[mama2James]

My 3 year old is starting at a new daycare center next week, one that participates in the USDA school food program. Currently I pack his lunch since the daycare he has been attending does not have a lunch program. As part of my effort to make better dietary choices for our family, I decided to not allow him to have meat or milk at daycare. I discussed it with the director today, I was upfront with her that we are not vegetarians but that we are making changes to avoid processed conventional meat and non-organic milk. Honestly, I think she thought I was a bit strange, but she was receptive.
She provided me with the monthly menu, which was pretty much exactly what I expected it to be. Things like chicken nuggets, tater tots and fruit cups. I don't want to send him with a completely packed-from-home lunch everyday for a lot of reasons, the main one being that I don't want him to feel singled out. Also, part of the program there is that they eat family style, learn to serve themselves, table manners etc and I don't want to interfere with that. I will be communicating weekly with the teacher regarding any parts of the meal that I don't want him to have, and sending in substitutions that are similar to what the other kids are having when I need to.
Any one else doing something similar?

 

[justpeachy92]

I am currently not doing anything to the extreme that you are with my school aged kids. We do encourage them to pack from home, and make plenty of healthy options available to do so. However, teens don't always want what we want, they want the fries to eat with their friends.
I am hoping the government does step up and do something to revamp the school lunch program.
Have your read this article? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36664612/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/

 

[mama2James]

I am currently not doing anything to the extreme that you are with my school aged kids. We do encourage them to pack from home, and make plenty of healthy options available to do so. However, teens don't always want what we want, they want the fries to eat with their friends.
I am hoping the government does step up and do something to revamp the school lunch program.
Have your read this article? School lunches called a national security threat - Diet and nutrition- msnbc.com

I definitely understand about teenagers, they are so picky! My mom deals with this with my sister every day too. It's awesome that you have good stuff at home for them to pack if they want. Way too many kids don't have those choices. Those are the kids I worry about most, the ones who's healthiest meal of the day is the one they get a school.
Thanks for the article! I've been watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution show too, have you seen it?

 

[IntlMom]

Way to go! My kids aren't subject to a public school lunch program - but you can bet your bottom dollar that I'd be actively campaining against the nasty excuse-for-a-lunch that they serve. You doing good - I wouldn't worry about sending him with a lunch either, that's what I'd do.

 

[mauimagic]

It's appalling what they expect students to eat and to call this food 'healthy'@@!! For one and a half years, our school cafeteria did not serve a single vegetable other than lettuce, labeled as a salad, and some carrots in stew. Very disappointing.

We bring fruit and veggies for our preschoolers for snacks. Amazingly, there are some who are willing to try new foods!!

 

[justpeachy92]

I have been watching the food revolution show. I have found myself wondering about the Alice, the cook in the elementary show. I get that alot of what happens in the taping of the episodes gets edited out. But it amazes me that she is or appears to be so against change.

 

[akolb]

I brought a lunch from home every day from Kindergarden till I graduated. And most days ate the same thing. I thank my parents for the fact that my sister and I have some of the best eating habits of our peers.
I honestly remember going to McDonald's for the 1st time with a friend in 7th grade and not knowing what was on the menu!

just my 2 cents!

 

[ncarr]

it's truly appalling what we feed our school children. I was lucky enough to have a packed lunch everyday.

 

[nodmicks]

You may find that your son does not want that food period and won't eat it. My 14 year old always brings lunch because he says school lunch is "gross!". He says it is all frozen " crap". I know that is crude but those are the words of a 14 year old boy.

My 17 year old eats it and likes it.

We have a dinner and informative meeting net week about the 14 year old going in to high school. We had to call and let them know if we were attending. I told them 3 would be attending but we would NOT be eating. BLEECH!!!

I just had a conversation with a 95 year old lady at work today who cooked when I was in high school (80's). She was telling me how everything was from scratch and they peeled 600 lbs of real potato. She swears up and down all that frozen food and preservatives are why kids are heavy.