Does your elementary school cafeteria sell "extras?"

[Mom-to-3]

In our area, each school cafeteria stands on its own. Menus and "extras" are decided by the lunch lady. They receive no funds (except for reduced-fee children) and must cover their own costs.

I think our lunch ladies are not very motivated to make delicious lunches because the "extras" bring in so much money.

Does your cafeteria let the kids add-on snacks, ice cream, and drinks?


See our school's list further down the page.

 

[aprincessmom]

Ours has ice cream once a week on Wednesday and EVERYONE brings their 75 cents for the treat. Otherwise they have a choice of chocolate, strawberry or plain milk in addition to the hot lunch. That's all.

 

[kinlaw6450]

Same here. Icecream on Fridays and choice of milk. Otherwise nothing more...

 

[browneyes]

My dd has ice cream on Tuesdays and Fridays, my ds has ice cream on Fridays. Ice cream is 50 cents. They can buy extra milk, or a juice at lunch time. Milk is 40 cents (I think), and juice is a quarter. I don't think they have other snacks available, atleast they haven't mentioned it yet.

My kids love their lunch food though. Especially pizza days.

 

[mrsmom]

Our school lets the kids buy extras like cookies , chips and other stuff , but what i like more, they can buy extra servings of what they are having like mac and cheese or chili or what ever for about 50 cents. . My kids only get extra food not snacks.

 

[TEENEE]

My dd's school has ice cream on Fridays for 50 cents. I don't know of any other extra's.

 

[powellrj]

Originally posted by mrsmom
Our school lets the kids buy extras like cookies , chips and other stuff , but what i like more, they can buy extra servings of what they are having like mac and cheese or chili or what ever for about 50 cents. . My kids only get extra food not snacks.

I wish our school sold those kind of extras, we have nachos and cookies, chips, fake juice boxes that kind of thing. They only get extras when we have lunch with them. Thats how most kids are around here, when the parents go for lunch, they get them extras then.

 

[Beanie]

At my DS's school, you can buy extra food portions for 50 cents, extra milk for 25 cents and ice cream on Fridays for 50 cents!

DS still takes cold lunch everyday!

 

[Mishetta]

No ice cream or chips at my DS's school, but they do offer the large soft pretzels & "Bosco sticks" (bread dough filled with mozzarella cheese) & chocolate milk & fruit. Sometimes my DS will pick up one of those items to eat (as he throws away his PB&J sandwich! )

 

[RUDisney]

Ours sells popsicles, chips or cookies for $.35. They are very good about making sure that the kids have eaten their lunch prior to getting a snack. (Small, private school, so there are few enough kids and enough adults to make this work well.)

 

[Mom-to-3]

I'm the original poster and you won't believe our list!

SNACK TIME

Flavored water
Natural Spring Water
Gatorade Flavored water
Yoo Hoo
Sunny Delight
Bagged cookies
Yogurt
Mini Moon Pies
Granola Bars
Slim Jims
Cookies
Fruit Snacks
Chips
Peanut Butter & Crackers
Ice Cream
Nutty Buddy
Muffins
Ice Cream Sandwich
Other ice cream

 

[stormi65]

My child's school has a smoothie machine with multiple flavors and a soda machine. I think it is too much. Also there are ice cream treats, and various snacks for extra $$

 

[zurgswife]

No Cafeteria at our school...everybody cold lunches it...well except the LUCKY ones whose mom/dad bring lunch to school for them hot...usually fast food...

 

[WishingStar]

My children's school has a lunch card program. They charge a card with the money I give them, then they use it like a crdeit card. They can buy their lunch with it or buy the "extras". And they may as well be a convenience store for how many things they offer. When the card is all used up I receive a note telling me it's time to recharge. Now, I pack my kids lunches unless they are having something they really like or else DS would probably be eating candy bars and twinkies everyday. DD on the other hand is a real good eater and so she buys an "extra" once or twice a week.

 

[Evil Princess]

Mom-to-3, our elementary schools (we're on a weird k-2 in one school and 3-5 in another system) always has ice cream, cookies, or a hot pretzel for sale in addition to the lunches. In high school, we have soda machines, ice cream machines, chip machines, not to mention the smoothies, frozen yogurt, nachos, and deli sandwiches. This may seem like alot of great food but trust me, its all gross, except for the vending machines.

The vending machines are all new. They put them there to eliminate lines for lunch, since our school is overcrowded. They're in the middle of an addition to the high school.

 

[Beauty]

J.C.'s school cooks extras for break, Cheese Sticks, Pancake and Sausage Wrap, Nachos etc. It the kids are hungry at break time they can buy whatever the school has fixed for break. There are also Coke Machines and Chip Machines.

At lunch they can buy ice cream or extras of whatever food they are having that day, plus the coke and chips. However, they aren't allowed to use the machines until 5th grade.

 

[Accash]

Hi!! Newbie here!! Nice to meet all of you. Our school does have extras on a daily basis like fruit roll ups, ice cream bars, cakes, cookies, soft pretzels, popcorn, etc. But you are only allowed to get one choice and they range between 25 -75 cents. I know that a salad or fruit cup comes with the meal so my daughter gets an ice cream bar or soft pretzel for an extra. And the meal also comes with milk - white, strawberry or chocolate. And this year for an extra 50 cents instead of the milk they can get a 16.9 oz water bottle.
Melissa

 

[cruisnfamily]

Well, this is interesting.

My kids are in elementary school and if they buy lunch they must take an entree(choice of 3 or else yogurt or PBJ) and a combo of 2 fruits/veggies. It can be juice, fruit cup, veggies, carrots, etc...as long as it is a total of 2 fruit/veg. And they also get a milk. This is $1.50.

The extras cost as much as a meal. Bottled water(75 cents) and cookies(35 cents) and ice cream (50 cents to $1). So, if my daughter brings lunch and buys just water and ice cream, it costs as much as if she bought lunch! Oh yeah, they can "size up" their meals(double entree) for 75cents.

It's a pretty good system but of course lots of the mandatory fruit/veggies gets tossed in the trash 'cause the kids are forced to take it but obviously not forced to eat it.