The lunchable deal

[carmie3377]

Yes, I bought some lunchables. No, I am not a bad parent. I would much rather feed a lunchable to my DD as a snack instead of cookies or candy. Yes, the lunchable do contain a small sweet treat, but it's limited to 2 cookies or a sugar free jello.

We are going on vacation this next week. I plan on packing a couple of them to take along the way. My DD would much rather eat a lunchable instead of a McDonald's cheeseburger and I would rather see her eat the lunchable too.

DH is a pediatrician and he thinks lunchables are a great snack, but not great as the sole source of nutritian. Also, I know that many parents spend a great deal of money on organic foods. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics states that organic foods offer no nutritional benefit over regular foods.

Anyway, if you don't want to feed your children lunchables, don't. But for those of us who offer them a snack or quick small meal every once in awhile, there's nothing wrong it. Kids can't live on luncables alone but I don't think anyone on here intended to try to do so.

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

I personally like the turkey ones! (we don't eat red meat) They aren't too bad in a pinch!! LOL

 

[gris gris]

Being a teacher I can tell you that totally denying a child just about any food (except for health a/o religious reasons) can backfire. The kids in my class whose "can't" list is very long are the first ones to 'attack' other kids lunches when we're unpacking. The best eaters in my class seem to be the ones whose parents walk that line very well between serving healthy food for those little growing bodies & knowing that occasionally, you've just got to give them some Hershey's Kisses.

I truly believe this is why I'm such a crappy eater. Growing up I had no snacks, but all my friends did, and when I'd try to "trade", no one wanted what I had. When I got old enough (i.e. college) to eat whatever I wanted, I ate whatever I wanted, and continue this horrible habbit to this day.

Re: the lunchables, aren't they just crackers, cheese, deli meat, a juice box and a treat? How is this any different than buying all these separate? IMO it's just the packaging that makes it convenient.

 

[summerrluvv]

I know the price seems so terriffic, but really am I the only one that does not feed this crap to my kids? It is nothing but sodium filled preserative garbage. Surely your children deserve better.

I am ready to be flamed, but I do not care. Just beacuse something is cheap does not make it a bargain. KWIM?

Why did you create a whole new thread about this on the budget board? Next time post your opinion on the original thread instead of clogging up more board space.

I bought a bunch tonight. They are good to take to the pool.

I grew up on "crap" food and I have zero health problems and am not overweight.

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

summerrluvv, you crack me up!!! LOL

 

[summerrluvv]

summerrluvv, you crack me up!!! LOL

I sometimes crack myself up too

 

[DawnM]

And I grew up with very little "crap" food struggle with my weight~!

Dawn

Why did you create a whole new thread about this on the budget board? Next time post your opinion on the original thread instead of clogging up more board space.

I bought a bunch tonight. They are good to take to the pool.

I grew up on "crap" food and I have zero health problems and am not overweight.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

lunchables have always been outlawed at my kids' school. So I think they must be for a reason. I haven't ever bought one. I'm not flaming anyone or anything -- just my personal opinion. I'm sure my kids eat plenty of other "crap" and it wouldn't bother me if they ate a lunchable.......I just don't buy them.

 

[Donald Applecore]

I know the price seems so terriffic, but really am I the only one that does not feed this crap to my kids? It is nothing but sodium filled preserative garbage. Surely your children deserve better.

I am ready to be flamed, but I do not care. Just beacuse something is cheap does not make it a bargain. KWIM?

OK...Seriously!?!?

Angel A, I'll help you get through this.
1. Take a deep breath.
2. Stop worrying so much that other parents are letting their kids have some cheese & crackers
3. Repeat steps 1&2 until you finally GET OVER YOURSELF

Be strong! I know you can do it!

 

[pixiewings71]

Well our Target wasn't having the sale so I didn't buy any of them but I do buy them occasionally. Maybe once every couple of months. My kids eat very well but yes, sometimes a lunchable or even McD's is a good "treat" to have. I agree with what was said above, no "snacks" makes you gorge yourself on it later in life. I'd rather teach them good eating habits now and provide the occasional extra then set my girls up for bad eating habits all their life. JMHO, lunchables are bad, but occasionally they are OK.

 

[disneyjunkie]

My point was that people are stacking up on them, I mean like buying 20-30 Do they not have an expiration date? I noticed too that on the 10.00 a day thread lots of lunchables as meals. Not something I am comfortable with.

If you're not comfortable with it, then don't buy them for your family.

lunchables have always been outlawed at my kids' school. So I think they must be for a reason. I haven't ever bought one. I'm not flaming anyone or anything -- just my personal opinion. I'm sure my kids eat plenty of other "crap" and it wouldn't bother me if they ate a lunchable.......I just don't buy them.

How can the school control this? I hated when my son's school tried to dictate what he could/could not bring in for lunch. 90% of the time I ignored the policy.

OK...Seriously!?!?

Angel A, I'll help you get through this.
1. Take a deep breath.
2. Stop worrying so much that other parents are letting their kids have some cheese & crackers
3. Repeat steps 1&2 until you finally GET OVER YOURSELF

Be strong! I know you can do it!

I don't see anything wrong with lunchables. My son sure ate plenty of them when he was younger.

He also ate his share of candy, chips, soda and cookies.

Of course he ate plenty of fresh fruit,(he loved fresh strawberries and powdered sugar. Oh, Wait that may be a bad thing ) veggies, dairy products and protein.

 

[Robinrs]

OK...Seriously!?!?

Angel A, I'll help you get through this.
1. Take a deep breath.
2. Stop worrying so much that other parents are letting their kids have some cheese & crackers
3. Repeat steps 1&2 until you finally GET OVER YOURSELF

Be strong! I know you can do it!

I wanted to post something like this but being a old Brooklynite I guess I wouldn't have said it so nice...

It reminds me of my judgemental sister who was a complete germaphobe but her kids were sick ALL of the time.

I am very conscious of my son's diet because of his reactions to certain foods. He would be very active then sleep for hours. He was not catching up in school and was even held back in kindergarten. I took him to a nutritionist when he was 9 and it changed his life. And mine! It's very difficult to keep a child off of sugar but now it's a lifestyle. He's NEVER been very sick and has had 2 colds in 14 years.

To each his own. Every Saturday we "splurge" and have a meal at Chick Fil A. It makes his lifestyle easier to tolerate. The lunchables equal a snack that has about the same amount of salt as a sandwich. He can't have the ones with the deserts or drinks but the basic ones he can deal with once in awhile.

It's okay to have an opinion about things. I would NEVER knock a parent for giving their child sugar even though I don't. But to start a thread on the BUDGET board to condemn people for a silly choice like a lunchable was a bit much.

I think chill pills are on sale this week, too...

::stepping OFF my soap box::

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my, this has gone to a bad place. LOL But, isn't a lunchable basically like giving your kid a turkey or ham sandwich??? A lunchable has cheese, deli meat, crackers, a drink and a snack. How is this different from say, a sub from SUBWAY???

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My kids might get it once a year as a treat.

(and I use "treat" loosely)

It is a cute concept, but a poor and unhealthy execution.

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my, this has gone to a bad place. LOL But, isn't a lunchable basically like giving your kid a turkey or ham sandwich??? A lunchable has cheese, deli meat, crackers, a drink and a snack. How is this different from say, a sub from SUBWAY???

In theory...that may work as logic, but it is really flawed....


Much as my habit of having cream cheese and crackers from the vending machine in middle school was a justifiable snack.

There are healthier cuts of meat, healthier grain choices......

For the same nutritional consequences, I can get my kid a "healthy" version of a happy meal at McD's...

not something that would be a good daily choice.

A sub at subway, you could easily add veggies to it.

Lunchables don't come with a veggie of any kind. The drink is sugar water.


So in theory, yes you are giving the kid a sandwich---but it really isn't a good everyday choice.

The snack is a candy or maybe even a cookie of some kind if you get a "complete" lunchable.

 

[Misty89]

wanted to say i am a mom who feeds her child lunchable crap
My DD asks for one of these each time we go shopping, and i only by them if it's on sale and no, i did not print out the coupon because it's not shopping time.
My 8DD like's lunchable very much, and i see no problem letting her have one 1 or 2 times a month.
btw, she does use it as a lunch( again, 1 or 2 times a month )....along w/ a piece of fruit. - lunch in my family is a light meal.......dinner is when we have the big meal so this is perfectly acceptable for a lunch for her.

 

[bluejaygirl]

My kids dont really like the crackers/lunchmeat /cheese kind. They would rather I dole out Ritz, and cheese, and deli meat on my own

They do love the make-your-own-pizza Lunchables though. Deep dish pizza crusts, sauce, shredded mozzerella, with a drink and a small piece of candy.

They get them about once a month as a treat.

edit to add: I work in a preschool and we do allow lunchables but none of those kids seem to like the cracker kind much,either. We make them save the candy for home.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

How can the school control this? I hated when my son's school tried to dictate what he could/could not bring in for lunch. 90% of the time I ignored the policy.

True story....


My mom was a military mom---and some point, I was tasked to make lunch for my little brother.

i forget what grade he was in. Whatever it was, he really wasn't old enough to be "trusted" with making his own lunches and my mom wanted my help b/c she figured since I was 6 years his senior, I would know what goes in a proper lunch.

Well one day--I think it was a day where a grocery trip was in order. I don't recall exactly why I packed his lunch the way i did. I wasn't trying to be mean or vindictive or anything.

But I packed him a pop-tart for lunch.

That was it.

Just a pop-tart.

the school called my mom.

Needless to say she was a bit embarrassed and when they told her what was in his lunch.

I think I got releived from lunch duty immediately.

While i do not condone lunchables (sodium/fat/lack of nutrients in a box)---I think my brothers teachers would have let it slide as at least it had something better to offer in terms of protein and calcium then my strawberry pop-tart lunch.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

How can the school control this? I hated when my son's school tried to dictate what he could/could not bring in for lunch. 90% of the time I ignored the policy.

I swear they do. It's a private school and it's in the school parent handbook. NO LUNCHABLES. NO POP. NO CANDY. there are some other things listed but I can't remember what they are.

I haven't ever sent a lunchable but maybe I should and see what happens.
Muuhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

 

[ceecee]

We have gotten them before but not often. We got turkey & ham, chesse, crackers, pudding or jello and a juice? I pack triscuits, cheese and a slice of lunchmeat for my lunch (2 x a week) and it's basically a "homemade" lunchable. So I guess if you never eat a deli sandwich, don't eat these. The sodium may be high but certainly not as high in fat as McDs.
I ate lunch with DD last year and one kid packed a big bag of chips and a pop! Another bought 2 ice creams bars and didn't eat any of his lunch, which is an almost daily occurance. I asked what his mom thought of his lunch....He tells his mom he buys apples and a bottle of water for the extra $.

 

[mtblujeans]

...I haven't ever sent a lunchable but maybe I should and see what happens. Muuhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.