Special offer

What's Up With School Lunch Programs These Days? My daughter finally gave up on them!

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Mike McCann - Broker, Mach1 Realty Farm & Commercial Land Broker-Auctioneer Serving Nebraska

A month of school days or so ago...maybe 2 weeks before the Christmas break...our daughter, Jaime, said she was "sick of the school lunches" and wanted to start taking her lunch.

Sure I thought...this will last for about 2 days.  Now 5 weeks of school later, she said yesterday that she was sticking with it and likes taking her lunch way better.

No more "Chef's Surprise" for her she said....or Corndogs...or Goulash (yep...they still have goulash)...or Sloppy Joes...or Hotdogs.   She said she has had it with their...and I quote "bland tasting gutbombs".

She said she was "really liking" the salads and fruit and snacks she is taking each day.  Sha also said that since she started doing it...she has lost 4 pounds...but then again she is on the basketball team so that might have something to do with the weight loss.

She now has to get up a few minutes earlier to make her lunch but also gets about 10 more minutes of eating time because she is not standing in line for her dollop of "fine midwest cuisine made in a high volume setting"!

Don't get me wrong I am not complaining...I tried the goulash one day at the school and yes it still smells the same and tastes the same as that student favorite from decades ago.

One of Jaime's friends at the table finished it for me.

On a side note...

I noticed this week that the USDA issued "The Final Rule" for updating the food guidelines and meals allowed to be served in school lunches. What a cool name I thought.

Here is a link to  280 pages of fine government reading if you have about a half of a lifetime to spare... http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2012-01010_PI.pdf 

I can tell you that I only read one page and saw the words 

"final rule provides additional time for implementation"  which I suspect is federal language for "ain't gonna happen"!  Which means I am not going to hold my breath that the school lunches will improve and I will just continue to help my daughter through her last 3 semesters of high school with bag lunches!!

Posted by

 

Mike McCann Nebraska Land Broker This has been Mike McCann...Nebraska Land Broker...Coming to you from the Farm Land of Nebraska and America!! Visit me at www.mikemccann.com to learn more about the agricultural and farm land for sale market. 

Many farms For Sale in Nebraska are not listed publicly...please call, text, or e-mail with your questions, wants, and needs!

Mike is your Ag, Farm, and Auction expert throughout Nebraska!

308-627-3700 and 800-241-3940 call or text me at these numbers or

mike@mikemccann.com for easy e-mail access! Mike McCann Nebraska Land Broker

 

Bill & Cyndi Daves
Hiawassee, Young Harris, Blairsville, Hayesville, Murphy and Beyond! - Hiawassee, GA
TeamDAVES - Your REALTORS In the GA/NC Mountains!

Mike - Our girls took their lunches for most of their time in school.  Yes, it cost us a bit more but we knew they were getting nutritous food and, since it was actually their choice, they ate them.  I resisted the temptation to buy applesauce and other foods in those cute little one-serving containers though.  I opted instead for a large container of applesauce (or whatever else) and cute little plastic bowls color-coordinated for each girl. 

When ketchup became a vegetable I gave up on the school lunch system.

Cyndi

 

Jan 28, 2012 02:35 PM
Carlotta Remong
Berkshire Hathaway HS N.E. Prime Properties - Newport, RI

Mike your daughter is probably getting a more healthy delicious lunch by bringing it from home. And she knows exactly what she is getting  because she prepares it.

Jan 28, 2012 02:51 PM
Bob & Carolin Benjamin
Benjamin Realty LLC - Gold Canyon, AZ
East Phoenix Arizona Homes

Good for her -- much healthier and better for her and its teaching her good nutrition for the future as well .

Jan 28, 2012 03:29 PM
Mike McCann Nebraska Land Broker
Mike McCann - Broker, Mach1 Realty Farm & Commercial Land Broker-Auctioneer Serving Nebraska - Kearney, NE
Farm & Commercial Property For Sale 308-627-3700

Cyndi...I agree with the nutritious comment...she is definitely getting better food. 

Carlotta...I have also found some apples that are presliced and sealed...which she really likes since time is of the essence in the mornings...oops...that sounds like a real estate agent talking.

Ben....definitely agree that she is understanding food more and that it will help in the future.

Thanks all for commenting!!

Jan 28, 2012 03:47 PM
Sherry Chastain
Hendersonville, Nashville, Old Hickory, Lebanon Tennessee - Hendersonville, TN
Realtor, Selling Homes, Lake Properties,Luxury Homes,Short Sales

I was so shocked when I learned school lunches weren't a balance nutrishious planned meal. I made my son and daughter buy their lunch the first year each. Thinking what a good balance meal would do them. Then I was by chance able to stop by and eat lunch with them each a couple times. I agreed with them, gross. We have been packing lunch since. I got a couple of Campbell soup thermos' on ebay, they can take hot leftovers or soup now. 

Jan 28, 2012 04:15 PM
Mike McCann Nebraska Land Broker
Mike McCann - Broker, Mach1 Realty Farm & Commercial Land Broker-Auctioneer Serving Nebraska - Kearney, NE
Farm & Commercial Property For Sale 308-627-3700

Ice packs and insulated pack for the cold and thermos for the hot...

I think every parent should go and eat a lunch...and then ask for a tour of the kitchen... then again maybe not...

Jan 28, 2012 04:21 PM
Charles Stallions Real Estate Services
Charles Stallions Real Estate Services Inc - Gulf Breeze, FL
Buyers Agent 800-309-3414 Pace and Gulf Breeze,Fl.

It is a joke what the government thinks and does, we had the same lunches and did just fine. Kids are overwieght because they don't have physical education no more and when at home they stay inside and don't play outside like we did. JMHO

Jan 28, 2012 05:35 PM
Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

Until we were in high school, Mickey packed a lunch for all of us every day..............nutritious and well balanced.

Jan 28, 2012 09:14 PM
Debbie Laity
Cedaredge Land Company - Cedaredge, CO
Your Real Estate Resource for Delta County, CO

I actually pay what I think is a lot for school lunches...2.50. I think the food is terrible and low quality. A salad is no longer an option. Two years ago, my daughter could get a chef's salad and she liked that.

Feb 08, 2012 02:30 PM