Wasting food at school~vent

[daughtersrus]

I don't know if this is everywhere or just in our school district but children that qualify for free or reduced lunch program must get the entire lunch if they want a free milk. Because of this, the kids that bring their lunch but want milk either have to pay for the milk or take the entire lunch. Most of the kids end up throwing the food right in the trash and just keeping the milk.

It just seems so wrong. Why not just give them the milk for free and stop wasting so much food?

 

[luvmy3]

I don't know if this is everywhere or just in our school district but children that qualify for free or reduced lunch program must get the entire lunch if they want a free milk. Because of this, the kids that bring their lunch but want milk either have to pay for the milk or take the entire lunch. Most of the kids end up throwing the food right in the trash and just keeping the milk.

It just seems so wrong. Why not just give them the milk for free and stop wasting so much food?

Because it is easy to waste tax payer money and then claim that there isn't enough to pay for what is needed.

 

[mfd25wife]

I don't know if this is everywhere or just in our school district but children that qualify for free or reduced lunch program must get the entire lunch if they want a free milk. Because of this, the kids that bring their lunch but want milk either have to pay for the milk or take the entire lunch. Most of the kids end up throwing the food right in the trash and just keeping the milk.

It just seems so wrong. Why not just give them the milk for free and stop wasting so much food?

I hear a lot of our school kids are throwing out their lunches, too. Our schools used to have decent tasting food according to the kids and a salad bar. They had hot food line and sandwich line and a salad bar you could use. The kids say they won't eat multi grain buns and sweet potato fries so they throw it away and drink their tea. The hot line is not as good since they are "healthier" meals and the salad line no longer has as many options and dressings.

 

[minkydog]

I just look at what our cafeteria serves and shake my head. There is no actual cooking going on. Everything is prepackaged and warmed in convection ovens. It reminds me of rest area vending machine food. No wonder the kids don't want it.

Every now and then i take a chance of school lunch. I bring my lunch almost every day, but some days, like today, I buy the lunch. Here was our menu: Fish sticks, mac & cheese OR bean & cheese quesadilla, with collard greens, raw carrots, and mixed fruit OR a fresh banana. Okay, I can make a meal outta that, right? WRONG. The quesadilla tasted weird and the tortilla had the consistency of a leather belt, without the taste. The collards were horrible--seasoned only with vinigar-y pepper sauce. The raw carrots were decent, but warm. The banana had been packaged wih the quesadilla and it was actually HOT. Ick. I threw away the whole thing and found myself a pack of cheese crackers. T

he poor kids in our school don't have much other choice. They're all on free lunch because the low economic status of their parents. I"m sure if the parents could send something else, they would. It makes me sick to see how much food is wasted, but it wouldn't BE WASTED if the food was actually tasty!

 

[luvmy3]

The OP sounds like a different issue than kids throwing away food because it doesn't taste good. This is about kids who bring in a lunch from home, and because they are on the free lunch program they want their free milk. Unfortunately that means they have to take an entire lunch to get it, which apparently means they throw the food away and just drink the milk and eat the lunch they brought from home.

OP, if I'm mistaken, please let me know.

 

[KristaTX]

But they might eat the free lunch and not bring their own lunch if it actually tasted good.

 

[Chernabog#1fan]

The OP sounds like a different issue than kids throwing away food because it doesn't taste good. This is about kids who bring in a lunch from home, and because they are on the free lunch program they want their free milk. Unfortunately that means they have to take an entire lunch to get it, which apparently means they throw the food away and just drink the milk and eat the lunch they brought from home.

OP, if I'm mistaken, please let me know.

This is what the OP is referring to. This is the same in Orange County, FL elementary schools.

 

[Marlea98]

We don't have those programs in any of the schools in Australia that I'm aware of. A long time ago, probably in the '70s, they used to have a free milk program but that's long gone.

Is it an issue you can raise with your school board or whoever is in charge of the program in your area? Perhaps it's something that should be brought to people's attention via the media.

Good luck.

 

[sam_gordon]

I don't know if this is everywhere or just in our school district but children that qualify for free or reduced lunch program must get the entire lunch if they want a free milk. Because of this, the kids that bring their lunch but want milk either have to pay for the milk or take the entire lunch. Most of the kids end up throwing the food right in the trash and just keeping the milk.

It just seems so wrong. Why not just give them the milk for free and stop wasting so much food?

Let the school (or the PTO) organize a "sharing" plan. "Free lunch" child gets his free lunch. "Regular lunch" child buys a milk (and only a milk). When they get to the table, "Free lunch" kid gives his food to "regular lunch" kid.

Yes, the "wrong" child is getting the free lunch. But isn't that better than throwing food away?

 

[FlyingDumbo]

I remember when I was a kid, everyone wanted "school lunch" and those of us that could not afford it had to bring our own. Times have changed. I do also remember that school lunch often had mushy tatter tots and soggy elios pizzas. Not sure why I wanted it so bad. I think it was just because the kids with more money got to order it. Now of course I appreciate that my mom made us a healthy lunch and snack everyday, but as a kid I would have killed for some pringles. I didn't know what they were, but I knew I had never seen them at home.

 

[luvmy3]

But they might eat the free lunch and not bring their own lunch if it actually tasted good.

true

 

[dakcp2001]

I remember when I was a kid, everyone wanted "school lunch" and those of us that could not afford it had to bring our own. Times have changed. I do also remember that school lunch often had mushy tatter tots and soggy elios pizzas. Not sure why I wanted it so bad. I think it was just because the kids with more money got to order it. Now of course I appreciate that my mom made us a healthy lunch and snack everyday, but as a kid I would have killed for some pringles. I didn't know what they were, but I knew I had never seen them at home.

Me too, we wanted to get school lunch soooo bad! I also remember being upset that my mom would not allow us to get chocolate milk, we had to have regular. School lunch used to be for the rich kids when I was in school. Most of us could not afford it. It actually looked good at my school though. At least, I remember the desserts. Strawberry shortcake and blueberry muffins.

 

[dakcp2001]

I don't know if this is everywhere or just in our school district but children that qualify for free or reduced lunch program must get the entire lunch if they want a free milk. Because of this, the kids that bring their lunch but want milk either have to pay for the milk or take the entire lunch. Most of the kids end up throwing the food right in the trash and just keeping the milk.

It just seems so wrong. Why not just give them the milk for free and stop wasting so much food?

This really is a shame and completely absurd. You need to make a big thing of this and get other people involved otherwise it will just keep on keepin on.

 

[tvguy]

Because it is easy to waste tax payer money and then claim that there isn't enough to pay for what is needed.

Except in this case, they say only about half the kids eligible for the program are taking the lunches....so apparently there is a big pool of unspent money.

 

[daughtersrus]

The OP sounds like a different issue than kids throwing away food because it doesn't taste good. This is about kids who bring in a lunch from home, and because they are on the free lunch program they want their free milk. Unfortunately that means they have to take an entire lunch to get it, which apparently means they throw the food away and just drink the milk and eat the lunch they brought from home.

OP, if I'm mistaken, please let me know.

That's exactly what I was talking about.

The food here is actually pretty good. The reason that a lot of kids bring lunch instead is because the lines are so long they don't have much time to eat. It's sad when a Kdg students says that he won't buy lunch because he doesn't want to miss recess because he's still eating.

Let the school (or the PTO) organize a "sharing" plan. "Free lunch" child gets his free lunch. "Regular lunch" child buys a milk (and only a milk). When they get to the table, "Free lunch" kid gives his food to "regular lunch" kid.

Yes, the "wrong" child is getting the free lunch. But isn't that better than throwing food away?

Great idea but I'm sure it wouldn't be allowed. There's a "no sharing" policy because of allergies/diet restrictions. Besides that, I'm sure that the government entity that this falls under would say it's not allowed.

The thing that struck me odd was that milk is 60 cents for a small carton and I can buy a gallon at Aldi for $1.80.

 

[lovetoscrap]

This is because of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act that is federal law regarding the school lunch program. The kids MUST take the required elements of the meal. If they want milk they have to have the lunch. If they want lunch they have to take the milk. These are the same laws that have now made the food "healthy" so now the kids just throw most of it away and eat junk food. Also the same laws that are restricting calories which has caused many students-- especially in the upper grades-- to complain that they are hungry.

Local districts have no control over this. They are required to follow the law.

 

[mfd25wife]

I saw it as part of the same problem. Kids would want school lunches if they were still good. The poor kids in AR generally are not taking their lunch. Many couldn't afford to. If a family receives any government assistance in AR, I believe they qualify for reduced or free lunch. If they don't receive assistance, they send a copy of a check stub, I believe. We try to make sure the kids at least get two meals/day. I didn't think about other states being different and poor children not automatically getting free lunch. My apologies for assuming If they qualify for free or reduced lunch, they get free breakfast, also. The middle income to wealthy kids take theirs, but most also take their drinks.

DD's school wasn't too bad about rules on lunches from home but some were. A friend's kids when to a school that didn't like what she packed and the girls wouldn't eat school lunch. Her kids were picky so it was a fight for a long time.

 

[Poohbug]

I agree. In my school district you can qualify for reduced lunch fee or free lunch. Reduced lunch costs 40 cents. If you qualify for reduced or free you can get breakfast for no cost. However, a carton of milk for lunch will cost you 40 cents if you want to bring your own lunch.

I doesn't make sense but my school district is so messed up right now that nothing surprises me anymore.

 

[Pigeon]

Yup, it's a federal law.

 

[LJSquishy]

Something is wrong with the system. If the kids are bringing their own lunch from home, they should not be eligible for the free lunch program. It should be for kids who truly do not have anything to eat if they don't get the school lunches.