School lunch

[NicoleFusion]

It's sad to me that there isn't a better emphasis on healthy eating and local grown/made items. It seems like school is such a fantastic place to teach about proper nutrition and sustainable environment. Sadly, the taxpayers would never subsidize such a thing. It's hard enough to convince communities that education and children are worthwhile investments.

[lvstephanie]

I saw an interesting video on Japanese schools... The video showed how the school made "lunch" into a class, just like any other. It got the kids to learn about proper nutrition, preparing their own food, etc. I thought that that was a fantastic idea. Undergraduate school (esp. high school) is supposed to prepare the student for living on their own as an adult. And cooking is a life-long skill that unfortunately many students woefully lack. I remember that when I got to college, most students could hardly prepare a meal for themselves, including very simple dishes like spaghetti (I've even heard of a student that burnt ramen noodles (she just put the package into the microwave without any water etc.)).

I've always thought that there really should be an "Adult Living" class that just teaches "the basics" of living on one's own. Sort of like a cross between home-ec, shop / woodworking, auto shop, and personal finance. I could easily see incorporating a class like this during the lunch period...

[shepherdchik]

It is a shame that schools do not make healthy lunch options. I know not every school has a big enough budget but I think it is one of the most important things for a child. You also don't know what their home life is like and if they get good healthy home cooked food at home either. As for middle school and high school I can't believe that most schools do not have a home economics class any more! It is really important for kids to learn basic skills like cooking and sewing

[countrygirl12]

School lunches are honestly terrible. The kids come home starving because the lunch is too less or too greasy. And theyre making them pay for it!

So pack your child a lunch.  I get so sick of people whining and complaining and school lunches.  Or taking nasty photos of mixed up crap at a restaurant and claiming it is a school lunch.  They cannot make your kid pay for a lunch if they bring their own from home.  And you cannot expect a 7 course meal for less than $2. 

[dreamyxo]

When I was in school my lunch was pretty decent.  My favorite was grilled cheese and tomato soup.

[Liquidfire_43]

The best public school lunch I remember was when I was in kindergarten to 2nd grade in some place in NY. Sausage links, hotpocket, wide selection of milk, taco, sloppy joe, and pizza (I wish I stayed in that school). Move to NJ and Brooklyn, NY and it is basically slop you have to pay for.  At this point public school food is like an slightly upgraded prison food you have to pay. In high school, food was meh. Pizza, burger, sandwich, and pasta.. Expensive and unhealthy though (Mcdonalds burger is more healthy and cheaper than the burgers they serve). Should've brought my own lunch. The amount of money and life span I would saved

[jenniferhoder]

My kids don't care for their schools lunch menu either. AND we can't have any peanut butter products so it makes packing a lunch for them very difficult at times since my kids don't eat lunch meat much!

[ancmetro]

   Yes! Make a lunch box for the kids. They will thank you for preparing a healthier meal.

[linderlizzie]

I was really skinny until I was around 16 or so because I would never touch school lunches. 

I would run to the lunchroom with everyone else and eat pudding or something else that was actually palatable.

Perhaps they serve those lunches to make children appreciate the food they get at home.  I would bet a large percentage of people hated school lunches. Back in my day, they didn't care whether you liked them or not. 

[themrs13]

I have three kids and my two little one love school lunch, but my oldest a teenager will not eat at school and will not take lunch to school. 

[autumnsparklemom]

Very sad, my son takes his lunch most days and my daughter is picky but does eat the school lunch most days.