If I asked you what you had for lunch, you could probably tell me without hesitation. If I asked what your child had for lunch at school, could you answer just as easily? Even if you know the lunch menu, what’s actually in the school lunches may be a mystery. A look at one school’s burger found it had 26 ingredients. Among those 26 components, it contained disodium inosinate, a flavor additive that can spike heart rate, and caramel color, which contains sulfites and ammonia. Labdoor Magazine explains “processing carbohydrates with ammonia under high temperatures can produce a toxic byproduct, 4-methylimidazole (4-MeI), which has been linked to convulsions and an increased incidence of cancer in animal testing.” These types of chemical compounds, and many others, are prevalent in the processed foods served at schools, as well as in these processed foods to avoid feeding your children.
The topic of school lunches is, without a doubt, a hot-button issue for a number of reasons. It has become a political issue as of late, an ongoing issue of cost for public schools, but, most importantly, it is an issue which directly involves the well-being of our children. This article isn’t to debate the free lunch program that provides meals to children who would otherwise have none. I think we are all in agreement that children should not go hungry. This is article is an in-depth look at the ingredients and chemicals in school lunches and their effects on our children.
In 2010, the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act set out to better the health standards of food served in schools. Although it is an improvement, the system still has flaws. American school lunches haven’t caught up to their European counterparts. France banned vending machines in schools in 2004. The European Union has also banned a number of chemicals in food which are still permitted for consumption in the US. These chemical ingredients were banned for their dangerous effects. For example, azodicarbonamide is banned in the UK, Europe, and Australia. Why? It can cause worsened allergy symptoms and can cause asthma if inhaled.
Even if actual fast food isn’t allowed in schools, that doesn’t mean the fast food companies aren’t infiltrating school grounds. Even Mamavation’s own founder discovered her son’s school was giving the students a coupon for a free McDonald’s breakfast. It’s a common practice. So common that companies spent $150 million marketing foods and beverages in elementary, middle, and high schools, according to stats from 2009.This predatory marketing has been shown to impact the choices children make when selecting food at school.
Here are 10 reasons you should avoid school lunches like the plague and opt for a wholesome packed lunch instead:
Disclosure: Bookieboo LLC has an affiliate relationship with Thrive Market and Amazon. This post contains affiliate links.
Table of Contents
1. Mystery Meat
1. Mystery MeatYou would expect the food that your growing child is served at school to surpass fast food standards, right? Well it turns out the meat supplied to some schools would be turned down at fast food chains. The National Education Association points out “fast-food chains test their meat five to ten times more often than the USDA for bacteria and would reject meat that the USDA deems safe for consumption”. Speaking of rejected meat, a ground beef supplier had a salmonella outbreak and retailers recalled the meat. However, the schools were still shipped the ground beef produced at the facility during the time of the outbreak.
The ingredient lists and nutritional information for food served in school lunches can also be a mystery. The Better Government Association had to submit a request under the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the nutrition for the Chicago Public School’s chicken patty and other menu items. The chicken sandwich turned out to have dozens of ingredients including MSG, azodicarbonamide, and silicon dioxide (sand), among other things. MSG has been shown to cause allergic reactions, upset stomach, muscle tightness and fatigue.
When you buy meat for a packed lunch, you control what you buy and its quality. Choosing organic meats will ensure ensure your child isn’t being fed meat from animals given antibiotics, hormones, or GMO feed. Organic meats will also not contain chemical nitrates or nitrites, which are associated with increased risk for cancer.
2. GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)
Schools aren’t just full of the ABCs. Toxic GMOs are everywhere when it comes to school lunches. The carton of low-fat milk is from cows fed GMO feed. The à la carte french fries are fried in GMO oil and the potatoes themselves could be GMO by next year. The “healthy” scoop of corn on the plate is the only food registered as a pesticide by the EPA. Most GM corn is modified to kill pests and does so by bursting the stomachs of bugs who feed on the corn, called Bt corn. Although humans are built differently to insects, this particular type of corn is likely to affect our bodies as well. The Bt toxin has been found in human blood, suggesting that it is disrupting the bacteria in our digestive system and bodies. Bacteria is essential to our well being, and actually outnumbers the number of human cells in our body. The human microbiome project is just now discovering the DNA of our bacteria and to what degree a disruption in the bacteria affects our bodies.
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Round Up which is used on many GMO crops, has been linked to some scary side effects. In a 2009 article published by Toxicology, evidence suggested herbicides, like glyphosate, act as endocrine disruptors in human cells. Some endocrine disrupters can alter the functions of the hormonal system are linked to numerous types of cancer. Endocrine disrupting substances are not what we want to feed our children, whose bodies and are still developing and whose hormones are vital in said development.
As a parent, you can ensure your children are not eating GMOs by packing a lunch with foods that are Non-GMO project verified or USDA certified organic.
3. Conventional Food Has Pesticide Residue
School lunches are made with conventional food, meaning no certified organic ingredients are used. Even seemingly healthier fruits and vegetables served up are cause for concern. Foods that are not organic are sprayed with persistent pesticides, which, as we pointed above, are endocrine disruptors. New studies also link endocrine disruptors in our environment to at least 5% of autism cases in Europe. One author of the study, professor Philippe Grandjean of Harvard University, calls for pregnant women and children to eat organic fruits and vegetables among other recommendations. This is due to the risks associated with phthalates found in pesticides and plastic containers. Exposure in utero can decrease a child’s IQ by as much as 6 points, which can be the difference between college or no college. Phthalates can also lead to adult obesity and is linked to asthma. If a toxin is deemed harmful to pregnant women, it is harmful enough for me to avoid exposing my family to it.
Although Non-GMO project verified foods are free from GMOs, they can still contain persistent pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics. Conventional dairy cows are often treated with hormones to boost milk productions. In addition, any meat that isn’t organic is also likely to be from animals injected with antibiotics. Livestock has been shown to gain more weight when frequently injected with antibiotics, and that produces more meat. It’s been common practice since the 1940s. This is problematic for humans to consume because the animals are treated with antibiotics. It can cause antibiotic resistant bacteria and actually make us less safe. In fact, the CDC reports that 23,000 people die each year from bacterial infections that are resistant to antibiotics.
By opting for certified organic food in your kids’ lunch, rather than going with school lunches, you ensure you are not feeding them GMOs, pesticides, animal products tainted with hormones or antibiotics, or artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives which can lead to allergic reactions and hyperactivity.
4. Feeling Unfulfilled
With the attempts to make school lunches healthier, federal guidelines have forced schools to limit calories, fat, and other nutritional aspects in the meals they serve. First Lady Michelle Obama has been advocating for healthier options in schools, whole grains, and more fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, in some cases, this has simply resulted in small and unsatisfying meals to stay with in caloric restrictions. Teens have taken to social media to showcase their lunches which leave a lot to be desired.
Look at my fantastic lunch guys #ThanksMichelleObama pic.twitter.com/h6srKRNOmt
— mariah k (@gummibear2530) March 3, 2015
I know from experience that a hungry child is not a happy child. Hunger can lead to an inability to focus as well as behavioral outbursts. Researchers studying ghrelin, a hormone produced on an empty stomach, were surprised to find it binds to the cells in the brain related to learning, memory, and spacial analysis. Parents know their kids better than anyone, so they are better suited at providing lunches that will satisfy their child’s appetite. With a reusable lunch container, you can pack a lunch and snacks for your children to give them the energy needed throughout their day. In addition, any uneaten food can easily be carted home in the same container.
5. Wasted Food and Wasted Dollars
The idea that school lunches are unappetizing has been around for as long as I can remember. Stories of slop on a plate and bland food are abundant. When children are served food that doesn’t taste good, they won’t eat it. One study estimates $1.2 billion dollars of food goes to waste at schools in the Unites States each year. That’s a lot of waste, which is costly to the schools and the environment. The federal government reimburses schools for lunches depending on the income level of the student’s family. On average, the school can budget $1 per child, per meal. It’s tough to make a meal for such little cost, and it can be a struggle for schools to stick to such a strict budget. The schools gets more money back in federal reimbursement on lower income or free meals than for meals purchased at full price. If you can afford to pack your child’s lunch, it’s worth having control over what goes into it. You can pack foods you know your child enjoys. When packing a lunch, send the food in an insulated lunch box. Your child can bring home any uneaten food to consume later.
6. Packaging Waste and Phthalates
It’s not just food that’s being wasted, but also packaging. Despite school lunches being prepared in the school cafeteria, many are in individualized containers. Fruit cups, milk cartons, packaged sandwiches, salads, and more all contribute to the waste. This packaging waste fills our landfills at rapid rates. In 2012, the United States accumulated 251 million tons of trash alone. That packaging is causing damage to our earth, but also our bodies. According to the America Chemistry Council, phthalates are the most researched family of chemicals in use today. New research points out why these compounds are garnering up so much interest. Phthalates are linked to asthma, adult obesity, lowered IQ, and serious endocrine effects. It’s such an immense problem, that phthalates are costing $175 billion in healthcare costs in Europe. When you pack a lunch, you control the waste. By sending whole fruits instead of fruit cups or applesauce, there is little to no waste. A bento box will allow for separate food to be packaged all in one container. Beverages can be sent in a thermos. Check out some of our favorite reusable lunch products at the end of this post as well. Going a step further, buying in bulk will eliminate even more packaging. You can also use ecologically sound packaging. Thrive Market sells landfill safe natural waxed paper sandwich bags that will not contaminate ground water. They also offer compostable snack bags that are bleach and allergen free. That brings us to our next item, food allergies.
7. Food Allergies
Food allergies among children are increasing at an alarming rate. According to FoodAllergy.org, they affect 1 in every 13 children. Although many schools have adopted peanut-free policies, allergies are still a real concern. Milk, soy, nuts, eggs, and gluten are common allergens that can be found foods you wouldn’t likely suspect. Children could mistakenly consume something they are allergic to resulting in a severe allergic reaction or even death. You can assure home prepared meals are allergen free because you are monitoring the ingredients and the preparation for contamination.
8. Nutrition
Despite federal regulations for healthier lunch menus, many kids are still not eating healthy at school. Lunch money is, instead, being spent in vending machines on sweets and snacks. Even the “healthy” vending machines contain pop-tarts, which made our list of 10 processed foods to never feed your kids. Lunch counters still serve up sugary chocolate milk and fried foods. Jamie Oliver discovered that even servings of vegetables at schools are questionable. Ketchup is counted as a vegetable serving, despite being loaded up with high fructose corn syrup. This is truly the biggest benefit of a packed lunch as opposed to school lunches: nutrition. You can select a balanced meal with real fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and protein for your child. Healthy eating habits can be taught early on to raise healthy adult eaters. Remember that leading by example is the most effective way to make a change in how our children eat. You can do this by eating the same healthy meals that you pack for your children for lunch at home. If you’re looking for some easy to pack options that are a healthier choice, there are some excellent choices at the end of this post.
9. Hyperactivity
Artificial colors and flavors are in many of the school lunches and other foods served at U.S. schools. From the pop-tarts to the chicken sandwich there are numerous artificial ingredients. The side effects from consuming these ingredients can include allergic reactions as well as behavioral issues. Children can experience worsened ADD and ADHD symptoms which can directly affect the ability to focus and learn at school. Excess sugar consumed can also lead to behavioral issues as well as a sugar crash later. Although there are restrictions on fat and calories in school lunches, there are no rules on sugar. Opt for food in your child’s lunch without artificial colors and flavors. USDA organic foods cannot contain these ingredients. In addition, avoid excessively sweet beverages or snacks. Fresh fruit is a great alternative to sweets and it’s easy to pack.
10. Brain Drain
In addition to preventing our children from being able to focus, the unhealthy foods served at schools are a contributing factor to childhood obesity. Ironically, obesity and being overweight has been linked to poor academic performance. In a 2009 study by The Journal of School Health, the overweight and obese were found to have lowered IQs, reduced attention span, impaired memory retention and increased clumsiness. The chemical compounds phthalates, found in conventional fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, and their packaging or plastic cutlery, are also linked to a lower IQ. You can provide a packed lunch for your child that models healthy eating habits. Foods like bananas, yogurt, and cheese can provide the protein and energy necessary to help your child get through the school day. Organic fruits and vegetables are also perfect portable foods to add to the lunch bag.
Send Your Kids To School Packing (A Lunch)
If you aren’t already convinced that those beige trays filled with even more beige food are a bad idea, how about these benefits of a sack lunch?
Creative Cuisine
I’ve already discussed how unappealing food ends up as uneaten food. In contrast, food that looks appetizing and fun to eat is more likely to be eaten. We’ve all seen those cute bento boxes all over Pinterest. Yes, some can be highly elaborate and probably took hours to make. But you can still get creative with your child’s lunch box even if you aren’t a master of food arts. Simply using a decorative toothpick or colorful container can make a lunch look more exciting. Using a cookie cutter is an easy and quick way to liven up sandwiches, cheese, and fruit. Even adding in a dipping sauce can make meal time more of an adventure. Hummus is a great dip for crisp veggies and yogurt makes an excellent fruit dip. Getting creative can also help you introduce a new food in a different way. Kids love to play, and their food is no exception.
If you’re running low on inspiration for creative meals, 100 Days of Real Food has dozens of clever lunch ideas anyone can pull off. You can discover some beautiful bento box ideas from Following in My Shoes, including some stress free versions.
Helping Hands
It may seem like more work to pack a healthy lunch for your child each day, but you don’t have to go it alone. In fact, kids are more likely to eat food they helped to prepare. Children who help cook are also more likely to be healthy eaters as adults. The benefits to cooking with kids doesn’t end there. Having their helping hands in the kitchen raises self esteem, provides family bonding time, teaches a much needed life skill, and can help making concepts like math easier to understand.
Lunch Notes
This may be an underrated benefit of sending your child off to school with a packed lunch, but it deserves it’s place on the list. It can be the little laugh they needed on a tough day. It could be a reassuring note that they’ll do great on their quiz. It can even be a great way to remind them of important information, like soccer practice after school or to bring gym clothes home to wash. Lunch notes are great for any age child, even those that can’t read yet. It’s a little reminder to your kids that you care and are thinking of them, even when you can’t be there.
Alternatives for a Packed Lunch
These reusable lunch boxes and quick, but healthier, snacks are some of our favorite packed lunch options.
Foods are available at ThriveMarket.com for notable savings off store prices.
These organic options offer convenience and are a vast improvement over the highly processed conventional lunch items or school lunch foods.
For more information about safer food for children, pick up a copy of Green Enough: Eat Better, Live Cleaner, Be Happier (All Without Driving Your Family Crazy!) by Leah Segedie. With product investigations, a step-by-step pantry purge, and lots of love she will guide you through the kitchen, bathrooms, and the rest of the house ensuring your family is safe.
St. Patrick’s Day: Celebrate in a Non-Toxic Way
Hip HIp Hooray!!!!!!! 🙂
Oh no, GMO’s disrupt the bacteria in our bodies. Do you even understand what that means? Fast food chains use GMO’s, I doubt you’ve never eaten a burger or fries before. School lunches are in no way more unhealthy than fast food.
Also, many families aren’t fortunate enough to afford buying organic produce or care about what you’re spewing.
There’s nothing wrong with GMO’s.
Oh no, they’re disrupting the bacteria in our bodies?? The fuck does that even mean? Dumbass Qanon bullshit.
Also, most people don’t have the money to only buy organic food.
Hi I am eli and I loveeeee school lunch it’s so yummy and everyone calls me a weirdo but I eat it still I found a bug in my food it was tasty
Oops my name is actually jeffry sorry auto correct
School lunch is bad otherwise the pb and j is good but you never know what is gonna he inside of it
ya’ll suck
Has anyone ever thought that kids are really tall so that is why they way more than others?
School food is shit
True dat
What a disgusting article. Please don’t take that as a compliment either. I’m a director of school nutrition and can disprove much of this “article.” I use the term article loosely as this seems more like a whiney rant. I invite you to work in any role in school nutrition and then dare to compose an attack in writing such as this. Healthy eating starts at home. Parents can’t feed their kids junk at home and then get angry when their kids don’t like the healthy, fresh items schools are federally required to serve students. Is there waste in school cafeterias? Of course. But don’t, even for a second, blame schools or the hundreds of thousands of school nutrition workers (lunch ladies) who put their hearts and souls into feeding America’s youth. Shame on you, shame on this “article”, and shame on the negative commentors supporting this false information. From someone who’s world is school nutrition, you all look like absolute ignorant fools. Educate yourselves a bit before forming an opinion.
As a kid who has to eat out of the school cafeteria, I can say it’s very gross. The other week after finishing the school meal I felt a bit nauseous. To say that cafeteria ladies put their very souls to feed us this type of food doesn’t apply to me. They just seem like people who feel like making money for serving food such as these. They don’t take the time to put the food on my plate or count how much they’re supposed to give (they give me 2 scoops of spaghetti while another student gets served 3 scoops). They also talk while on their shifts ignoring the students long enough for the line to grow, and never seem to even have a smile on their face, indicating that they don’t like their jobs.I occasionally eat fruits and vegetables that are healthy, I even personally love broccoli, but when I try the school lunch vegetables they taste horrible. The broccoli I tried there tastes like plastic and the stem looks like it was made out of clay which made me spit it out after the first bite, and not to mention the pizza, sure it tastes good to some students, but to me the crust feels stale and the cheese and sauce seem like food that’s been out for months. I personally can say that the school lunch is horrific.
Would you be happy being a lunch lady? They get paid next to nothing and here you are, complaining about how they don’t smile at you like you’re an affluent customer.
Then you should change your job because the young man is right the schools lunches are terrible. My son will say the same thing about the schools food. The only difference is the cafeteria ladies are very good sweet ladies that do care about their kids in school. The food doesn’t have a taste, portions are small. Besides kids with food allergies are the ones that struggle because they can’t eat anything or everything I know my son is allergic to peanuts if our lunch ladies didn’t know my son he might not be here because of the food allergy he has peanuts are in so many foods. I check every ingredient before serving or go to any restaurant to eat. So shame on you for saying what you said to that young man,
dude lunch ladies are cool and rade bro dude
This is unbelievable! I am a 5th grader myself and for our school we eat dry chicken,pizza,fish sticks and disgusting milk,They also don´t leave the students go to get a drink of water! We go to lunch at 1:30 PM and at 1:31 we can´t leave the lunchroom until 2:00 and our mouths get dry fast! We don´t even get fruit ,I myself am lactose intolerant and I can´t even drink the milk! I have to wait 30 minutes to get a drink,This is ridiculous,My mom is trying to pack me lunches but my neighborhood doesn´t even have good food,So I eat the school lunches,And the worst thing is that the lunch lady´s force us to eat! It isnt a option to eat in our school,You HAVE to eat or they call our parents,I live in hell in my opnion,
And im not saying that every lunch lady is bad but please! Make it better
You should probably let them call your parents at least they’ll realize the food your eating.
You kids have to start telling your parents about how terrible your lunch is. Take pictures post it all over the place! Have your older siblings post the photos on FOX news for you!
schools are always talking about how kids should eat healthy and get a balance diet but they serve shit
I’ a 5th grader and the schools lunches taste like rubber and they don’t even worry about allergy’s like peanuts chocolate i just wish that we could have healthier lunches and if you are a kid you know what I mean.
apparently school lunch is not healthy but it also provides the nutrition that we need and lunch does not help hardly with nutrition so we have to do something for our kids and students
Yes. ALL YOU KIDS START VIDEO TAPING AN ENTIRE SCHOOL BRINGING IN YOUR OWN LUNCH AND THROWING THEIRS IN A GIANT PILE ON THE FLOOR.
What the beeda do is over cook dat chinese chicken like they use to and get that crisp taste and bring back the old round chick filet patties that taste good and arent full of cartlage
School lunches really don’t get enough credit. They treat the issue of kids not eating healthy as a vital issue, and our school is immensely enthusiastic about us getting our organics. Most of it is hardly GMOs, and many stuff at Krogers can be a GMO too. You just have to watch out for them. However, one major issue I have is that I can’t have any milk due to my EoE. Because of this, I don’t eat school lunches and I am losing weight rapidly. If there was a allergy chart on the website, that would be so helpful. One time I tried the chicken patty, and I came home early from throwing up. Besides that, this article is offensive, disrespectful, and completely disregards the lunch lady’s job.
Its not the ladys its the people who provide food for the ladys
it is not healthy take it from me i still go i am in 5th grade i hate the lunch
I’m in 6th grade lol and the school lunches are so unhealthy they don’t even give us water bottles! I am lactose intolerant o milk causes more harm to me than its worth.
They make us pay for water.
School lunch is quite unhealthy and has been proven to be. Bring your own lunch if you want healthy. It is safer as well. I have seen the schools in my are getting food from the food truck from the “Eastern Michigan Food Bank” that is meant to help poor people. If you have never had to get a food box. Let me tell uou… most of it is expired food!
this is disgusting
no u
no u
I have question for all of you. Can we change the schools lunches so the kids can stay healthy because at my school they serve a cafe’ la burger and its raw meat. We need help.
I think we could use an update on this post…and including what moms have done to successfully change their school district.
Agreed
My idea…This will work but many schools in America must do it. You kids and your social media could change history for Americas student body. GET THAT LUNCH EVERYDAY THEN PICK A GREAT FLOOR LOCATION AND PILE THAT TRASH UP. IF EVERYONE IN EVERY SCHOOL DOES THIS DEMANDING BETTER, HEALTHY LUNCH. IT WILL HAPPEN
GET ADULTS LIKE MYSELF AND OTHERS WHO AREN’T AFRAID TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT BEHIND YOU. TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR LUNCHES, ALL OF YOU and SEND THE PHOTOS TO FOX NEWS OR CONSERVATIVE NEWS OUTLETS. THEY CARE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN AND ABOUT OUR CITIZENS AS WELL AS OUR COUNTRY.
you are a smart person and deserve to be a principal and do just that.
I love that my dad always packs me a healthy snack dpfor school because I can stay very healthy plus he packs me an apple too. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Yes, actually the apple actually does help you. And it’s a red apple with the skin that is the best for you. Apples have a natural way of protecting themselves by hardening and creating that skin. Then it’s the skin (just like with a potato) that hides all the best disease fighting properties. This was something I learned from a food scientist who was looking for the best fruits & veggies to use for a recovery drink with a very LARGE company (under NDA so can’t disclose). They found that red apples, red onions and elderberries were the best to help your body fight colds after you have done some extreme sports like running a marathon. And the absolute best being elderberries, but those weren’t easy to farm so they ended up giving up on all that.
Awesome Dad you have. You are well loved!
I pack every day, but one problem with packed lunches like the one above with pickles, blueberries a few few candy corn, the smallest amount of juices from a food, such as pickes, can ruin the whole lunch! I had packing everything up in reusable containers when I have expensive containers with multiple compartments. Suggestions??
Yup…..
A lid
get a lunch box that has levels so you can put the pickes at the bottom so that they wont spread their juices.
Yes, pack a lunch every day, but why not advocating school lunches change? I find this a bit disturbing. How many parents buy planet boxes, and make creative, organic bento boxes for their kids? Yes, I try my best, and have even carved heart-shaped carrots in their lunch. But the reality is thousands of families depend on school lunches. There is NO reason why we can’t cut the cord with processed food corporations and TRAIN the cooks to actually cook. We demand fast food restaurants change, so why not our school cafeterias.
As a lunch lady, all I can say is that we are trying! Believe it or not, I too have spiral carrots, made bananas look like pirates and cut cucumbers in to hearts. Kids who are not exposed to fruits and vegetables at home are reluctant to try them at school. Instead of blog posts condemning school lunch how about all 90,000 plus followers get involved. Help start that school garden. Help teach kids that kale really does taste good. How about instead of complaining about what is wrong, be the person who fixes it!
Old post but I agree. We need a PARENT coalition in our country that WILL BRING CHANGE.
I agree that school lunches are in a sad state, however, don’t turn your back on school lunches. For many children this is their only meal of the day. Let’s use our focus to help improve school lunches instead of condemning the program. Look at farm to school opportunities in your school, write to your legislators to change the quality, lobby for what you believe in!
I also work for a local high school and although I don’t do the exact cooking of most of the food – schools do offer lots of fruits and vegetables and the kids load up on the fruit. Yogurt, cheese sticks, salad and other healthy options are offered. High school students, especially the athletes have a large appetite and a huge variety of what they choose to eat daily at the schools. Lots of kids buy bottled water daily also. Yes, there are snacks and they are purchased also – but parents can set a limit of what the kids are allowed to order – lunch only or lunch/snacks. As an employee, daily I also eat the same food that the kids eat and I find the food good.
mmmm idk, there food is not good for you, don’t lie, and did you even read the article, it said that they spray a bunch of stuff to make it not bad. >:(
TIt might be true that luch is someone’s only meal. But an entire school population should not suffer because of it. That is socialism and it doesn’t work.
**lunch
Not so fast……I cook for a school. I see home packed lunches hit the trash at the same rate as school lunch. In fact the healthier the lunch the less they eat or order. I try to find a healthy balance, readers of this blog care deeply about the food their family is eating but the average family lives on fast food and microwave dinners. When children are not fed variety of healthy foods at home the chance of even getting them to try foods is minimal.
I make the salad dressings, fresh chicken and grass fed beef. No, it is not all organic but some of it is. Availability is limited to large purchasers. Some schools are trying and do care deeply.
It is so nice to know that some schools are really trying. I have worked in three school districts (in three different states), and the school lunches were beyond terrible in all three.
Grace, Thank you for being a voice of reason! I too am a lunch lady and can attest that we care deeply for all the children we feed! I think it’s great that all of your readers seem to care so much about what their children are eating, but MANY families can’t afford the luxury of organic, let alone schools. Every day we have fresh fruits and veggies, numerous items from our own farms. Is school lunch perfect? Sadly it is not, but it is hardly the “plague” and I personally take offense to this article insinuating that it is.
i take it that us students require at least decent food to be able to function properly and to be able to act on time students need good food at schools and maybe hire a chef or make the food yourselves.
IM NOT ALL BENT OUT OF SHAPE THAT THE FOOD IS NOT SALAD DAILY. IM BENT OUT OF SHAPE THAT I WOULD NOT FEED IT TO MY DOG. I THINK MOST PEOPLE AGREE HERE.
How about some suggestions for single parents on a foodstamp budget? Or parents with disabled children or autistic kids with food aversions? This is helpful for well to do parents of neurotypical and non-disabled children with some time on their hands. The people that really need help with nutrition, like the parents with kids whose only meal may be school lunch, have time, money, health and behavioral constraints.
This is a great article. I’ve been sending my older daughter to school since she was in Kindergarten. My twins will start going to public school in September and I’ve been stressing a little bit about preparing three lunch boxes. But school lunch is not an option. It’s just so incoherent how the “most powerful and developed” country of the world give crap as lunch to his youth.
Thanks Elizabeth for this article, for the lunch box options and for all your ideas. I loved the idea of using baking cups!
What can we do to help? As a new mom I am very upset at what my 9 month old is eating at daycare but am not allowed to pack her food. They just keep saying it is USDA regulated… she eats fish sticks, pizza, canned veggies, canned fruit, ugh. Is there an organization lobby for this that you recommend? I would like to put forth effort to help change the way our children are being fed. Thanks~
Google for “farm to school” opportunities in your state. You should find a few organizations that are trying to help increase the quality of school lunches and teach some garden based education classes.