Lunches at public schools

[Anonymous]

I am sooooo tired of packing food every morning. I have one Kindergartener and 1 Middle schooler. They are in FCPS. I am really happy with the school system, but lunch options are awful here. Have you been at your child's cafeteria? Have you tasted anything there?
My best friend lives in Boston, and her children attend a public school there. They have really nice lunches!
Look at Newtown Public Schools lunch menu, for example: http://newtown.schooldesk.net/Departments/SchoolNutrition/SchoolLunchMenus/tabid/7006/Default.aspx. Au Bon Pain soups every day?

[Anonymous]

I don't know what to say. Move to Boston?

[Anonymous]

I feel you. My son doesn't eat at school either. Only on Fridays. Because it is a pizza day.

[Anonymous]

At many schools lunches are neither tasty nor nutritious: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/06/health/06patient.html?_r=0

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel you. My son doesn't eat at school either. Only on Fridays. Because it is a pizza day.

+1 Otherwise, during the week, he refuses to eat ice cold raw veggies, burritos smothered in melted cheese and sauce, and bland, overcooked pasta. And no, he's not a picky eater. Just a good one.

[Anonymous]

My neice and nephew also live in Newton. They refuse to eat school lunches. Alot of things look better and paper than on the plate.

[Anonymous]

One of the (many) reasons we chose a private school was the nutritional standards that the school has. The lunches are good and they have very healthy offerings. They also really limit the bringing of treats and junk served in class for birthdays or at parties. School wide events and sponsored activities that include food always have a big fruit and veg tray as an offering. It is just a part of the culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of the (many) reasons we chose a private school was the nutritional standards that the school has. The lunches are good and they have very healthy offerings. They also really limit the bringing of treats and junk served in class for birthdays or at parties. School wide events and sponsored activities that include food always have a big fruit and veg tray as an offering. It is just a part of the culture.

Congratulations on your choice, PP! If only the rest of us were as good at choosing as you are!!

[Anonymous]

Did you go to Boston to sit in their cafeteria? To eat their food?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you go to Boston to sit in their cafeteria? To eat their food?

OP here: no, I didn't, but my friend did. And she was really impressed.
PP, have you eaten at your child school? I did. And I can't make my children eat there...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of the (many) reasons we chose a private school was the nutritional standards that the school has. The lunches are good and they have very healthy offerings. They also really limit the bringing of treats and junk served in class for birthdays or at parties. School wide events and sponsored activities that include food always have a big fruit and veg tray as an offering. It is just a part of the culture.

At least in private schools lunches are not an issue...

[Anonymous]

Ehhhh I'm old school, meaning to me cafeteria food is expected to be bad. I grew up hating it and my kids also hate their cafeteria food. While I def would prefer declious, healthy, organic, locally grown, gluten free, nut free, free ranch, grass feed meals at our schools I realize it's not the districts number one priority. Packing lunches is a pain but that's life. At least I am able to provide a decent packed lunch for my kids for there are alot of kids who eat what the school offers for all 3 meals 5 days a week, that's who I feel for, not my kid who can bring his turkey roll up and carrot sticks everyday.

[Anonymous]

I hate making lunch everyday. But I've found that if I make a pan of lasagne and then cut it up and freeze it, it makes packing lunches easier. My kids have a wide variety of meals in the freezer. The night before they decide what they want to bring. I defrost it over night. In the morning, I warm it up and it goes into a thermos. I cut up fruit and veggies 2x/week. Again, the kids get to pick which fruit and veggie they want to bring. Those get put into small cups with lids. And I add a dairy--a yogurt or a piece of cheese.

I'm still not thrilled about making lunches, but at least now it's more maneable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ehhhh I'm old school, meaning to me cafeteria food is expected to be bad. I grew up hating it and my kids also hate their cafeteria food. While I def would prefer declious, healthy, organic, locally grown, gluten free, nut free, free ranch, grass feed meals at our schools I realize it's not the districts number one priority. Packing lunches is a pain but that's life. At least I am able to provide a decent packed lunch for my kids for there are alot of kids who eat what the school offers for all 3 meals 5 days a week, that's who I feel for, not my kid who can bring his turkey roll up and carrot sticks everyday.

I agree, and I would add that districts that have tried to serve "healthy, organic, locally grown, gluten free, nut free, free ranch, grass fed meals" find that they mostly end up in the trash. If it doesn't get eaten, it doesn't matter how good it was for them. People complain about it but I actually commend Montgomery County for trying to make their lunches slightly healthier around the edges (whole wheat dough for the pizza, Morningstar Farms fake chicken patties) while still serving food children actually eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of the (many) reasons we chose a private school was the nutritional standards that the school has. The lunches are good and they have very healthy offerings. They also really limit the bringing of treats and junk served in class for birthdays or at parties. School wide events and sponsored activities that include food always have a big fruit and veg tray as an offering. It is just a part of the culture.

For $30K you could hire a personal chef to pack your kids lunch, and donate a fruit and veg tray to every single class party.

Having said that the private school I used to work in would let preschoolers bring in cupcakes the size of their heads for mid morning "birthday parties".