School Lunches - My Son Voices Opinion

Michelle Obama lunch program horror stories is it really true?




My son ( 10 years old) and I were talking yesterday over dinner. I asked him how school was going in general, his answer was that he was happy with pretty much everything, with the exception of the school lunches.

I asked him what was going on.

Last week they had a school assembly and the entire staff was there for a Q and A. When it was the lunch rooms turn the ladies that run the lunch room asked the elementary children this question.

"What would you guys and gals like us to make for you, in the lunch room next year?"

My son without missing a beat commented, " Something edible!" really loud.

Now while this may seem really funny, and the entire school was rolling on the floor laughing their collective asses off, he was dead serious.

Typically my son eats almost anything we make for him and never complains, but when it comes to school lunches he makes, and takes his own to school everyday, because the lunch program is so bad.

I asked another question. "So do you at least buy milk still?" His reply is "No Daddy, because they switched to another brand and it's doesn't taste good."

I then said "There has to be one thing that you like, or could eat." and his answer was " No way, nasty!"

Sigh! As funny as I found his first comment, the second comment, and his seriousness caught my attention.

It's time for some Realtruth intervention, I am going to not only write a letter, but have a meeting with the people in charge, at his school, and find out what is going on.

I wonder is the school staff were subjected to eating these lunches for a full 12 months would things change? lol


Peace out,

RT

a reply to: Realtruth

What is that in the bottom right of the plate? Is that a slice of baloney covered in mustard or cheese?

originally posted by: ElOmen
a reply to: Realtruth

What is that in the bottom right of the plate? Is that a slice of baloney covered in mustard or cheese?

It's actually a picture from the net, but it looks exactly like the food they serve there.

I think it's processed meat of some kind. smh.

a reply to: Realtruth

Sheesh...good luck with the meeting, but something tells me that their hands will be tied either by gov't oversight or budget constraints.

I'm so glad that my wife homeschools now...

a reply to: Realtruth

Well, I hate school lunches and the only time I ever ate them was when my school had a yogurt bar option or when it was pappa johns pizza friday (all back in elementary school.) Awful food poisoning when I was in 3rd or 4th grade was the deciding factor for me--ever since that awful time I brought my own lunches to school. School lunches are gross.

Though, that ham and cheese definitely came on bread and wasn't just lying there on that tray like that--just saying. I think it was a sandwich.

That's like not that many calories though in all of that. Doesn't look filling or tasty at all. I'd guess that whole tray has somewhere between 450 and 500 calories. 600 tops. You'd be better off eating a pb&j and some crackers for that. This kinda lunch looks like it'll make kids buy more candy bars and crap because they're still hungry. Nobody should eat those gross tepid looking lunches.

a reply to: Realtruth

What do you think of high school kids having the ability to go off campus for lunch and eat fast food?

What is your plan of action when your son is of age to do so?

I enjoy Bojangles and Chick-fil-a on a weekly basis

originally posted by: SlapMonkey
a reply to: Realtruth

Sheesh...good luck with the meeting, but something tells me that their hands will be tied either by gov't oversight or budget constraints.

I'm so glad that my wife homeschools now...

Wow that is awesome. Wonderful women.

I wish we had that option, but his mother left when he was 3 1/2.

originally posted by: frostie
a reply to: Realtruth

What do you think of high school kids having the ability to go off campus for lunch and eat fast food?

What is your plan of action when your son is of age to do so?

I enjoy Bojangles and Chick-fil-a on a weekly basis

Maybe as a treat, but we typically eat healthy, and prepare all our meals at home, so I'm hoping that he sticks with that mindset.

Good question btw.

originally posted by: rukia
a reply to: Realtruth

Well, I hate school lunches and the only time I ever ate them was when my school had a yogurt bar option or when it was pappa johns pizza friday (all back in elementary school.) Awful food poisoning when I was in 3rd or 4th grade was the deciding factor for me--ever since that awful time I brought my own lunches to school. School lunches are gross.

It's funny you mention food poisoning, but there have been 2 cases this last year alone and they have passed it off as the stomach flu. smh.

Also they used to have good pizza brought in from a chain, but now it's some frozen box stuff that is apparently gross from what I've heard.

originally posted by: Realtruth
Typically my son eats almost anything we make for him and never complains, but when it comes to school lunches he makes, and takes his own to school everyday.

If you're making his lunch for school, what's your issue? What do you send in his lunch? Ever send processed meat?

It's time for some Realtruth intervention, I am going to not only write a letter, but have a meeting with the people in charge, at his school, and find out what is going on.

Sounds like something a good parent would do. Get involved.

a reply to: Realtruth

My suggestion. Go to Sam's Club or Costco and buy lots of pre-packaged lunch snacks in bulk to compliment whatever else you deem worthy for a packed lunch.

Those 30 pack of variety chips (I assume baked versions are healthier) is just an example

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic

If you're making his lunch for school, what's your issue?

Because we pay taxes to fund this nonsense.

And there is times when he, or I don't actually have time to make lunches due to a busy schedule.

I have a simple philosophy, since I run my own business. Do it well, or don't do it at all.

The schools spend time, money, and make the effort to serve lunches, so why not make them edible? I remember when I attended school years ago the lunches were actually homemade style, and very good.

School administrators are getting 6 digits salaries, yet the children are getting nasty lunches?


My suggestion to the school is going to be. "Why doesn't everyone that works here eat lunch with the children for 6 months?"

I bet that will get there attention.

That us the first time I've saw a hexagon scone.

And that ham thing, I don't even think I'd eat that if I was a starving Ethiopian and my life depended on it. I would rather die than eat that disgusting abomination.

a reply to: socketdude

See them that shape often over here. Not a meal though, by any stretch. And that meat looks vile. I'm pretty sure that's not cheese.

a reply to: Realtruth

a couple things to remember, as you have a boy. Your right, boys usually eat anything (and often everything..lol) but even before Michelle Obama my kids came home hungry if I didn't pack their lunch (as they didn't serve enough food), and also often refused to eat the food the school served because it was disgusting.

I think if you are a good cook, then kids rather get used to that and it is difficult to go downhill taste - wise. Plus, school lunches have never been particularly tasty. (The one exception is my granddaughters school.. man they serve nice food!) So, while Michelle Obama's policies haven't helped.. it wasn't so great before either..

a reply to: Realtruth

School dinners here in Britain have always had a stigma of being full of the worst things that gastronomic science has to offer, and as a result of my discovering that in fact, this was not just urban legend, but actually true in the schools I went to, I always took a packed lunch. Within my lunchbox there would always be a filling and protein rich sandwich, alongside which would be an apple, and a smallish chocolate bar of some sort. Kit Kat bars were good, because you could hack them up into four, and eat one every so often to balance it out through the day.

Packed lunches allowed my mother to be sure that I was getting what my body needed during the day. An awful lot of kids would have the school meals, the badly cooked chicken burgers, the underdone fries, the obviously processed monstrosities that were laid before them every day, sitting in their guts and giving them no benefit what so ever.

I much preferred to eat my sandwiches.

My daughter (6th grade) says her lunches are usually pretty good.
There are a few things on the menu that she doesn't like but that's to be expected.
Here are a few of the things I have heard.
Mozzarella sticks are considered protein in place of meat. I thought that was odd.
She says they get fresh raw veggies about once a week and most kids don't eat them.
The broccoli and tomato soup is wonderful. (They serve toasted cheese sandwiches with the soups)

Her biggest complaint is the milk. They got rid of the chocolate milk and only have low fat milk.

I know the idea is to get kids to eat better but you can't change their home eating habits. The child obesity problem is also to blame. Hey let's starve the kids and take away recess! That's bound to work.. The idea that 8yr old kids only get a 20 minute recess is ridiculous.

As farm kids , we ate like horses . Biscuits and gravy , bacon , eggs and a gallon of whole milk (fresh from our own cows) and REAL butter that was churned at home between three boys EVERY morning . Actually all the eggs , meat , veggies came from our own farm . School lunches were huge , trays piled high and tasty . And then a snack of what ever (usually junk) when we arrived home from school , off to do our chores and play then a HUGE dinner .

This was pretty much how it was for all the kids in my elementary/middle school . By the time we hit high school the boys still ate like horses and girls picked around , school lunches were even more plentiful and it too was actually pretty darn good .

All the lunches my entire time in school was VERY plentiful , none of this limited , calorie counting crap now . But then , I guess they figured we were growing , we were extremely active and needed all the food we could eat . We did work hard and play hard and burn through calories rather quickly .

This was the 70's and 80's . When we were teenagers and out on our own we ate junk food , hit McDonald's regularly , could tear up pizzas and then go home and still eat dinner . Thing is , there were next to NO over weight children in my school . Looking back , out of a graduating class of well over 300 I can probably count on one hand the over weight kids . I guess we actually got out of the house , we did chores , rode bikes , we played sports which were either organized or just pick up baseball , basketball and full contact football games (ho helmets or pads) . And the other activities that kids participated in before computers and video games ( we did have Atari as teenagers but bored of it quickly) . We were never in the house . My friend's parents and mine own hated seeing all of us boys show up , they knew we were going to eat them out of house and home . Parents today would call our eating habits then unhealthy and cringe at not only what we ate but the portions , but we were a very healthy lot .

There is NO WAY we would have made it through the day on a lunch like what is pictured in the OP . I was then and now looking down the barrel of 50 an eating machine and I EAT A LOT . I see what my friends makes their kids for lunch , they call it healthy but it is what we would have called a snack . just an appetizer while we waited for the real meal .

My kids sometimes eat school lunch sometimes not. Depends on what's going to be on the menu.
Same with breakfast.
We have enough time that they can fix breakfast at home if they choose.
My diabetic one has to be careful sometimes with school lunches...sometimes LOTS of carbs. Breaded chicken, fries, chips, corn, etc....then of course milk or juice...he takes water.

School lunch is really, really inexpensive.
Elementary school lunch is $1.90
High School is 2.25
The price will be rising to $1.95 and $2.40 respectively.

My oldest high schooler eats a la carte...better selections.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: Realtruth

School dinners here in Britain have always had a stigma of being full of the worst things that gastronomic science has to offer, and as a result of my discovering that in fact, this was not just urban legend, but actually true in the schools I went to, I always took a packed lunch. Within my lunchbox there would always be a filling and protein rich sandwich, alongside which would be an apple, and a smallish chocolate bar of some sort. Kit Kat bars were good, because you could hack them up into four, and eat one every so often to balance it out through the day.

Packed lunches allowed my mother to be sure that I was getting what my body needed during the day. An awful lot of kids would have the school meals, the badly cooked chicken burgers, the underdone fries, the obviously processed monstrosities that were laid before them every day, sitting in their guts and giving them no benefit what so ever.

I much preferred to eat my sandwiches.

In my school days, the city council had centralized food production, so that all the klunch ingredients were brought to the schools in converted ambulances. Giant silver canisters the size of oil barrels contained mushy peas, soggy chips and fish fingers, overbaked beans, mushed potatoes. There was always something wrong. The good things that they had were always taken away - schools used to give kids a half-pint of milk each at break times in the morning but that was cut back by Mrs. T (known as the milk snatcher).

For those of us lucky enough to live close to home (20 minutes walk), we'd have lunch at home or a friends home; school bell at 12:00/12:30, get back in time for the school bell at 1:30pm/2.00pm.