High School and lunch

[DISKATER69]

Not all schools even serve meals.

My teens have to pack lunches everyday. They both have insulated tote lunch boxes as do most of the kids in their school.

Well if the school doesn't serve meals then yeah. They're going to have to do that.

 

[mhsjax]

Peanut butter & jelly. My 12 year old brother doesn't like peanut butter so he takes a bagel.

OH lord, PB &J, I think I would rather take my chances on food poisoning. Oldest usually buys his lunch and is in 8th grade. I am more concerned about youngest DS, he has food allergies. OH well, I have time to figure out something, he isn't even in middle school.

 

[Mary•Poppins]

One uses a plastic bag ... the other uses a soft lunchbox. It is funny because one wouldn't be caught dead with a lunchbox ... the other wouldn't be caught dead with a plastic bag. Go figure .

 

[Mommy2cody]

Wow, when I was in high school and all the high schoolers where we live, go off campus for lunch. We have 2 high schools by work and us girls in the office have to plan when to go to lunch every day, we go early or late to miss the mobs of high school kids. Do they not do that everywhere?? Never ever would have brought lunch to school!! NEVER! My how times change....(I have only been out of school 10 years.....really it's not THAT long ago is it?)

 

[dawson5]

HOw do people here in Florida or in any other really hot weather places do it. I would never pack a turkey or ham sand in a sack with nothing to keep in cold.

Mine aren't in HS yet but I was just curious.

If the water-bottle is cold, it keeps the sandwich cold. Also, they are in an air-conditioned building, not as if they left the bag out in the hot sun for a few hours and then ate it. My oldest actually eats his lunch all through-out the day. He'll snack on it through his classes, most teachers allow him to do this. Mostly they do take PB&J, they like it. We try not to keep lunchmeat around the house, it's a treat. After hubby's heart scare and stent placement, PB&J is a bit more healthier than lunchmeat. We've all made adjustments to make it easier on dad. (Dad eats the no salt PB, kids eat regular and they all use the healthier bread with lower sodium.)

 

[KitKat_Tink]

there were a few ways i brought my lunch to school. Generally it was the brown bag. Throw a sandwich in there and be done. I didn't want to waste one minute of my lunch period going to my locker. I also used a cute bento box. It had 4 compartments that I could take out. So I could take out 2 to put in a half sandwich. And use the others for veggies and dip. Near the middle of senior year I got a reusable tote. It was cute and looked more like a purse. And when empty it folded up so tiny that i didn't need to go to my locker. However I doubt a boy would want to use a bento box or a tote bag. Brown bags are definitely the most popular. However you won't be made fun of for bringing an insulated bag, heck people may even see it as ecofriendly and cool

 

[xApril]

I just put my lunch in my bag. I have been bringing a frozen water bottle with me everyday, so it keeps it cold.

Only the freshmen bring lunchbox bags (that attach to the their hikeresque backpacks -- seriously, they're so huge!). Everyone else either purchases lunch or shoves it in their bag.

 

[Cinderella94]

Wow, when I was in high school and all the high schoolers where we live, go off campus for lunch. We have 2 high schools by work and us girls in the office have to plan when to go to lunch every day, we go early or late to miss the mobs of high school kids. Do they not do that everywhere?? Never ever would have brought lunch to school!! NEVER! My how times change....(I have only been out of school 10 years.....really it's not THAT long ago is it?)

At my high school, and all the others in my county, we're not allowed to leave the school for lunch. How nice that would be!

 

[mjkacmom]

Our school has open lunch, so most go out to eat, but in JH, dd14 brown bagged it.

 

[dislaney]

I'd say about half the kids bring lunch boxes of some sort and half wouldn't be caught dead. One of mine does bring one, the other won't.

Also at my kid's high school, only juniors and seniors can leave campus for lunch. Around here it really varies, some schools everyone can leave, some just the older kids, and some no one is supposed to go off campus.

 

[AristocatFan]

Brown paper bag it. My oldest, now a freshman in college, never bought a school lunch all through school.

 

[tiggerlover]

Thanks for so many replies. It seems that brown bags are the most popular choice. Like others had said, my concern is keeping the lunch cold. DS has lunch only on A-days and it is the last block of the day so whatever he takes has to keep until later in the day. On B-days he gets to eat lunch at the start of one of his classes because he is taking an overload class, so buying isn't an option. I guess he will just have to experience the first A and B day and decide what he wants to do.

 

[tvguy]

My son has packed (brown bagged it) all through high school because the school lunches where he goes are junk -- assorted breaded items that are full of fat and sodium. If your school has healthy choices, that's great. Please keep in mind that not all schools offer healthy options.

Always cracks me up. Parents want healthy options for school lunches, but THEIR kids never eat the healthy stuff.
Always ends up in the trash. One district here gave up, closed the cafeterias because the healthy stuff wasn't selling enough to cover costs, and kids were bringing their red ropes, twinkies and cupcakes in their bag lunches.

 

[Cindy B]

My sons school gives the option for the kids not to take a lunch.. so that is what he does.. he'd rather get credits for a class than "waste 42 minutes".

All teachers allow this-- many kids don't take lunches-- so they just eat in the classroom or as the class starts. For the convienence factor he either brown bags it or just throws loose things in there.

As for the PP 's high school giving 7 minutes between classes... what a luxury, he only gets 3 and there are tons of buildings

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Brown paper sack. Target has some that are a little larger than the standard ones, so DS likes those. He has 5 minutes between classes, and his locker is near the cafeteria but he prefers a brown bag over an insulated sack.

 

[minniebeth]

My DS brings lunch almost every day (extra large brown lunch bag) partly becuase he likes the lunches I make but also, partly because it's just too expensive to buy lunch in his school cafeteria each day.

It's so expensive! The price just increased this year, and for an entree, side, vegetable (actually the kids really do eat them, because the food is really good), drink and dessert, runs about $6. Everything is a la carte so you don't have to spend that much, but the boys do eat a pretty good sized meal. I realize that his school cafeteria is independant, not part of a public school district, so their costs are higher, less buying power.
But, just curious....
how much do your HS lunches run?

 

[Promomx2]

My son does brown bag also. But said he wants me to send salads in. Okay how am I gonna send in a salad without him throwing away a container everyday?

 

[Hannathy]

My son does brown bag also. But said he wants me to send salads in. Okay how am I gonna send in a salad without him throwing away a container everyday?

Zip lock baggie? or a large Styrofoam cup like you get coffee in? If it is a tossed type salad I would just put it in a zip top plastic bag.

 

[Promomx2]

Thanks, never thought of the cup idea. Great!!

 

[minniebeth]

I do an extra large ziplock sandwich bag for a smaller salad or pasta salad. (DS loves homemade pasta salad with pepperoni, or salami, cheese, and veggies cut up)
For a larger salad, I save and wash out taller plastic containers like a large yogurt, ricotta cheese, sour cream size. He tosses it when done.
As far as dressings go, they have individual packets out with lunch and the kids are able to use them even if they are not buying lunch, so don't know what to suggest for dressing.