Shocked at what parents send kids for lunch!

[FreshTressa]

I went on a field trip with my daughter's class today. Everyone had to pack a lunch and we sat down at the table to eat.

I was shocked at what junk kids brought for lunch.

2 kids brought Nacho lunchables....just chips, cheese sauce, sugary juice, and some gummy candy. I was like WHAT?? That is LUNCH??

2 kids at the table had the LARGE bottles of pop.

1 had a bag that had about 8-10 homemade cookies in it and a soda. He did not touch his sandwich..he wanted to eat just the cookies. (sandwich was jelly and butter)

4 kids had full sized candy bars. (one was one of the kids that had pop)

Of the 7 kids at our table, only one brought fruit of any sort, a tin of blueberries.

My poor daughter was drooling at everyone's lunch and was looking sadly at her ham and tomato sandwhich on whole grain bread, wheat thins and an orange and a bottle of water.

I had no idea what other parents sent kids for lunches. Pop..in first grade!

What kinds of things do you send for lunch? Do you always send dessert?

 

[beckmrk04]

This really doesn't surprise me, sadly.

But- maybe it was just "treats" for a field trip? I rarely ever took my lunch to school, and when I did I usually got away with taking junk.

 

[Planogirl]

I admit that I've sent a Lunchable as a very rare treat for my son. Maybe this was a treat for the kids since they were going on a field trip.

I usually send a sandwich, a lot of fruit, a FEW chips and three small cookies. Oh, and a bottle of water too.

 

[rhanditresmom]

No way! Although I do send lunchables occasionally, I try to send the more healthy variety...with the 100% juice. Mostly, I send sandwiches on whole wheat, baked chips or crackers, and fruit. This is what my kiddos like. They also like tortilla wraps, with lettuce and tomatoes! But we have tried to keep it healthy because DS has diabetes...it is just better eating for all of us.

I am pretty surprised at what I see in lunches, and school lunches are rarely much better....(althought we do eat those, too, sometimes!)

 

[THE HAT]

ummm wow, that is, wow, i am shocked ummm....... those are some of the worst lunch reports i have ever heard of. ( especially for elementary ages).
at our school we do not allow soda of any kind for the kids. (diet or reg)
ds does take hot lunch as he loses his lunchbox every time when he takes cold but, we have a super lunch program. (no white carbs, full fruit and salad bar etc).
when we do have field trips i pack him the same lunch idea as you did for your dd, and most kids have the same as well. though there is always those few who have basically crap to eat so, i always pack either a big veggie tray or a fruit salad for every one to enjoy. and the school sends all with a bottle of water too.
i can see why as a child your daughter would think the grass is greener but,.. mother knows best right? hehe (someday they will agree with us)

 

[Microcell]

This really doesn't surprise me, sadly.

But- maybe it was just "treats" for a field trip? I rarely ever took my lunch to school, and when I did I usually got away with taking junk.

Yep! I usually send "treats" with lunch for DD on special days. School food is junk too really. All my DS will eat are those nacho lunchables. He is three, so I feed whatever he will eat at school. I don't want him hungry there. I do take out the sugary drinks and give 100% apple juice though.

 

[disneymac]

DS always buys lunch, but he's constantly telling me about other kids bringing candy and oreos for their snack. "I'm the only one who ever brings fruit and NO candy". Poor deprived child...

 

[poohandwendy]

LOL, I always send lunchables for field trips. My kids are very healthy eaters at home (there is nothing they will not eat) and I think it is no big deal if they get a sugary, fat filled treat for a few lunch days of the year... I guess it would be different if they were inactive, overweight or unhealthy eaters.

We also eat junk food on vacation.

I guess I am a bad mom. Please do not assume that what you see brought in for lunch on a field trip reflects what kids are eating on any given day.

 

[Laurajean1014]

My son would gag if I gave him a sandwich with tomatoes in it. (As a kid, I would too). However, I don't give him sugar for lunch. I make him a meat-type sandwich with mayo on wheat or white bread. He does get a snack. I think the string cheese is a good, protein packed snack. But you can't stop a kid from eating Doritos or some other crappy snack.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

PB&J or ham & cheese sandwich, Wheat Thins, chips or a couple of cookies, grapes, orange or apple slices, and a Capri Sun.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

My favorite part of school was field trips, because I got to bring a lunch! It was a once a year TREAT. It was the only time I could have a ring ding or a devil dog or a hostess cupcake, and you bet your bottom dollar I ate dessert before my mustard sandwich. It was also a field trip must-have...soda! It wasn't a field trip unless we had a can of soda.

Don't be too quick to judge. If none of the kids look malnourished, you have nothing to worry about.

Next time, maybe think about letting your DD have a "special" lunch on a field trip.

 

[JoiseyMom]

My DD is very picky, the only sandwich she eats is peanut butter with either jelly or nutella. I will send her a 1/2 a sandwich of that, on whole wheat bread, or a bagel with cream cheese, or bologna roll ups (she won't eat it on bread), or tuna in a container (again, no bread). She will get either pretzels, fruit roll up, kellogs granola munchums or popcorn for snack. For a drink she will get water or Simply Orange Lemonade.

DS can only bring dairy, so he will get a jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread (he used to eat peanut butter, but developed a mild allergy to it this summer at WDW), grilled cheese on whole wheat bread (I send it in a hot container), mac and cheese, or a bagel. He gets the same snacks as DD. Sometimes he wants fruit, grapes, banana etc. He gets a horizon organic chocoate milk box.

We are currently in the process of getting rid of all products that contain High Fructose Corn Syrup in our house and the kids diets.

I also hate when my kids come home from school with tons of candy from a party, or party bags filled with candy. My ds went to a party last Satuday and he got a bag full of JUNK. My kids goody bags have toys and fun stuff. If there is food it is pretzels, raisins and 1 little lolly pop.

 

[FreshTressa]

Hmm..I'd rather my kids be hungry than filled with junk.


Hopefully it was just cuz it was a special day. None of the kids were overweight or anything.

They probably all usually buy lunch. I'm just shocked they didn't have a sugar crash a few hours later!!!

I just can't imagine sending candy or pop in a lunch, even on a special day.

Oh, and I have done lunchables too...but the cracker and cheese one and added a piece of fruit or veggie. I alway send water bottles.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

DD7 alternates between Uncrustables and Lunchables Nachos for lunch. We always send a piece of fruit or slices of bell peppers (she loves these) and something sweet - usually a Little Debbie brownie or gingerbread cookie. She drinks bottled water with lunch.

We tried to send sandwiches, cold pizza and other lunch items but she just won't eat them. She gets a healthy breakfast and dinner so we compromise at lunch.

 

[1of6]

My kids eat junk! I'm not proud of it but it is the truth. The only fruit my 2 older ones will eat are apples... peeled and sliced. I can't send that, they eat that after school. They will not eat raw veggies. The only sandwich my oldest will only eat is grape jelly on white. They never get pop or candy but I have been known to send them with poptarts and pudding.

 

[JoiseyMom]

LOL, I always send lunchables for field trips. My kids are very healthy eaters at home (there is nothing they will not eat) and I think it is no big deal if they get a sugary, fat filled treat for a few lunch days of the year... I guess it would be different if they were inactive, overweight or unhealthy eaters.

We also eat junk food on vacation.

I guess I am a bad mom. Please do not assume that what you see brought in for lunch on a field trip reflects what kids are eating on any given day.

The biggest problems I have found with the lunchables are the sodium content. Have you ever looked at how much salt they put in there?? Chcek it out next time.

 

[goofy's friends]

I almost always send Lunchables, but only the crackers with meat and cheese. One kid likes to buy milk and one drinks capri-sun or lemonade. I ALWAYS send a fruit--my kids love fruit. My son needs more to eat and he gets a yogurt bar with his.

They only get soda on special occasions anyway, but I know other kids get it often at lunch and they re jealous.

They get to bring snacks to school and tell me that it's OK to send candy, pop, whatever NO WAY!! I send pretzels, goldfish, apple,granola bar, etc. Occasionally, animal crackers or something like that.

I tell them that at school they need fuel to learn and can have something sweet when they get home. That seems reasonable, doesn't it?

 

[poohandwendy]

The biggest problems I have found with the lunchables are the sodium content. Have you ever looked at how much salt they put in there?? Chcek it out next time

Honestly, I just do not think it is a big deal...I recognize it as junk food...plain and simple.

Only for a special occasion and the rest of their food intake is healthy.

I just do not understand making judgements about other parents based on what you saw their child bring in 1 time, especially for a field trip?

 

[Aidensmom]

I let my son have lunchables, soda, and candy on occasion. I would guess that a lot of parents sent a "treat" for the field trip. We actually eat very healthy day to day, and are very good about it because my son gets stomach problems if we don't. But he is a kid, and treats are just part of childhood in my opinion.

 

[Planogirl]

Honestly, I just do not think it is a big deal...I recognize it as junk food...plain and simple.

Only for a special occasion and the rest of their food intake is healthy.

I just do not understand making judgements about other parents based on what you saw their child bring in 1 time, especially for a field trip?

ITA.

Lunchables are a big treat for DS and I don't really care about the sodium content since he's eaten them so rarely. Like ice cream or whatever, as long as it's not everyday, what's the big deal?