For little kids (K, 1, 2) do you usually pack lunch, or do they buy it?

[Anonymous]

Just curious what most others are doing. I had intended to pack daily. I've got a very slow eater, if it matters.

[Anonymous]

I plan on packing, though I have a feeling my daughter will want to buy lunch at least once a week. I like to pack because I think my food is healthier than the school's, plus it's cheaper. $$

[Anonymous]

I have two kids in ES and I do both (pack or let them buy) depending on the day. I typically pack a lunch; however, there are times when I haven't had a chance to get to the grocery store so they have to buy, or if they really want whatever is being offered at lunch that day. One (of several) issues about buying the school lunch is the time it takes for them to stand in line and get their lunch. Sometimes that leaves the kid a very short time to eat lunch and if your kid is a slow eater like mine, then they don't get enough time to finish eating and will be hungry in the afternoon.

[Anonymous]

Pack. Every day. My son is in 1st. He never bought last year, because 1) he's a picky eater and didn't want anything but homemade, and 2) it took so long for the kids to get through the line they never had time to eat, so I didn't encourage buying.
Packing a lunch insures he likes it, its reasonably healthy (or I control how/why not), and I know he at least has a bit of time to eat. And it is easy.

[Anonymous]

A combo. We look at the menu each day, and if it's something he likes and I'm ok with he buys.

[Anonymous]

Buy every day.

[Anonymous]

Pack most days but review the menu to see if there are any meals they might want during the week. I have a picky eater and it helps to know there are things he will eat. I don't mind him purchasing lunch once in a while and I actually enjoy the nights I don't have to make a lunch for him.

[Anonymous]

Pack M-Th. Pizza is on the menu for Fri.

[Anonymous]

If you have a slow eater, I recommend talking a lot about the process. My picky eater rarely finished his lunch and he's not even that slow. Turns otu there were all sorts of "politics" about getting into line and sitting with friends that meant he didn't want to get up and go to the trash and so wouldn't open messy stuff like a yogurt squeezer. It seemed nuts to me, but we worked out some options that didn't involve going to the trash and that way he was at least eating a lot more. Hoping 1st grade is a little easier for him to navigate and so lunches will be too.

[Anonymous]

+1

Anonymous wrote:Pack. Every day. My son is in 1st. He never bought last year, because 1) he's a picky eater and didn't want anything but homemade, and 2) it took so long for the kids to get through the line they never had time to eat, so I didn't encourage buying.
Packing a lunch insures he likes it, its reasonably healthy (or I control how/why not), and I know he at least has a bit of time to eat. And it is easy.

[Anonymous]

I pack most days. DS has told me that it takes too long to wait on the lunch line and then he doesn't have enough time to eat.

[Anonymous]

Pack every day. The line to buy the cafeteria lunch is really long. If you have a slow eater, you'd want to give as much time as possible.

When my girl was in K and 1st, I volunteered in the cafeteria helping kids open lunch containers, etc. I am not a food snob, but some of those lunches were gross. I saw many get thrown nearly uneaten out by the kids.

If you can, go to the school at lunch time and see how the lines are and what the chaos level is.

[Anonymous]

Last year, at the beginning of the school year he bought lunch everyday. Gradually, as he grew tired of some of the food - he'd only buy lunch on days they had something he liked. By the end of the school year, he was bringing lunch from home everyday.

This year (as he starts 1st), he's been buying lunch so far but we check the menu each day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I pack most days. DS has told me that it takes too long to wait on the lunch line and then he doesn't have enough time to eat.

this. A lot of kids, esp. kindergartners, go home with most of their lunch untouched because they "didn't have time to eat". This is partly because the time is pretty short, and partly because theyr'e distracted by talking with friends, looking around, goofing off etc.

For this reason, I pack them very few options. I make sure there is something filling (almost always a sandwich) and while I usually put something else in to make it more interesting (a few crackers, pieces of fruit, whatever) i make sure it's very little so they have time to have most of the sandwich.

[Anonymous]

Pack every day. It's way healthier, I know how much he has eaten (picky eater), and he can avoid the lines (slow eater and easily distracted).