Buying school lunch is cheaper than making it!

[emma'smom]

We pack for both dd's 4 day a week (in reusable containers---so we haven't lost any) and the school has a "pizza day" on Friday. There isn't a lunch program---but the pizza is brought up from a local restaurant as a school fundraiser. We also paid for daily milk for our younger dd. Our dd6 doesn't like milk at school....so she drinks water. The milk is 24.00 for the semester and the pizza was 36.00 for the semester (for two slices).

I was tossing in those little mandarin orange cups for awhile---but they aren't reusable and making them ourselves is a lot cheaper. So, now I cut up fruite myself and its not packed in syrup. My dd's end up taking 3-4 little containers each with something different in it (like a personal Bento Box).

 

[barkley]

Well, you hae to factor in the cost of reusable containers as well and how many she WILL lose and/ leave in her classroom, etc.

i use a combination of small ones i pick up for no more than 20 cents a peice at the local thrift store or goodwill (they always have a ton of the good quality rubber made or tupperware) along with the yogurt containers that come with lids (kids might toss theirs out when i send yogurt for lunch but i've got them and dh pretty well trained to set them in the sink at home for me to wash and re-use).

i just noticed that a couple of the brands of deli lunch meats are double packaging inside the small gladware containers (ziplock bag inside of gladware). they are priced the same as the package of identical quality meats w/o the containers so i've started choosing this option. these make great lunch containers.


p.s. i warned my kids that if they kept leaving the containers at school they would have to take their lunch in whatever i had available-both kids got realy good about bringing them home after a couple of occasions when they had to eat their applesauce out of a zip lock sandwich bag

 

[cepmom]

As a school lunchroom manager I agree with everything you have said. All everyone wants to do is BASH the school lunches but they have no idea what the requirements are. Our lunches are $1.25!!! We have real ground beef , whole grain breads, etc.and I hardly think the other poster really cooked with cardboard and another poster thinks that Fluff is healthy!!!! I have seen inside lots of lunchboxes and let me tell you...many of the things that are being sent are not healthy. Also many of the things that ARE healthy are getting traded or thrown away. I have asked kids what their Moms would say if they knew they were throwing away all that food that was packed and they tell me that they tell their Mom that they do eat it...and then they beg me not to rat them out!!

Oh and as far as waht the amount the Government pays to the schools... I think full pay lunches get something like 12 cents. That might not be it exactly but it is a VERY LOW amount.

The ground beef has to be a minimum ratio of 90/10...which is pretty good. I normally can not even afford ground beef with that little fat in it at the grocery store. Really...that ones that have no idea what the requirements and regulations are should not post things about cardboard being in the meat....or insinuate that the meat is not worthy to feed humans. It is simply not true. The government actually has VERY tight control of what nutritional counts are. Even if one vendor is out of something and we try to get a similar item from another vendor, we can not take it if the requirements are not fulfilled. And many kitchens no longer have fryers in them. My kitchen does not have a fryer so of course we do not fry anything at all.
Visit the child nutrition program in your school system. Ask the questions...get your facts straight before you bash. Don't base your opinions on Adam Sandler's lunch lady song or the way lunch ladies are portrayed on TV or movies.

that would have to be me....no I don't think Fluff is healthy although I can see where you might have read it that way by the way I posted it. I do try to pack my kids healthy lunches...the PB I use is natural PB from Trader Joe's. Not Jif or Skippy with all the hydrogenated oils etc. I know Fluff is not healthy but a little dab on a sandwich won't do any harm. When they take PB & Fluff, they do not generally get a sugary snack with it (cookies etc). If they were to take a turkey sandwich, then they might get a cookie with it as a treat along with cut up veggies or fruit.

I know the lunch workers are doing what they can within the guidelines and budget constraints. I am not bashing them in any way...I posted what a typical week looks like in DD8's school. I would rather have her eat what I pack than hamburger or cheeseburgers, pizza not on whole grain dough/bread, nachos, mozzarella sticks etc. I don't consider those meals very healthy. And DD11 was always picking bagels and cream cheese or pizza...again not what I consider healthy for everyday meals.

 

[cepmom]

Our district has wonderful food that our kids (general school population) really like. It always smells so good when you enter the school around lunchtime.

That said, I decided to start packing my kids' lunches when I lost my job. It was easier for me to budget into my grocery bill the money I'd spend paying for their lunches. They usually take leftovers from dinner since I've tried to make more than usual to have lunches for them the next day. They do take salads or sandwiches if I don't have enough leftover for them.

The thing that I noticed is that my DD started to slim down when she started taking my meals. She was never really chunky, except right before she has a growth spurt, but evidently my meals are agreeing with her more than the school's.

I don't know if I'm saving money or spending more on my DD's lunch. I KNOW that I'm saving money on my DS's since the MS lunch can run me upwards of $5 per day after he picks everything he wants.

I noticed this too. DD11 was never overweight, but I noticed her slimming down a little since I started packing her lunch 4 days a week instead of letting her eat bagels or pizza every day.

 

[mnasmom3]

Well, you hae to factor in the cost of reusable containers as well and how many she WILL lose and/ leave in her classroom, etc.

Seriously?

The cost of a 3 pack of reuseable snack cups is about the same as one box of pollution causing baggies yet lasts much longer.

I have 3 kids. In all the time we've been doing this, we've lost one item...one. Surprisingly, kids are smart! They know the difference between disposable and reuseable!

 

[RUDisney]

Seriously?

The cost of a 3 pack of reuseable snack cups is about the same as one box of pollution causing baggies yet lasts much longer.

I have 3 kids. In all the time we've been doing this, we've lost one item...one. Surprisingly, kids are smart! They know the difference between disposable and reuseable!

We don't have an issue with losing reusable snack containers, or even larger ones in which I put soup or leftovers. Luckily, the schools have microwaves that the kids can use to reheat their lunches.

The issue we have is that the gladware eventually wears out or cracks. We don't have any issues with them being lost or thrown away.

I like the Mom who said she's used ziploc bags when her kids were irresponsible. That will teach them quickly when they are eating applesauce from a baggie.

 

[bigmerle1966]

Seriously?

The cost of a 3 pack of reuseable snack cups is about the same as one box of pollution causing baggies yet lasts much longer.

I have 3 kids. In all the time we've been doing this, we've lost one item...one. Surprisingly, kids are smart! They know the difference between disposable and reuseable!

Really no need for the eyeroll as she was talking to me, her older sister who knows the child in question.

 

[TheLittleRoo]

Yes I do. I have since she was 16 years old. Her allowance amount is based on the cost of school lunches, an amount for entertainment, and an amount for saving for luxury items like the expensive jeans Mom won't pay for or iTunes cards. She can choose to buy lunch items at the grocery store and have extra money for entertainment/savings or she can save herself a little time and buy pre-made food. She is learning how to budget. She is very happy with the arrangement since several of her friends have to pay for their school lunches from their part time job paychecks. Her paycheck is hers to save or spend as she sees fit. Because we have always emphasized "saving up" from allowance even back when she just got $5 a week to blow, she's a pretty good budgeter and is saving most of her paycheck for college expenses. Except she did buy new snowboard equipment this year since she's working at a ski area and gets free skiing.

Go, Patsmom! If more parents taught their kids to manage a finite amount of money (ie, budget) we would have a world full of smarter, more financially sound people! Your daughter is learning if she spends all her lunch money, it's coming out of movie money, and that money doesn't regenerate itself!

 

[Papa Deuce]

To those who say it is not good food, I don't know if I agree.... Now I will preface this by saying that I believe my daughters when the tell me what they chose for lunch....

Every day their is a "junk food" type choice.... burgers, sloppy joe, tacos, pizza.... but there is ALSO a salad option every day - which my kids must take 2x a week, as per our understanding with them. Usually there is a 3rd choice, and that usually is at least moderately healthy.

There is also fresh fruit and veggies available if you don't take a salad.

Plus milk, water, or apple juice. All of that is included for $1.80 (I think ).... now if they want pretzels or ice cream or other stuff, they must buy that seperately AND it is not available every day, usually just once or twice.

We pre-pay for daily lunch. Snacks get paid for on a day to day basis.