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Normally ...
Oh hell! Who am I trying to kid?? When has this blog ever been normal?
Friday's are usually a wrap-up of the week here, but y'all have been getting the play-by-play all week long. I just couldn't bring myself to post it all again. Call it denial (still having some issues coming to terms with some of what's happened this week) or just a gift to all of you, but I'm not doing it this week. So there!
Instead, I thought I'd talk about school lunch.
I've mentioned before that I often listen to The Annie & Burl Live show on Blog Talk Radio. Wednesday they had Mrs. Q from "Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project" on their show. If you have a child who eats school lunch, you really should listen to Wednesday night's show and subscribe to Mrs. Q's blog.
In an effort to shed light on the impact of school lunch nutrition on learning, Mrs. Q - an educator in a school with a high percentage of students receiving free/reduced price lunches - decided to eat school lunch every day. In her blog she documents what is served, how it tasted and often, her observations of the student reactions to lunch. Additionally, she has guest bloggers who address ways to improve the system. Mrs. Q's project inspired me to take a closer look at the school lunch program at Cam's school.
Cam's middle school serves two meals - breakfast ($1.50) before school and lunch ($2.50) over the lunch hour. Based on our income, Cam qualifies for reduced priced lunches. What this means is that his FIRST lunch costs $0.40 and then he pays full price for any seconds ... or thirds. It is not unusual for Cam to spend $25 - $30 per week on school lunches.
I was a little surprised when I downloaded the current menus. Quite honestly, the breakfast menu (which Cam NEVER purchases from because it requires a different meal card than lunch and he can't find his breakfast card) looks pretty tasty ...
The lunch menu doesn't look too bad either ...
But after reading Mrs. Q's blog, something tells me that what looks and sounds really good on the menu might not be so tasty and appealing in real life.
Remember back in the day when we were kids? When schools had kitchens and meals were cooked in the kitchen and then served by blue-haired ladies on plastic trays with real stainless steel eating utensils?? The school lunch model has changed drastically since those days.
Cam's school does not have a kitchen. Prepackaged food is trucked in daily and heated in ovens or on steam tables. Nothing is cooked on site. Although there is a full lunch available, Cam tells me most kids purchase the "Grill" items (cheeseburger, hamburger, etc.) because they are easy to store in your locker to eat later *throws up a little in my mouth* 8th graders at the middle school have an 11:00AM lunch, and school doesn't let out until 3:30PM. They get hungry after lunch.
I tried to find nutritional information on Cam's school lunches (sadly, this was the first time I even considered looking for it) and guess what?? Although the menu tells me nutritional information is available on their website, it isn't. The nutritional information page links only to nutritional information for the elementary school lunches ... and that link takes you to a blank page. Hmmm ...
Silly me ... I assumed that a Federally funded school lunch program would serve nutritious meals to our school kids. Instead, it appears they are doing little more than filling kids' bellies ... with low fiber, high sugar/fat food "stuffs".
I have options. I can choose to make Cam take his lunch, but I cannot provide nutrition for the $0.40 he pays for a school lunch. It's too bad the school lunch program can't either ...
Mrs. Q on Annie & Burl Live
Oh hell! Who am I trying to kid?? When has this blog ever been normal?
Friday's are usually a wrap-up of the week here, but y'all have been getting the play-by-play all week long. I just couldn't bring myself to post it all again. Call it denial (still having some issues coming to terms with some of what's happened this week) or just a gift to all of you, but I'm not doing it this week. So there!
Instead, I thought I'd talk about school lunch.
I've mentioned before that I often listen to The Annie & Burl Live show on Blog Talk Radio. Wednesday they had Mrs. Q from "Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project" on their show. If you have a child who eats school lunch, you really should listen to Wednesday night's show and subscribe to Mrs. Q's blog.
In an effort to shed light on the impact of school lunch nutrition on learning, Mrs. Q - an educator in a school with a high percentage of students receiving free/reduced price lunches - decided to eat school lunch every day. In her blog she documents what is served, how it tasted and often, her observations of the student reactions to lunch. Additionally, she has guest bloggers who address ways to improve the system. Mrs. Q's project inspired me to take a closer look at the school lunch program at Cam's school.
Cam's middle school serves two meals - breakfast ($1.50) before school and lunch ($2.50) over the lunch hour. Based on our income, Cam qualifies for reduced priced lunches. What this means is that his FIRST lunch costs $0.40 and then he pays full price for any seconds ... or thirds. It is not unusual for Cam to spend $25 - $30 per week on school lunches.
I was a little surprised when I downloaded the current menus. Quite honestly, the breakfast menu (which Cam NEVER purchases from because it requires a different meal card than lunch and he can't find his breakfast card) looks pretty tasty ...
The lunch menu doesn't look too bad either ...
But after reading Mrs. Q's blog, something tells me that what looks and sounds really good on the menu might not be so tasty and appealing in real life.
Remember back in the day when we were kids? When schools had kitchens and meals were cooked in the kitchen and then served by blue-haired ladies on plastic trays with real stainless steel eating utensils?? The school lunch model has changed drastically since those days.
Cam's school does not have a kitchen. Prepackaged food is trucked in daily and heated in ovens or on steam tables. Nothing is cooked on site. Although there is a full lunch available, Cam tells me most kids purchase the "Grill" items (cheeseburger, hamburger, etc.) because they are easy to store in your locker to eat later *throws up a little in my mouth* 8th graders at the middle school have an 11:00AM lunch, and school doesn't let out until 3:30PM. They get hungry after lunch.
I tried to find nutritional information on Cam's school lunches (sadly, this was the first time I even considered looking for it) and guess what?? Although the menu tells me nutritional information is available on their website, it isn't. The nutritional information page links only to nutritional information for the elementary school lunches ... and that link takes you to a blank page. Hmmm ...
Silly me ... I assumed that a Federally funded school lunch program would serve nutritious meals to our school kids. Instead, it appears they are doing little more than filling kids' bellies ... with low fiber, high sugar/fat food "stuffs".
I have options. I can choose to make Cam take his lunch, but I cannot provide nutrition for the $0.40 he pays for a school lunch. It's too bad the school lunch program can't either ...
Mrs. Q on Annie & Burl Live
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11 comments:
Forty cents a day is hard to top. Ryno's mom packs his lunch almost every day although sometimes on Friday he buys because they have pizza.
I have never been too concerned about what the school's are serving because at that age if kids are active and outside playing and exercising there's no problem with what they are eating, but...
Sending them out to play and run around is the parents' duty...God forbid the parents see to it that little Johnny is being active.
Cheers Dana!!
I love the Fed Up With Lunch blog. I know that with DB he usually buys lunch 2x per week. Every Friday they serve Pizza, and then he likes to buy lunch when they have Brunch for Lunch day (french toast and sausages) or grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup day).
The lunches are pretty good about nutrition as they offer a fruit, and either a veggie or salad every day with lunch except for Friday where they get a baked good, but I am not naive enough to believe that veggies on the lunch tray turn into veggies in the stomach.
And I have to admit that $0.40 is hard to beat, even though I wonder if you could take the $25-30 that Cam spends on lunch and do better yourself.
Now I wonder, should I take that 25-30 and give myself a Friday Foodie Challenge? Hmmm, I wonder if I could get some other bloggers to play.
Sorry if the last bit is hijacking.
Buddy eats the hot lunch every day unless they're serving "breakfast lunch" (scrambled eggs, etc.). Then, I pack him a bologna and cheese sammich along with some grapes/carrots, whatever and a juice box (100% apple). I also include a small cup with mayo in it and a plastic knife, so he can add the mayo at lunch time. Well, last week, I was informed (with 5 weeks left on the school year) that the plastic knife is considered a weapon...I guess he can spread the mayo with a plastic spoon??? I would send PB & J, but that's not allowed b/c of kids with pnut allergies. But, overall, I think the lunches they're served are nutritious. They cook on premises and follow the Federal Hot Lunch guidelines (everything must have a child nutrition label on it).
Well, my comment disappeared. It wasn't that great anyway.
School lunches aren't just federally subsidized, they get state and local monies too. State legislatures loooooove to cut those funds.
The food they serve is probably heavily processed and full of preservatives and all that crap too.
But, it does bother me that there seems to be a lot more complaining about school meals by parents and teachers than actually doing anything about it. Actually getting together and addressing the issue might take time and effort.
Can't help but remember the school lunches back when!!!!!!!!!!!
Vegetable soup & PB&J sandwiches
Homemade rolls
OMG!!!
I just love you blog and admire you for trying to do so much for Cam. Life is so cruel.
Our schools here give parents the opportunity to come in and have lunch with the kids every once in a while. Even though I pay full price for it, I sometimes order what my son has for lunch just so that I can see what it tastes like.
Most of the time its not bad. But there are times where I could not blame him for wanting to go hungry.
Matt-Man, $0.40 is pretty amazing, however Cam usually has to purchase 2-3 lunches to keep him full over the course of the day, and only that first one is $0.40. Makes me wonder if I couldn't do better for less.
Another Suburban Mom, I am really enjoying her blog as well! And I think your idea for a brown bag lunch challenge is a GREAT one!
Evil Twin's Wife, OMG! You sent a weapon to school?? *shakes head* When I look at the menu it appears the food is well balanced, but without any type of nutritional/ingredient information it's impossible for me to know.
Jay, your comment peaked my curiosity so I went looking for information on subsidizing lunches. It was interesting to learn that the subsidy, plus the $0.40 Cam pays, EXCEEDS the regular price of a school lunch. WTF??
And I agree, if we as parents are going to complain, we had better be willing to step up and help. The schools struggle to educate out kids - making them responsible for nutrition, exercise and everything else we'd like someone else to do for us is quite irresponsible.
crazymimi, when I was in elementary school *cough*thirtyfive-years-ago*cough* we paid $0.40 for school lunch (full price) and we were allowed to go back for seconds of fruits and vegetables free of charge.
Joker_SATX, supposedly we can do that too, but the district has never made an effort to publicize a parent lunch day. Hmmm ... maybe I'll make that suggestion!
I have watched the Jamie Oliver show on Friday's where he went to Huntington WV to try and get the schools to stop serving processed foods...he was fairly successful...
this is a major problem for our kids...I disagree with your first commenter..it is a major problem and kids are not getting good nutrition and thus have a hard time focusing during the day
Did you happen to catch Jamie Oliver's food revolution on tv recently? There are clips online (youtube or is page) as well as a few on my blog.
It shows just how "healthy" our school lunch "guidelines" really are. They are a crock of $#!t at best. For starters a FRENCH FRY counts as a vegetable.
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