Anonymous wrote:I hate packing a lunch. Ironically, packing my own requires me to buy a lot more prepackaged stuff (cold cuts, individually wrapped items) even if I choose healthy items, and gives my kid a lot less variety than the school lunch. I wish our camp provided a meal.

Seriously, packing camp lunch everyday is killing me. I miss DCPS school lunch!

OP-- whether you feel Chartwells is "gross" or not, the key thing is that your broccoli-loving child will not be surrounded by greasy burgers and fries at your WOTP DCPS. Every day they serve an entree, a vegetable, and a fresh fruit.

Any chips, cookies, etc. will be a result of the home lunches that other kids bring. And I'm sure most WOTP parents wouldn't want other parents to see their kids eat processed food so you're probably safe.

I hate packing a lunch. Ironically, packing my own requires me to buy a lot more prepackaged stuff (cold cuts, individually wrapped items) even if I choose healthy items, and gives my kid a lot less variety than the school lunch. I wish our camp provided a meal.

It really depends on how picky you are. Our school switched from Revolution to Chartwells and there really wasn't a big difference.

And I agree with the PP who said that the bag lunch that most kids pack are frequently LESS healthy than what is being served at school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All DCPS use the same menu. It's healthy (no pizza, fried food, etc) but the food is still sort of gross, cafeteria food. At our WOTP school, I'd say 1-2 kids out of 20 in my kids' classes last year got the hot lunch. Sometimes none at all.
Almost everyone packs.

Wow, really? We are at a WOTP school and the majority of the kids got school lunch most days.

And I certainly would not call it gross cafeteria food. Look at the menu.

Anonymous wrote:All DCPS use the same menu. It's healthy (no pizza, fried food, etc) but the food is still sort of gross, cafeteria food. At our WOTP school, I'd say 1-2 kids out of 20 in my kids' classes last year got the hot lunch. Sometimes none at all.
Almost everyone packs.

Wow, really? We are at a WOTP school and the majority of the kids got school lunch most days.

Anonymous wrote:Packing a lunch is such a total hassle. My DD was at a charter with organic hot lunch and I was so surprised to see kids with lunchbags. On a field trip I paid attention to what the other kids were bringing in those bags - nothing healthier than what the school provides, and in fact a lot more processed foods. Weird.

We are also at a school with Revolution Foods and my impression is that there are a lot of picky eaters and the parents are caving. I told DS that as long as his school lunch was healthy and tasted good (I've sampled Revolution Foods and it is) he has to eat school lunch. If we ever go to a DCPS school (on either side of the park) I'll pack for him because IMO Chartwells is kind of gross.

There are many food blogs with great ideas for attractive and healthy lunches--I like 100 Days of Real Food, though I dont always have the time and energy for something so elaborate.

Packing a lunch is such a total hassle. My DD was at a charter with organic hot lunch and I was so surprised to see kids with lunchbags. On a field trip I paid attention to what the other kids were bringing in those bags - nothing healthier than what the school provides, and in fact a lot more processed foods. Weird.

All DCPS use the same menu. It's healthy (no pizza, fried food, etc) but the food is still sort of gross, cafeteria food. At our WOTP school, I'd say 1-2 kids out of 20 in my kids' classes last year got the hot lunch. Sometimes none at all.
Almost everyone packs.

Well, which is it? If he wants broccoli for dessert, then he won't be interested in his friends' fries and chips, right? Okay, so YOU want him to eschew the chips and fries for broccoli, and he's going to go bonkers because you never gave him those things before. Welcome to parenting.

In all seriousness, different food providers have different levels of healthiness, despite their claims to all offer healthy meals. What most of us do is give our kids a healthy breakfast so they're not that interested in the school breakfast. Then pack the lunch that you want him to have, realizing that there's going to be some food sharing going on. Maybe allow him to purchase one meal a week (clutching your pearls with white knuckles is acceptable).

If you're at a WotP school, chances are good that most families will also be sending the healthy lunches of your dreams, so your biggest concern should be whether you are teaching your child how to make smart food choices or whether you are setting up unhealthy foods as a forbidden fruit. Good luck, I'm sure your kid will do fine.

Don't all the DCPS elementary schools use the same menu?

OP, just take a look at a recent menu. They never serve fries or chips.

http://dc.gov/DCPS/Files/downloads/Beyond-the-Classroom/Food-Menus/Chartwells%20ES%20Lunch.pdf

Anonymous wrote:I like that you qualified it with "west of the Park."

Yeah, eff any of those kids EotP, they can eat their chips and I won't care as long as snowflake doesn't have to watch.

I like that you qualified it with "west of the Park."

DC will start K next September. He is the type of kid who likes broccoli for dessert if you know what I mean. I'm concerned about exposure to unhealthy food at his future school -- fries, chips, etc. We are planning to have a lunch box, but he will likely be interested in some of his friends' cafeteria food. Is this a big deal, and how can it be ameliorated? Thanks