Elem school -sack lunches in classroom from now on!

[bdcp]

OP here

Even though I'm not as mad as I was at first, I'm still not happy with it at all.

It's not like this is something that has gone on for generations, no cafeteria & sack lunch at your desk.

They gave parents no say or control over this, they just took it away and then told us what they have done.

I am going to talk to the principal and other parents on Monday to see how everyone else is feeling about it. Ironically it's the day Kindergarteners are eating in the lunch room to practice for next year, lol. They didn't cancel it.

Actually, for years many kids went home for lunch every day if they lived close enough to school as parents saw it as THEIR responsibility to feed their kids. A lot of schools didn't have cafeterias so kids either packed lunches or when home. A school's job is to teach kids. My mom and dad both went home everyday for lunch (1940's and 1950's). A lunch doesn't have to be hot to be nutritious. My kids (and myself) bought lunch once a week as a treat in school. We packed lunches and DH and I still do. Parents have given up control by allowing the schools to decide what your children will eat, not the other way around.

I'm confused as to why this is a big deal. You can have total control over what your child has for lunch every day and make sure it's good for them. In fact, from grade 3 on, my boys made and packed their own lunches. It's a life skill they need. They're grown now and pack their own nutritious lunches to take to work. The US Gov guidelines are not what I want my kids to eat.

 

[torinsmom]

I would be glad if our schools were using creative ways to save money, instead of cutting teacher assistants and specials teachers. Schools should not be required to serve a hot lunch. The "hot" stuff we have is not even healthy--pizza, nachos, chicken sandwich, hamburger, beefaroni, etc. Sometimes the students even get some kind of flavored ice cream that counts as a fruit It isn't real fruit, because it stains the tables!

When we have field trips, we have bag lunches. They include a sandwich, trail mix, an apple or other fruit and a baggie of carrots. Since we are on the road, the beverage is fruit juice vs. milk. Bag lunches are quick and easy to make. All the schools in the district could have one person making lunches(part- time) and then another doing the accounting(part-time) or better yet, have each school's accountant add this to his or her responsibilities.

As far as keeping the classroom clean, we have snack and birthday treats in our classroom all the time. Bag lunches wouldn't make much more of a mess. Actually, at my previous school, lunch was made in a kitchen(hot lunches) and brought over to the classrooms on a cart. We had plenty of spills and had carpet in the rooms, but never had a problem with bugs. The kids didn't have a choice of food either. There was one thing served each day and you ate that or brought your lunch. Do most families give their kids a choice of two things for dinner at home?

 

[dis-happy]

Does ketchup still count as a veggie? Gotta love the Reagan years.

Persoanlly, I'd rather see a cut in school lunches than a cut in teachers and academic programs.

 

[luvsJack]

I found this unusual since when my kids were in school in the US there as virtually never 2 whole fruit/veggie items in the provided lunches (and when I worked at a daycare which received food and funds to feed the children we did not have that either), so I looked it up. I am guessing your district or state has different rules than the federal guidelines as here is what the USDA website has in the FAQ about the National School Lunch Program:

School lunches must meet the applicable recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend that no more than 30 percent of an individual's calories come from fat, and less than 10 percent from saturated fat. Regulations also establish a standard for school lunches to provide one‐third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, and calories. School lunches must meet Federal nutrition requirements, but decisions about what specific foods to serve and how they are prepared are made by local school authorities.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch/AboutLunch/NSLPFactSheet.pdf

It may very well be her state. Here it must be a serving of each and not "vegetable based". As in a serving of applesauce and a serving of green beans. Or a banana and some sliced cucumbers or whatever. This is in the schools and in child care centers. They are also required to serve a Vitamin A food every other day at lunch and a vitamin C food every day at lunch. Juice and milk are also required.

The sack lunch decribed would have to include a piece of fruit and a veggie serving, plus the milk and juice along with the sandwich to meet the requirements.

 

[ameraumi]

It may very well be her state. Here it must be a serving of each and not "vegetable based". As in a serving of applesauce and a serving of green beans. Or a banana and some sliced cucumbers or whatever. This is in the schools and in child care centers. They are also required to serve a Vitamin A food every other day at lunch and a vitamin C food every day at lunch. Juice and milk are also required.

The sack lunch decribed would have to include a piece of fruit and a veggie serving, plus the milk and juice along with the sandwich to meet the requirements.

I do not believe it was just my state, but the CACFP requirements. I used their online program to record my meals. I wish they had the required measurements online but they do not. Basically for a meal to count for a 5 yr old it had to have the equivelent of 1 slice of bread, 1 oz of protein, 2 servings of 1/2 cup fruit/veggie, and 8 oz of milk. For the fruit/veggie, we could do one of each or 2 fruits or 2 veggies to count. 100% fruit juice did count as a fruit serving (4 oz serving).

 

[luvmy3]

It may very well be her state. Here it must be a serving of each and not "vegetable based". As in a serving of applesauce and a serving of green beans. Or a banana and some sliced cucumbers or whatever. This is in the schools and in child care centers. They are also required to serve a Vitamin A food every other day at lunch and a vitamin C food every day at lunch. Juice and milk are also required.

The sack lunch decribed would have to include a piece of fruit and a veggie serving, plus the milk and juice along with the sandwich to meet the requirements.

I'd like to see the data on just what the kids actually eat out of their requirements vs what they throw away. I am guilty of telling my kids to take all the components but eat what you want, because its more expensive for them to take less than the 5 required ones.
I had posted before that my kids are only served one veggie/fruit on some days, but their lunch consists of 5 components, so they must include a fruit/veggie based food like tomato sauce. I'm not too sure since my kids don't buy all that often anyway.
Also, fruit juice (for our school) is considered a fruit serving so they aren't served milk and juice (on top of the other 2 servings). If my kids were served both, the milk would end up in the trash and they would only drink the juice.

 

[NHdisneylover]

It may very well be her state. Here it must be a serving of each and not "vegetable based". As in a serving of applesauce and a serving of green beans. Or a banana and some sliced cucumbers or whatever. This is in the schools and in child care centers. They are also required to serve a Vitamin A food every other day at lunch and a vitamin C food every day at lunch. Juice and milk are also required.

The sack lunch decribed would have to include a piece of fruit and a veggie serving, plus the milk and juice along with the sandwich to meet the requirements.

Maybe the confusion is just the term I used By vegetable based I meant something like a carrot and raisin salad or carrot sticks with ranch dressing, etc. IE mostly vegetable-not just zucchini bread or (good gosh did they really ever count this!) ketchup as a PP stated.

I know my kids often had applesauce, canned peaches in heavy syrup (yuck),fruit salad, tossed salad, etc as a produce item (as opposed to whole pieces which is what I thought the poster was referring to).

 

[SmallWorld71]

For years, the school I teach in (and where DD8 goes) was overcrowded and/ or under construction, so the cafeteria was used as classrooms and the kids ate in their classroom. It was not a problem at all in the sense of messes/ cleanliness. Honestly, I think in many ways we were all cleaner since we knew we would be eating there as well.
The biggest problem with eating in the classroom, was that some days the kids never left the classroom. Music and art were in the room at the time due to lack of space and if it was too cold or raining then it was indoor recess. So, unless it was a phys. ed or computer day, you never left the classroom and this took a bit of a toll on those kids that really need to move around/ get a change of scenery.
Our construction days are behind us and now we have ample space for everything, but it was tough going at times.
OP - Do the kids get to leave the room everyday for a specialist subject (gym, music etc...)?

 

[Talking Hands]

The letter says the teachers will let the kids out for a 30 min recess right after lunch and during that time they will eat their lunch.

And who will be supervising the kids on the playground? If the teachers are eating their lunch then won't they have to hire people to supervise the kids during that time. Or are the teachers expected to eat with the kids and then supervise them on the playground. I predict a lawsuit first time I kid is injured due to lack of proper supervision.

 

[grafxgirl]

In our school district the elementary kids get hot lunches and eat in the cafeteria. They have 30 minutes for lunch, then go outside for recess for another 30 minutes immediately after. During that time the teacher either has lunch duty in the cafeteria then eats their own lunch during recess time while another teacher has recess duty or visa versa.

In the preschool where I teach, the school provides hot lunches and brings them to the classrooms. We eat family style, which means the kids sit at the tables and pass the serving bowls around to one another, and the teachers eat the hot lunch provided with their class. We also have tile floors so it is easy cleanup if there are spills.

The hot lunches in our district a pretty healthy. Our school district purchases their fruits, vegetables, and meats from the local farmers.

 

[ameraumi]

Maybe the confusion is just the term I used By vegetable based I meant something like a carrot and raisin salad or carrot sticks with ranch dressing, etc. IE mostly vegetable-not just zucchini bread or (good gosh did they really ever count this!) ketchup as a PP stated.

I know my kids often had applesauce, canned peaches in heavy syrup (yuck),fruit salad, tossed salad, etc as a produce item (as opposed to whole pieces which is what I thought the poster was referring to).

Gotcha. To me, those are a fruit or veggie not a "based" item. I guess the right phrase to use is "2 produce items are required". But yes fruit salad would count as 1 fruit serving, tossed salad as a veggie. And ketchup or tomato sauce never counted as veggie!

 

[princessmom29]

And who will be supervising the kids on the playground? If the teachers are eating their lunch then won't they have to hire people to supervise the kids during that time. Or are the teachers expected to eat with the kids and then supervise them on the playground. I predict a lawsuit first time I kid is injured due to lack of proper supervision.

Apparently it most be a northern thing ans I had never herad of it before I saw it mentioned here, but apparently in some schools teachers actually get lunch break where aides watch the children, either in the lunchroom or at recess.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

I don't see this as a big issue at all. Just like other people have mentioned, I think it's a very minor thing being cut, compared to what it could be (more teachers or academic/special programs). The elementary school I went to never served hot lunch, and I didn't think anything of it. We always brought a lunch from home, and the school sold milk and ice cream. We did have a "fun lunch" (i.e. pizza or some other fast food brought in) about once a month, and it was just that, a fun thing.

As for eating in the classroom, my schools always did have a cafeteria, but it's something I think kids can do without. I'm a teacher, and based on what I've experienced with kids in the past, many of them think it's fun having the chance to eat in the classroom. And when I student taught, it always took a long time to get kids ready for lunch, down to the cafeteria, and through the lunch line. I would gladly trade the time it takes for that to give the kids more time to eat and play outside.

So again, I don't see the big deal. If lunch programs and a cafeteria are the biggest things a district has to cut, I think that's pretty good.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Apparently it most be a northern thing ans I had never herad of it before I saw it mentioned here, but apparently in some schools teachers actually get lunch break where aides watch the children, either in the lunchroom or at recess.

Or they do like the elementary school where my son went for K (local public school) and send the kids out with 1 or 2 parent volunteers for 9 classes of kids. My son would come home and tell me things that went on and when I'd say "where was the teacher?" he'd respond like this

I actually went to the same elementary school and when I was there the 4,5, and 6th graders could apply to be lunch monitors, which meant you ate lunch in the classroom and watched the little kids, and then went outside with them. Of course the 9 and 10 year olds were don't much monitoring, they generally got distracted and went off to play.

I wan't a lunch monitor, I was a "first aid monitor" which meant that I got to sit outside the nurse's office, hand out bandaids, pour alcohol on open wounds, and decide whether your injury warranted interrupting the nurse. Yes, I'd sit there, at age 9, and ask "can you move it? and poke and prod people's wrists and ankles until I decided that a) they were broken and warranted a trip to the nurse or b) they were overreacting and should be happy with a baggie of ice.

 

[torinsmom]

And who will be supervising the kids on the playground? If the teachers are eating their lunch then won't they have to hire people to supervise the kids during that time. Or are the teachers expected to eat with the kids and then supervise them on the playground. I predict a lawsuit first time I kid is injured due to lack of proper supervision.

They probably take turns having playground duty, or use the assistants. At our school, assistants are paid hourly and required to take a break. Teachers don't get lunch breaks in NC, at least in my district. You eat when the kids eat, in between helping kids open things, telling kids to sit down, not to use their straw for their apple sauce, not to play "Mercy" or the "Raise your hand if you like_____" game. I sit one table back from my kids, because I honestly cannot eat at the same table. The phrase "Were you raise in a barn?" comes to mind They are some nasty little buggers.

 

[aprilgail2]

Apparently it most be a northern thing ans I had never herad of it before I saw it mentioned here, but apparently in some schools teachers actually get lunch break where aides watch the children, either in the lunchroom or at recess.

Thats funny because I have never heard of teachers actually having to watch kids during lunch or recess LOL--thats their time-no way would the teachers union stand for teachers having to do the work of aides!

 

[luvsJack]

I'd like to see the data on just what the kids actually eat out of their requirements vs what they throw away. I am guilty of telling my kids to take all the components but eat what you want, because its more expensive for them to take less than the 5 required ones.
I had posted before that my kids are only served one veggie/fruit on some days, but their lunch consists of 5 components, so they must include a fruit/veggie based food like tomato sauce. I'm not too sure since my kids don't buy all that often anyway.
Also, fruit juice (for our school) is considered a fruit serving so they aren't served milk and juice (on top of the other 2 servings). If my kids were served both, the milk would end up in the trash and they would only drink the juice.

That data would probably show a LOT is thrown out. In our district the kids are required to take every components on their tray until high school. Here, a fruit and veggie is served in addition to the tomato sauce and to the fruit juice so I would imagine a LOT of food is wasted.

 

[stm61]

They probably take turns having playground duty, or use the assistants. At our school, assistants are paid hourly and required to take a break. Teachers don't get lunch breaks in NC, at least in my district. You eat when the kids eat, in between helping kids open things, telling kids to sit down, not to use their straw for their apple sauce, not to play "Mercy" or the "Raise your hand if you like_____" game. I sit one table back from my kids, because I honestly cannot eat at the same table. The phrase "Were you raise in a barn?" comes to mind They are some nasty little buggers.

I do the same thing lol! We sit at the tables along the outside walls, they're sideways to the tables up the middle. That way I reserve the end table for adults, the kids get the adjoining two tables. That allows me to 1) not have to see exactly what they're doing with their food, and 2) reserve the other side of the adult table for those who can't manage to eat with the rest of the class. I always seem to end up with at least 2 who can't get through lunch without starting a mini-riot!

 

[stm61]

That data would probably show a LOT is thrown out. In our district the kids are required to take every components on their tray until high school. Here, a fruit and veggie is served in addition to the tomato sauce and to the fruit juice so I would imagine a LOT of food is wasted.

I have no idea what our district/state require the kids to be served, but most of it gets tossed out. The cafeteria ladies do all the serving, the kids get no choice, and there's only 1 meal served. No hot or cold options here. They usually will toss most of the meat and vegetables, occasionally they'll eat the fruit, depending on what it is, and drink the milk. If chips are served, those get eaten. The district won a grant to introduce more/different fruits and vegetables to the kids this year. We spent 2 or 3 days each week explaining what it was that was on their tray, and no it won't kill you to try it!

 

[scrapquitler]

Is that even legal? I thought all workers working a certain time period were entitled to a meal break. Is that just in my state? I was under the impression it was federal law.

I dunno. I work in a union job, and we don't get a break. We punch in at 3, and out at 11, and we don't get a 'break'. We have a lot of down time where we don't have specific things to do, but we can't leave the premises or anything, and if we are needed, we have to jump in and do what needs to be done, even if we are eating our meal. This is a healthcare position, and there are typically only two (and sometimes just one) employee on duty at any given time.