Challenge- Pack a lunch for less than our school lunch

[Dancing Lotus]

I've known many that take a bento or another cool type of lunch box. I would say here it is all good until you get to 7th grade. That's pretty much when the kids stop taking their lunch or they might get made fun of if they do.

I hate that I have to choose between my kid getting made fun of or eating horrible for you food. Im sorry the government can talk until they turn blue in the face, those meals are not healthy.

[Palooka]

I hate that I have to choose between my kid getting made fun of or eating horrible for you food. Im sorry the government can talk until they turn blue in the face, those meals are not healthy.

I hear ya!!! I mean have they even improved any? I thought there was some talk about it for awhile, but I don't think much has changed. Jamie Oliver did some documentary here about US school lunches.

My DD is a senior and she really tries to eat healthy and will sometimes throw whole fruit in her purse or a bag of veggies to add to her lunch. They get more choices in high school at least here. They have a salad bar, but I think it's just iceburg and a couple of veggies and the hot meals are so fattening.

[nodmicks]

I've known many that take a bento or another cool type of lunch box. I would say here it is all good until you get to 7th grade. That's pretty much when the kids stop taking their lunch or they might get made fun of if they do.

My youngest will be in 9th grade this year. His exact words are " I'm not eating that crap no matter what anyone says!" He always complains his friends try to beg his lunch of him. My oldest (senior) loves school lunch and would think it is embarasing to bring lunch which is silly because he is in a charter school with a full kitchen and microwave just for that purpose

[sunshine]

I've known many that take a bento or another cool type of lunch box. I would say here it is all good until you get to 7th grade. That's pretty much when the kids stop taking their lunch or they might get made fun of if they do.

Once my dd hit 7th grade, she NEVER ate another school lunch. She forgot her lunch money one day, and they wouldn't let her charge the .10 she needed to get lunch that day (she had some money in her account) and they wouldn't let her even have a pb sandwich. She informed the principal AND the lunch room servers that she'd NEVER eat there again, and she didn't. They'd ask, they'd bribe, they'd plead - but she packed her own lunch every day for the next 6 years. No one made fun of her, but they certainly claimed to admire her determination in face of the pressure from higher ups. (she also managed to convince many of her friends to abstain from the school lunches).

[JessieMom]

What a great idea sending breakfast for lunch! It never occured to me and my daughter would love it Do you send the cereal in a reusable container with enough room for the milk and then send milk in a thermos? Do you send a boiled egg or cooked bacon on the side?
What about pancakes? Have you ever sent those? You've got the wheels turning in my head now.

Andrea

I bought a container that is a bowl that has a seperate compartment for the milk & has a freezer ring that the milk container sits in. Mini pancakes & french toast sticks in a thermos are good. DD doesn't do eggs unless they are cooked a certain way so we don't send hardboiled eggs.

[Neeley]

DS is a freshman in a private school. His lunches are catered in from various restaurants around our city and cost $4.75. They are given two choices a day
Example of his menue:
Chik-Fil-A
8 nuggets or grilled chicken salad
with chips, cookie and choice of chocolate milk (2 cartons), white milk (2 cartons), strawberry milk (2 cartons), orange juice (2 cartons), Fruit 2-O, or bottled water
Cheezies Pizza
3 slices of cheese or peperoni
with cookie and drink choices listed above
Jim 'N Nick's
BBQ sandwich and baked beans or Chef salad
with cookie and drink choices
King's Table
Hamburger, chips or Chef salad
with cookie and drink choices

On the days he doesn't buy I send him:
Turkey and cheese sandwich: $0.61 total
*12 grain bread: $0.16
*cheese: $0.13
*turkey: $0.30
*mayo and mustard: $0.02
cheese squares: $0.50
banana: $0.17
grapes: $1.70
mini dill pickles: $0.05
2 cookies: $0.09
chips: $0.25
Total for his lunch: $3.37
Everyday I send him the following drinks as well. Varsity athletes are encouraged by the coaches and administration to hydrate throughout the day.
2 Powerade Zeros: $1.32
1 bottled water: $0.19

DD is a senior and attends a public school. She had bought for the past two years, but decided this year to take. Her lunches are the typical, crappy, high fat school lunches and are $2.25.
I send her the same as DS, except I also add an extra sandwich, banana, 2 more cookies, 2 more pickles and another ounce of cheese for her to share with her BFF. BFF's mom does not give her lunch money or food for lunch so I make sure she gets something everyday. For the extra food I send add another $0.61 (extra sandwich), $0.25 (extra ounce of cheese), $0.17 (extra banana), $0.9 (extra cookies), and $0.05 (extra pickles).
No way do I keep DD's lunch under the cost of school lunch. But, knowing her friend has had a semi-balanced meal, gotten some fruit, protein, bread and dairy in her belly I am OK with it.
Oh, and I send enough money ($1.80 per day) for DD and her friend to get two milks each. Sometimes the lunch lady gives them the milk free and other times she charges them. It's a crap shoot on that one.

[KimZ]

Bringing this Challenge back alive

DD's Lunch

1/2 a Salami Sandwich ( I figured bread .10 and salami .20 for a total of .30 - If I made my own bread it would cut the cost a little more.... I need to figure exacts on this yet but I think it's a pretty good estimate - DD doesn't like mustard or mayo so it's just Salami and bread)

1/2 Cup canned Fruit ( got 3 serving out of can it was $.99 = which is .33)

6 apples slices ( package was $1.99 there is 20 slices in package which is about .10 a slice = .60)

1 tini reese's cup(40 cups at $3.99 = .10 a cup = .10) and a re-fillable water bottle w/ water (free)

Total my cost = $1.33 and I know DD is getting a good meal from home Minus the 1 piece of candy :-)DD's Lunches at school cost $2.00

Anyone care to join me????

[imagine]

I hear ya!!! I mean have they even improved any? I thought there was some talk about it for awhile, but I don't think much has changed. Jamie Oliver did some documentary here about US school lunches.

My DD is a senior and she really tries to eat healthy and will sometimes throw whole fruit in her purse or a bag of veggies to add to her lunch. They get more choices in high school at least here. They have a salad bar, but I think it's just iceburg and a couple of veggies and the hot meals are so fattening.

I think the changes are at the state level not the national level.

Although, Obama did declare that if the school provides an alternate for milk due to allergy, religion, or parent preference that it has to be of equal nutritional value. ie soy milk instead of cows milk.

So Little Miss school stopped requiring her to get a juice instead of milk. Now we have to supply the drink instead ( or buy juice of 50 cents extra) We send her with a water bottle to drink with her lunch We are happy with that change.

[KimZ]

Morning one and all!

DD's Lunch today =

Leftover Chicken Fingers ( the whole package was 2.85 and we got 3 meals) = $.95

Sliced Apples $.60

1/2 Cup canned Fruit .33

1 tini reese's cup(40 cups at $3.99 = .10 a cup = .10) and a re-fillable water bottle w/ water (free)

Total for today:$1.98 school lunch $2.00 - I just skirted under the limit by the skin of my teeth - Phew!

[KimZ]

DD's Lunch tomorrow

Pizza Bagel (Bagels .59/8 = .08) + Sauce .02 + 3 pepperoni Slices +.25 = .35

1/2 Cup canned Fruit .33

1/4 cup Pirates Bootie = .25

Juicy Juice Sparkler = .62

and a fillable water bottle. -0-

Grand Total $1.55

Oh I forgot 1 slice of HM Pumpkin Pie (1.29+1.29+.99/12 =).30

New Grand total $1.85 still under the $2 and she has PIE ( or as DD says - PIE MOMMY I LOVE PIE GIMME PIE) and at least it's a little healthier of desserts

[KimZ]

DD's Lunch tomorrow

Pizza Bagel (Bagels .59/8 = .08) + Sauce .02 + 3 pepperoni Slices +.25 = .35

1/2 Cup canned Fruit .33

1/4 cup Pirates Bootie = .25

Juicy Juice Sparkler = .62

and a fillable water bottle. -0-

Grand Total $1.55

Oh I forgot 1 slice of HM Pumpkin Pie (1.29+1.29+.99/12 =).30

New Grand total $1.85 still under the $2 and she has PIE ( or as DD says - PIE MOMMY I LOVE PIE GIMME PIE) and at least it's a little healthier of desserts

This was a BIG hit with DD today so tomorrow will be an instant reply