Free breakfast and lunch at all schools, all year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this nationwide? I thought it was announced in the spring. But then I got an email from school district re lunch costs.

Yes, nationwide:
https://edsource.org/2021/usda-extends-free-meals-through-next-school-year/653335

Glad to hear it. I’m a big fan of universal programs. And I appreciate the time it saves me. I’ve got a picky kid who eats more variety at school than at home.

[Anonymous]

Wait, so that means we don’t have to send lunch to school? I thought the free lunches are the ones you drive up to a school to pick up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The other thing people have to understand is it can often be cheaper to just feed everyone than it is to keep track of eligibility and administer the programs, seek out payment for unpaid balances, and give placeholder lunches to kids. The reality is a lot of food also gets thrown away at the end of the day as well. Those things come with costs as well.

Making it blanket free cuts down on administrative costs. And isn't UT better to spend money on feeding kids rather than setting up an apparatus NOT to feed kids?

+1

Means-testing programs makes them more expensive to administer. Just feeding everyone makes it easier and reduces administrative costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The other thing people have to understand is it can often be cheaper to just feed everyone than it is to keep track of eligibility and administer the programs, seek out payment for unpaid balances, and give placeholder lunches to kids. The reality is a lot of food also gets thrown away at the end of the day as well. Those things come with costs as well.

Making it blanket free cuts down on administrative costs. And isn't UT better to spend money on feeding kids rather than setting up an apparatus NOT to feed kids?

+1

Means-testing programs makes them more expensive to administer. Just feeding everyone makes it easier and reduces administrative costs.

Plus, we’re already paying taxes that go to agricultural subsidies. I have my criticism of that, but since it’s not changing, why not buy food from American farmers and use it to feed American kids? For a lot of kids, it’s the healthiest food they eat, if you venture beyond the bubble.

I’ve got three kids, I need all the help I can get. And the Biden administration seems to understand that.

[Anonymous]

I live in Bethesda and my kid liked to buy lunch once or twice a week as they had food that we normally wouldn't feed him or the pizza. Since it became free, the quality has gone even further downhill though and he did not like it. They also serve things that could not possibly fill upper elementary kids up for lunch - yogurt and granola for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was in today's MCPS message, so yes it's true.

That's awesome!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If they weren’t buying the school lunch before, they probably didn’t start now because it dropped from $2.35 to free. It’s crappy food. I taught in a W feeder for 6 years. Almost 80% of the students brought a lunch from home. The majority of those who bought any food from the cafeteria did so a la carte so they might add milk or fries to the food packed from home. They weren’t eating cheese dippers or the spicy chicken patty. The FARMs kids ate those so it was very easy to tell who was poor if they ate school lunch every day.

How did you know who was a "FARMs kid"?

I agree with the first PP. I volunteered for years at the Bethesda Elementary school. The immense majority of children brought lunch from home, and had a lunch account so they could get the school lunch once a week. Now with cold, repetitive meals offered by MCPS, these kids are not going to be interested.

[Anonymous]

I am very glad to see that the meals will be provided. If your kids don’t need them, fine, but these meals are critical for so many food-insecure students!!!

[Anonymous]

My kids take them for some extra fruit or snack but bring a packed lunch. They used to do the hot lunch but not since they changed to the cold model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am very glad to see that the meals will be provided. If your kids don’t need them, fine, but these meals are critical for so many food-insecure students!!!

I just wish the truly needy kids could get a hot meal like they used to rather than kids taking a free meal to maybe have two spoonfuls of the apple sauce with their packed lunch. I guess it is not a choice of one or the other right now. A lower cost meal free for all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am very glad to see that the meals will be provided. If your kids don’t need them, fine, but these meals are critical for so many food-insecure students!!!

I just wish the truly needy kids could get a hot meal like they used to rather than kids taking a free meal to maybe have two spoonfuls of the apple sauce with their packed lunch. I guess it is not a choice of one or the other right now. A lower cost meal free for all.

Agree. And this spring, there was hardly any fresh fruit. Some of the food was still partially frozen! Mozzarella sticks and a frozen "fruit cup" is not a healthy meal.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have a link to the MCPS message because I didn't get the email?

thanks

[Anonymous]

I get the concept of food in bellies. But the MCPS breakfast is sugar filled. I wish there was a substantial protein option rather than all carbs. A carton of milk will not keep a 10 yr old boy from being hungry until lunch. Even the yogurt option is sugar filled. My kid does a sugar crash when he eats school breakfast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read this. Is it true? Every kid at every school? Seems expensive.

It’s true. You are not allowed to question is on this board. Just pay your taxes to feed the kids from Bethesda living in their $2 million homes, while you slave away at your middle class job and rent an apartment in Aspen Hill.

Sorry to disappoint, but the kids in Bethesda living in $2 million homes don’t want the free lunch. They bring their own.

Which Bethesda school do you work in the lunchroom of? Because otherwise there's no way for you to know that.

I know that because my kids have been in those schools for years now. Pyle Middle School barely had a cafeteria staff (i think one part-time person) a few years ago because they are assigned based on how many meals are made each day. So cut the attitude. I know more than you do about what goes on in my community that you likely don’t live in. And stop blaming Bethesda and Potomac for all your problems. I’m not saying my tax dollars shouldn’t help support you, so you shouldn’t be so resentful of my kid getting something either. If you want to play that game though, you should support getting rid of the county school system and letting each town fund their own. Let’s see how you like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just read this. Is it true? Every kid at every school? Seems expensive.

It’s true. You are not allowed to question is on this board. Just pay your taxes to feed the kids from Bethesda living in their $2 million homes, while you slave away at your middle class job and rent an apartment in Aspen Hill.

Sorry to disappoint, but the kids in Bethesda living in $2 million homes don’t want the free lunch. They bring their own.

Which Bethesda school do you work in the lunchroom of? Because otherwise there's no way for you to know that.

I know that because my kids have been in those schools for years now. Pyle Middle School barely had a cafeteria staff (i think one part-time person) a few years ago because they are assigned based on how many meals are made each day. So cut the attitude. I know more than you do about what goes on in my community that you likely don’t live in. And stop blaming Bethesda and Potomac for all your problems. I’m not saying my tax dollars shouldn’t help support you, so you shouldn’t be so resentful of my kid getting something either. If you want to play that game though, you should support getting rid of the county school system and letting each town fund their own. Let’s see how you like that.

To be fair, most homes in Bethesda are not worth $2 million. That is top end. Sure there are some over that at $4 mil. But most, average between $750k and $1.75mil