker at school. Has recently been making a larger breakfast at home: fruit, milk, egg, pastry or toast. And he eats when he gets home. It's fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD take turkey deli meat, crackers and cheese, a fruit, a vegetable- everyday. Occasionally she will sub for dinner leftovers. She seems happy with this and I’m happy she isn’t eating school lunch.

Processed meat every day isn't great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD take turkey deli meat, crackers and cheese, a fruit, a vegetable- everyday. Occasionally she will sub for dinner leftovers. She seems happy with this and I’m happy she isn’t eating school lunch.

Processed meat every day isn't great.

It’s organic and nitrate free. It is a protein source she is willing to eat at lunch. There are way worse options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You sound SUPER controlling. She's a teen? Not 8? Let her eat what she wants.

Teens still need advice on healthy eating. I remember putting table salt on my roasted chicken as a teen and my father told me how excessive salt can cause retained fluid. I never used table salt again and don’t put it on the table. He appealed to my vanity of not wanting to be bloated. That’s just one example. Gaining 15 lbs in two months if there wasn’t a growth spurt is something to watch.

i am fairly certain your father “weighed in” on a number of issues that had a far-reaching impact in your life. You don’t use salt for seasoning when you cook?

NP here. Of course people should season with salt during the cooking process. But I do not think that people need to be adding extra table salt after the dish is on the table. Extra salt on roasted chicken? Yes, that is a bad habit. I'm looking at you, dear father-in-law with high blood pressure.

[Anonymous]

one kid eats a PB&J and a cereal bar every day. The other eats a plain bagel and fruit snacks every day. I offer to buy food they like and can take and/or put in their school lunch accounts - so far no takers. They are Juniors so I am not going to stress about it.

[Anonymous]

Mine brings left over in a thermos, also potstickers like someone else mentioned, PB&J, a turkey or salami sandwich on a small roll.

She prefers snacks also - fruit, cut-up veggies, nuts, chips, any kind of treat- cookie, brownies etc.

We got my daughter a gym membership (she asked for one). Maybe you can join one and add her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You sound SUPER controlling. She's a teen? Not 8? Let her eat what she wants.

NP. Here’s the problem with that. Those a la carte snacks are overpriced and add up. My teen does the same and can easily spend $10+ each day on no real food and it’s not even a lot of food. If they are in FCPS, the limits don’t work. You can say only buy one snack but it’s not enforced and up to your kid. Yes, I’ve cut off the money and they still let them buy, the negative balance gets bigger. Mine often doesn’t realize he’s out of money until I get an email that his balance is a lot in the red.

Mine has taken cold pizza, leftovers, an occasional sub.

The killer is the Gatorade, sports/energy drinks, chips and cookies in the lunch line.

[Anonymous]

This could be many different things but I would start with trying a broader array of home lunch options. Below are ones we do regularly. We are vegetarian and my kids are tired of sandwiches.

Deconstructed pizza- naan dippers, tomatoe sauce, shredded cheese and possible toppings if she wants them. Fruit.

Yogurt with berries, dried fruit and granola.

Tomatoes and cheese on skewers. Fruit and vegetable (usually cucumber or peppers. Some saltine crackers possibly.

Deconstructed nachos (tortilla chips, cheese, beans, salsa, guacamole) fruit.

Hard boiled eggs, laughing cow cheese, saltines, vegetable fruit

Homemade sushi, edamame, fruit

Pancakes or waffles, syrup, fruit, hard boiled egg.

Potstickers, edamame, fruit.

Egg salad, fruit, vegetable.

Leftovers, fruit

Homemade vegetable spring rolls stuffed with vegetables and tofu. Fruit and edamame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This could be many different things but I would start with trying a broader array of home lunch options. Below are ones we do regularly. We are vegetarian and my kids are tired of sandwiches.

Deconstructed pizza- naan dippers, tomatoe sauce, shredded cheese and possible toppings if she wants them. Fruit.

Yogurt with berries, dried fruit and granola.

Tomatoes and cheese on skewers. Fruit and vegetable (usually cucumber or peppers. Some saltine crackers possibly.

Deconstructed nachos (tortilla chips, cheese, beans, salsa, guacamole) fruit.

Hard boiled eggs, laughing cow cheese, saltines, vegetable fruit

Homemade sushi, edamame, fruit

Pancakes or waffles, syrup, fruit, hard boiled egg.

Potstickers, edamame, fruit.

Egg salad, fruit, vegetable.

Leftovers, fruit

Homemade vegetable spring rolls stuffed with vegetables and tofu. Fruit and edamame.

OP mentioned her child is a picky eater. Mine is too. The only thing on your list my kid would is is yogurt but without the fruit mixed in. He would eat the fruit separate but his tastes in fruit are very limited. He is now a senior and has never eaten school lunch K-12. I have tried it ALL. He is very unwilling to try new foods. In elementary school and part of middle school it was PB&J, but he grew out of that. For the past couple of years he has only eaten granola bars, fruit snacks and had a smoothie for most of his day and occasionally would buy popcorn or some other snack from the cafeteria.. He never eats leftovers. Ever. Thankfully he has a short day now as a senior so he can cook something to eat when he gets out of school. Usually it's a chicken breast or wings. Oh, and he's an athlete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You sound SUPER controlling. She's a teen? Not 8? Let her eat what she wants.

Teens still need advice on healthy eating. I remember putting table salt on my roasted chicken as a teen and my father told me how excessive salt can cause retained fluid. I never used table salt again and don’t put it on the table. He appealed to my vanity of not wanting to be bloated. That’s just one example. Gaining 15 lbs in two months if there wasn’t a growth spurt is something to watch.

Can’t stand grown men who screw with their teen daughter’s self esteem like this.

[Anonymous]

I can control what’s only in my house. So I provide a good breakfast, and a good dinner. Lunch is being surrounded by other kids eating many different things so I told my self lunch will be what I packed and what he trades with friends at school. Just focus on what I can control.

[Anonymous]

*** forgot to say I grew up in the public school system eating school lunches ( pizza, burgers, fries, etc) and I loved it. My mother fed me well at breakfast and a great sit down dinner in the evening. I thought eating school lunch was amazing because I didn’t eat like that in our family. I grew tall, and was always super fit. I learned to make good food choices once I left to be on my own because of my healthy eating taught by my parents. Now in my 40’s I am still super fit, and eat a clean diet. Just letting you know the school lunch will not set her up for failure her whole life.

[Anonymous]

My high schooler doesn’t eat until she gets home, other than maybe a snack, which I don’t love. But I can’t make her.

15 pounds in 2 months seems crazy to me - well beyond what some junky snacks during lunch would cause. I’m wondering if it’s something bigger than that. Has she gotten her period yet? Could be that pre period gain, if she’s a young teen. Stopped a high intensity sport recently ?