Middle School Lunch Lacks Gluten-Free Options

[Anonymous]

LOL

Pack the kid lunch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a form to fill out to request special meals when needed

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/forms/pdf/240-23.pdf

That is if you can predict when you need a meal. We often can’t. If my child forgets lunch or we have something at home going on (e.g., renovations or fridge failure or whatnot), my child can’t go to school and have anything

So if you can't predict (renovations or applicance breakdowns are not that common, though), then you need to count on packing. And if DC forgets too often, send some sealed GF snacks to keep in a metal canister in the locker. If DC's dietary needs are that specific that they can't do chips, salad, fruit, etc., then you will have to figure out a way to self-supply.

So you want to school to always have a particular meal available just in case your child forgets or you are busy? That does not seem like a reasonable request.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a form to fill out to request special meals when needed

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/forms/pdf/240-23.pdf

That is if you can predict when you need a meal. We often can’t. If my child forgets lunch or we have something at home going on (e.g., renovations or fridge failure or whatnot), my child can’t go to school and have anything

So if you can't predict (renovations or applicance breakdowns are not that common, though), then you need to count on packing. And if DC forgets too often, send some sealed GF snacks to keep in a metal canister in the locker. If DC's dietary needs are that specific that they can't do chips, salad, fruit, etc., then you will have to figure out a way to self-supply.

So you want to school to always have a particular meal available just in case your child forgets or you are busy? That does not seem like a reasonable request.

Gluten sensitivity is exceptionally common. They could easily add options that could become non-gluten, such as a hamburger. It’s not unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a form to fill out to request special meals when needed

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/forms/pdf/240-23.pdf

That is if you can predict when you need a meal. We often can’t. If my child forgets lunch or we have something at home going on (e.g., renovations or fridge failure or whatnot), my child can’t go to school and have anything

How often do you have kitchen renovations and fridge failures?

[Anonymous]

Perhaps his teacher could stow the appropriate granola bar or crackers to cover the rare refrigerator malfunction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps his teacher could stow the appropriate granola bar or crackers to cover the rare refrigerator malfunction.

They technically aren't permitted I think, but we could also just have a couple gluten-free options on the regular lunch menu. It doesn't need to be specifically gluten free, but the ability to adapt items by removing breads is all that is needed. Instead, that isn't even possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a form to fill out to request special meals when needed

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/forms/pdf/240-23.pdf

That is if you can predict when you need a meal. We often can’t. If my child forgets lunch or we have something at home going on (e.g., renovations or fridge failure or whatnot), my child can’t go to school and have anything

So if you can't predict (renovations or applicance breakdowns are not that common, though), then you need to count on packing. And if DC forgets too often, send some sealed GF snacks to keep in a metal canister in the locker. If DC's dietary needs are that specific that they can't do chips, salad, fruit, etc., then you will have to figure out a way to self-supply.

So you want to school to always have a particular meal available just in case your child forgets or you are busy? That does not seem like a reasonable request.

Gluten sensitivity is exceptionally common. They could easily add options that could become non-gluten, such as a hamburger. It’s not unreasonable.

Your kid doesn’t have celiac so there is nothing to accomodate here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps his teacher could stow the appropriate granola bar or crackers to cover the rare refrigerator malfunction.

They technically aren't permitted I think, but we could also just have a couple gluten-free options on the regular lunch menu. It doesn't need to be specifically gluten free, but the ability to adapt items by removing breads is all that is needed. Instead, that isn't even possible.

I'm confused because the online menu seems to indicate many things that could be adapted in that way, plus other items that are gluten free. If it were my kid, I would also keep a stack of snacks in the pantry that he could use to assemble a meal if we got jammed up and ran out of other food. My MS kid does that for lunch sometimes -- we can it "snack-lunch".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps his teacher could stow the appropriate granola bar or crackers to cover the rare refrigerator malfunction.

They technically aren't permitted I think, but we could also just have a couple gluten-free options on the regular lunch menu. It doesn't need to be specifically gluten free, but the ability to adapt items by removing breads is all that is needed. Instead, that isn't even possible.

I'm confused because the online menu seems to indicate many things that could be adapted in that way, plus other items that are gluten free. If it were my kid, I would also keep a stack of snacks in the pantry that he could use to assemble a meal if we got jammed up and ran out of other food. My MS kid does that for lunch sometimes -- we can it "snack-lunch".

Was just going to come say this. There are LOTS of options on the MS menu for August and September.

[Anonymous]

wheat (gluten) is an extremely cheap filler

That is why it is in almost everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a form to fill out to request special meals when needed

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/forms/pdf/240-23.pdf

That is if you can predict when you need a meal. We often can’t. If my child forgets lunch or we have something at home going on (e.g., renovations or fridge failure or whatnot), my child can’t go to school and have anything

So if you can't predict (renovations or applicance breakdowns are not that common, though), then you need to count on packing. And if DC forgets too often, send some sealed GF snacks to keep in a metal canister in the locker. If DC's dietary needs are that specific that they can't do chips, salad, fruit, etc., then you will have to figure out a way to self-supply.

So you want to school to always have a particular meal available just in case your child forgets or you are busy? That does not seem like a reasonable request.

Gluten sensitivity is exceptionally common. They could easily add options that could become non-gluten, such as a hamburger. It’s not unreasonable.

Your kid doesn’t have celiac so there is nothing to accomodate here.

BINGO!!!! You don't get accommodations for sensitivities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a form to fill out to request special meals when needed

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/forms/pdf/240-23.pdf

That is if you can predict when you need a meal. We often can’t. If my child forgets lunch or we have something at home going on (e.g., renovations or fridge failure or whatnot), my child can’t go to school and have anything

So if you can't predict (renovations or applicance breakdowns are not thgain supportat common, though), then you need to count on packing. And if DC forgets too often, send some sealed GF snacks to keep in a metal canister in the locker. If DC's dietary needs are that specific that they can't do chips, salad, fruit, etc., then you will have to figure out a way to self-supply.

So you want to school to always have a particular meal available just in case your child forgets or you are busy? That does not seem like a reasonable request.

Gluten sensitivity is exceptionally common. They could easily add options that could become non-gluten, such as a hamburger. It’s not unreasonable.

If it is that common, then start a petition with the other people needing similar accommodations. It should be very easy to gain support.

[Anonymous]

MCPS does have gluten free options.
See this website for a listing https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/food-and-nutrition/wellness-and-nutrition-information/#GlutenFree

DC loves the blueberry Chex, apple slices, yogurt. There are also some full lunch options that are gf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps his teacher could stow the appropriate granola bar or crackers to cover the rare refrigerator malfunction.

They technically aren't permitted I think, but we could also just have a couple gluten-free options on the regular lunch menu. It doesn't need to be specifically gluten free, but the ability to adapt items by removing breads is all that is needed. Instead, that isn't even possible.

I'm confused because the online menu seems to indicate many things that could be adapted in that way, plus other items that are gluten free. If it were my kid, I would also keep a stack of snacks in the pantry that he could use to assemble a meal if we got jammed up and ran out of other food. My MS kid does that for lunch sometimes -- we can it "snack-lunch".

Those items don’t exist on the actual menu offered. They say they have them on a general level, but they aren’t there. The biggest issue is when he forgets his lunch, but right now we have limited options from home due to home being remodeled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS does have gluten free options.
See this website for a listing https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/food-and-nutrition/wellness-and-nutrition-information/#GlutenFree

DC loves the blueberry Chex, apple slices, yogurt. There are also some full lunch options that are gf.

DS has no blueberry Chex at his school. Apple slices and yogurt isn’t a lunch. Most of the options listed there aren’t actually there at the school.