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My daughter is just finishing up the 2nd grade and has never bought a school lunch! Shocking, I know! I made the decision to pack her lunch every day (before we realized she had a food dye allergy). When she started kindergarten, the school gave us the first month’s breakfast and lunch menu. I was disgusted at what I saw. Very little fresh produce and everything was highly processed. The breakfast, which my daughter wouldn’t have needed, was french toast sticks, biscuits, syrup, etc. Really? Was yogurt, fruit, and granola that much more expensive? Apparently so!
However, just because I made the commitment to always pack my daughter’s lunch doesn’t mean it’s always the healthiest. However, with so many convenience foods at the grocery store, a lunch from could easily be just as bad. There has to be a way to keep it healthy and easy for the morning madness. I can’t be the only one that has crazy mornings getting the kids ready!
Avis Richards, made an eye opening documentary called, Lunch: What are Kids Munching On? It touches on subjects like the fact that kids are developing traditional adult diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and more than 30% of the nation’s children and considered overweight or obese. This is shocking and sad. I know you are thinking that kids only get one meal at school, but that’s not true, many eat both meals at school. And students are learning to associate these junk food meals as “healthy” because the school admins tell them it is healthy. Since when does a slice of cheese pizza count as a veggie? ”Kids are growing up in a junk food culture.”
Did you know that many schools today are not able to prepare a traditional meal if they wanted to since proper kitchens are being phased out. Basically, they are becoming a way to reheat prepacked and highly processed foods. I could go on and on, but you need to check out the video…it’s only 26 minutes and well worth a watch. Watch the trailer and buy Lunch here!
What do your kids eat for lunch at school? Do they buy their lunch or do you pack it? What do you put in their lunch? Some of my 7yo daughter’s favorites are:
- Peanut Butter and Apple Slices
- Hummus and Whole Wheat Pita Bread
- Soup
- Fruit Salad
- Yogurt and Granola (or granola bar)
Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of the documentary to review. However, this is a subject I’m passionate about and I was not required to give a positive review. All commentary is my own.
Great post. I am also taking part in this blog tour and will be posting ideas on how to keep kids eating healthy during the summer, next week. I totally agree that action needs to be taken, when it comes to school lunches!!
The state of school lunch is pretty bad. Even worse to think about- some children only get food the school provides because they go hungry at home. To think that the only meals these kids have are at school! Some schools have done amazing jobs to revamp and have gardens, etc. in the classroom. These are not the norm, and certainly not in the areas where children need it the most. This isn’t just the school’s issue, it’s ours as parents, as Americans. Sadly the people that are trying to change the system are met by huge resistance because the schools are provided money by corporations to have their product in their schools. Definitely a catch 22. Just look at the problems Jamie Oliver faced when he went into the schools.
When my kids were in public school I would only allow them to buy lunch at school less than once a week. The menus were absolutely awful. I don’t know how they consider those meals nutritious. That documentary was great, we really need to open our eyes as a culture about this issue.
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I so agree that school lunches are just awful. We wonder why we have a childhood obesity epidemic, but we feed our kids chicken nuggets and greasy pizza from the time they start school!
Great tips on packing kids lunches yourself
Meagan P – Sunshine and Sippy Cups recently posted..The Secret to Getting Kids to Listen Without Nagging or Yelling
I need to watch that documentary. My son is still in preschool but I have a feeling I’ll be packing his lunch everyday.
I don’t need to make lunches for DS yet, but I know I will be packing healthy lunches with lots of fruits & veggies.
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We are blessed to be in a district where our school lunches ARE healthy, but as a result they are a little pricey. I’m fine with that, but the problem I have is paying the extra $$ & then my boys telling me they were still hungry. Sooo I just make their lunches. They like the tube yogurts, however, I buy the ones WITHOUT all the dyes & sugar. When the weather gets hot, I freeze them & stick in their lunches. They also like cut up cheese, carrot sticks, celery & pretzels. I’ve also found all natural fruit bars. I do allow them chips & a desert at school since we don’t have chips at home to snack on. I also bought Contigo non spill insulated cups to send them milk or water in as well. Saves me on buying water bottles!