Shocked at what parents send kids for lunch!

[Disney1fan2002]

I always took pure junk for lunch on field trip days! It was a part of what made the day so special. My sister and I would give careful consideration as to exactly what type of junk we wanted and would tell mom before she went to the grocery store that week, lol. Oh, and we ALWAYS had soda. I drank so little soda during my childhood that my eyes still watered when I would drink a coke when I was on dates! Believe me, I looked forward to that soda.

I basically allowed my dd to do the same thing too. She spent time in careful consideration too, lol. Can't make important decisions like this on a whim.

YES! thank you for bringing back that memory! Field trips were like being a part of Royalty in my house. Part of it was, we got to "choose" what we wanted for lunch the night beore, we actually made a grocery list and then my mom would send one of my older siblings who drove to the store to buy the stuff, OR even better was if mom was feeling generous, she would let me walk to the convenient store and buy more own stuff. The "field trip" kid was he envy of the household. And God forbid, your grade didn't do a field trip that year. Sucked to be you.

 

[va32h]

My kids eat their sandwiches on white bread, as do I. Sometimes I get wheat, but we don't like the taste of heavier grain breads.

Anyway, one factor that hasn't been considered yet is finances. I know it's hard to believe, since junk food is more expensive than healthier foods. But in many communities, there are working poor who live in residential motels, paying by the week, because they can't afford to save up for a deposit on an apartment. When you have no kitchen, convenience foods become staples.

Or maybe their parent is a single parent, and working long hours or multiple jobs, and didn't have time to pack a lunch, or the child had to pack his or her own lunch.

Or the food bank gave them a box of food that included a lot of junk food this time around.

I'm just thinking outside the box a little. I have lunch with my kindergarten son once a week. A few weeks into the year, I noticed that a very sweet little girl in his class brough practically nothing for lunch each day. Toast. Cookies. Plain bread. One day I just asked if she wanted to share some of my son's lunch. She was so happy, I wanted to cry. When she asked if she could just eat part of the sandwich, and take the rest to her brother, I wanted to bawl.

I asked the teacher, and she said they were aware of the lunch situation, but she couldn't discuss it with me because of privacy issues. But she did allow me to conveniently send too much lunch with my son every day, so he could continue to share with his friend.

Of course it is always possible that the fiield trip lunches you saw were a one time treat. Or on the other extreme, that the parents really are unaware or unconcerned with the dangers of their child's unhealthy eating.

Maybe a word to the principal or PTA about starting a healthy eating campaign would help.

 

[kristen821]

My son has a field trip once a year and he always asks for a lunchable. It is once a year and I don't see a problem with it. If he doesn't like the school lunch for the day I do send a snack and a peanutbutter sandwich with a juicebox. He usually eats ahealthy breakfast and has a very healthy dinner. I don't think a snack a day for lunch is going to hurt a child. He rarely eats snacks at home and if he does it is usually pretty healthy since he isn't allowed to eat the school snacks at home. i don't like sending fruit to school because I am afraid they will brown before son gets to them. They don't refridgerate the lunches at my sons school. I also like to put his lunch in his backpack the night before so I don't forget to send it.

 

[jodifla]

To all you "good" parents....newsflash: Some kids SIMPLY WON"T EAT FRESH FRUITS AND VEGGIES!

DS has some sensory issues that keep him away from fresh fruit. I'm well aware there are plenty of convenient healthful things to pack. Doesn't mean my son will eat them. I can sneak them into hot meals at home in a way I can't at a cold lunch at school... (For example, DS loves lasagna, pizza, etc. and I get veggies on those.)

So get off your high horse everyone, and stop judging everyone by your own standards.

 

[kydisneyfans]

3 choices for our child

eat at school
PB&J
Lunchables (usually ham and cheese)if he tells us ahead of time-we need time to visit the store.

Usually grapes are sent, sometimes popcorn--and fruit snacks, since we have about 100 boxes now courtesy of Meijer.

Our child is actually underweight for his age, even though he was born at 9 pounds. When spending 7 hours in school, our child should be able to look forward to his lunch, not be forced to eat cardboard because it is good for him. It is alot healthier than what we ate in 1st grade (remember the pizza so greasy it poured off the top when you picked it up and the lime green gravy).

I am reading these stories of "Ham with mayo or mustard"-do those schools have refrigerators to keep lunches cold? I would not leave a dressed sandwich in a locker or classroom for 4 hours for my child to eat--doritos are healthier than food poisoning.

 

[jenks0718]

My ds is very very picky. He does not like cold cuts at all or tuna. So packing him a brown bag lunch is always hard. VERY HARD. I generally send him the nachos lunchable on occasion as he will not eat the crackers with ham and cheese or turkey and cheese or I will give him a peanut butter sandwich with no jelly on potatoe bread. We dont like the whole grain stuff. And I may throw in a banana and then a pack of fruit snacks or a few cookies. Moderation is everything. I dont deprive my kids anything at all. Nothing is off limits, but they know what a "treat" is and that it isnt eaten all the time whenever one wants to have it. I have found that the kids who never get to have any yummy snacks are the ones who overinduldge when it is available to them and the ones who grew up with it in their homes get used to it and dont eat it all the time because it is just there sometimes. I was raised that way and it works for us.

I also dont judge parents by what they pack for lunch. Especially on a field trip. When I was younger we used to head to WaWa (convenience store in NJ) and load up on goodies for the bus trips. It was part of the fun since we couldnt do it any other time. It was the best

 

[jenks0718]

To all you "good" parents....newsflash: Some kids SIMPLY WON"T EAT FRESH FRUITS AND VEGGIES!

DS has some sensory issues that keep him away from fresh fruit. I'm well aware there are plenty of convenient healthful things to pack. Doesn't mean my son will eat them. I can sneak them into hot meals at home in a way I can't at a cold lunch at school... (For example, DS loves lasagna, pizza, etc. and I get veggies on those.)

So get off your high horse everyone, and stop judging everyone by your own standards.

I sooooooo agree with this!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006020536,00.html

There's the kid that died.

Wanted to comment that the chips he ate were what we call french fries.

And yes--in general the diets of this generation---will have consequences.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My kids eat their sandwiches on white bread, as do I. Sometimes I get wheat, but we don't like the taste of heavier grain breads.

Have you tried buying the white wheat?

I haven't tried it b/c I'm just the opposite--I need some density in my bread. Don't like the light stuff.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am reading these stories of "Ham with mayo or mustard"-do those schools have refrigerators to keep lunches cold? I would not leave a dressed sandwich in a locker or classroom for 4 hours for my child to eat--doritos are healthier than food poisoning.

Ice pack?




(wanted to say I'm not trying to debate the issue--I'm all for treats on occasion--just responding to some posters with innocent suggestions. Not meant to personally call into question what you choose to do with your child).

 

[mudnuri]

Oh golly, I'm one of the handbasket mom's.

My kids do not eat whole wheat bread But then again, neither do I!

For lunches- if they pack there own for a normal day- which they normally dont do- its a sandwich- DD9 usually salami/cheese dd8 always pb and fluff. They grab fruit- grapes, apple, plum- they grab a crackers, and then they grab a 'snack' type food- ie..oreo's etc. Capri Suns for drink.

On field trip day- they get to pack whatever they want. It doesnt happen very often, but thats what they get to do....

Thankfully we have a very good lunch program here, even the school breakfast program is healthy. They have a hot, cold, and salad choice- DD9 usually will get a chef salad, and dd8 usually gets the hot meal..

They eat healthy 95% of the time, so on field trip days- its not that big of a deal if they eat crap- oh but the soda they bring- is sprite or root beer- always caffeine free

Brandy

 

[aprilgail2]

Ice pack?

).

I aslways have to pack an ice pack with my daughters lunch..she does not like warm lemonade and if she has a yogurt stick I wouldn't want it sitting in the lunch box without an ice pack next to it for the 2 hours till they eat lunch...she goes to school at 920 and they have lunch at 1130....of course that means by 2 they are hungry so they have snack time then...

 

[Pin Wizard]

My son occasionally takes a lunchable with him. Usually, we buy school lunches just to save the time at home. I'm more shocked by the garbage on the school menu!

 

[Stacerita]

Generally for lunch the sweetpea takes more healthier things. A sandwhich on whole wheat, water, string cheese, wheat thins, and maybe sugar free jello for a treat. But when she goes on a field trip I pack her more fun stuff and treats. Its a special outing for her. Lots of time for field trips she just wants a lunchable though. No harm in having an occasional "fun" lunch.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I witnessed the same thing, but in the school cafeteria. In elementary school, they're actually selling candy bars and sodas in the lunch line. Then, some woman will get on the PA and tell them they're only allowed one sugar snack. Huh?

How about none?

My DD7 has ADHD and if she has sugar, she goes bananas! Why tempt them? Kids are going to want the sweet stuff. It has no business being sold in school.

I'm hearing of more and more school banning sweets and going a healthier route. to them.

 

[Nancy]

My kids do not eat whole wheat bread But then again, neither do I!

Brandy

Me neither....I like good old fashioned white bread or a nice rye bread. I do buy light wheat cause that is what DD 16 likes. So I will eat it occasionally but I really don't like the taste.

 

[luckywife]

Just go ahead and shoot me. It's hard enough to get my kids to eat. I'm not going to send stuff they won't eat anyway...especially when I'm not around.

I guess there will always be parents around who will look down their noses at me for letting my kids drink a Coke once a day and allowing them to have a snack with their meal.

It's okay, really. I look down on parents with badly behaved kids. And I look down on parents who think their kids can do no wrong.

I'm not saying that pointed at anyone around here...I just think that most moms do the best they can every day. If the child doesn't get his/her tomatos and whole grain in at lunch, he'll get it another way.

My thoughts EXACTLY!

 

[darrose]

Field trips are generally the only time my kids get lunchables. Usually for field trips, our teachers request the kids bring completely disposable lunches, so they don't need to carry a lunch box all afternoon. Lunchables are a simple way to accomplish this.

However, that being said, as a special education aide, I am consistently appalled at the lunches some children bring. An adhd kid doesn't need a 1/2 dozen cookies, hostess cake and a Pepsi in his lunch, thanks. Likewise, the child who can't stay awake needs more than a mayo sandwich and water.

(*Just a note I addressed the mayo sandwich child as I thought it maybe a monetary issue in the home, turns out the child goes in spurts of what he will eat and refuses to eat anything else. About 3 weeks later he was on white milk and pb&j. I had the social worker and principal discuss with the parent too, because I couldn't stand the thought of the child consuming this each day.)

Wow, I must say I would be shocked if my kids principal or a social worker came to me about what my children eat for lunch.
Take the above example:
Instead of thinking of just the mayo I would consider the water an excellant choice of drink (zero calories and he wont be dehyrated) and that the bread some nutrition to hold him over until he gets home.
Just checked quickly on some bread that I have here at home and two slices of it would give the child
160 calories, 6g of protein, 32g of carohydrates, and 2 grams of fat.
I dont have any mayo because I use miracle whip. ATbsp of miracle whip has 40 calories and 3.5 g of fat, 0 protein, and 2 carbs.
My brand of peanut butter has 190 calories, 3.5 g of fat, proten 7g and 6 g or carbohydrate.
So maybe the mayo sandwich wasnt as unhealthy as it seems on the surface
because if I double the fat g of mircale whip I get 7g of fat which is maybe closer to what the mayo fat is and is only 3.5g over fat conent of my peanut butter.

My friends son has Adhd and her doctor recommended a little Mountain Dew
(ie caffeine) for him to help him with his Adhd.

I guess what I do is provide mostly healthy meals, vegetables, fruits etc. and dont sweat it when they have junk food occassionally. Though after reading this thread I can imagine I was gossip material for some of the lunches my children took to school. LOL

 

[DaisyD]

My 7 y/o DD refuses to eat a sandwich at school and will never buy. She gets the same thing in her lunch every day. A yogurt, cheese crackers, sometimes with peanut butter on them, and a cookie, and juice. She is just like me growing iup as in never eating a sandwich in school. When she gets home she eats a healthier meal.

 

[summerrluvv]

I think since field trips = fun so maybe parents are a little more lax on what they send with the kids. My son buys everyday. It's quicker in the morning and I don't have to worry about keeping his sandwich/drinks/etc. cold. His favorite thing is a cheese sandwich and yogurt with a milk (it's the alternative lunch on the menu). He gets it almost everyday. I have to encourage him to get other things because I think it's getting way too much dairy