School lunches have been targeted a lot lately by folks who are concerned about obesity in kids.
On another board I frequent, they've been listing their local school lunch menus, which include things like:
-Roast turkey w/ gravy, dressing, mashed potatoes, whole wheat roll. Choice of milk.
-Hot Dog, Tator Tots, Veggie Sticks, Fruit, Milk
-Pepperoni pizza, tossed salad with dressing, dessert. Choice of milk.
These meals don't look much different from the ones they served when I was a kid.
So anyway... what do you parents think? Do the school lunches around here provide adequate nutrition for our kids? Or do we need to reexamine them?
Full Version: School lunches: Healthy or not?
I don't think they've changed too much since my kids were in school so I think they're ok.
Alot has to do with the fact that the kids need to be outside more and not sitting and playing video games so much.
I always made sure my two got up early enough to eat a good breakfast and then they had a good supper so it worked out that they were getting enough nutrition.
But,apparently theres vending machines now in the schools.If they kids don't have extra money it'll be harder to get the junk out of the machines.
Alot has to do with the fact that the kids need to be outside more and not sitting and playing video games so much.
I always made sure my two got up early enough to eat a good breakfast and then they had a good supper so it worked out that they were getting enough nutrition.
But,apparently theres vending machines now in the schools.If they kids don't have extra money it'll be harder to get the junk out of the machines.
It probably wouldn't hurt to upgrade the healthiness of the school lunches, but like you said, the school lunch listed is pretty much the same as when I was in school.
I think the problem here is the parents, who are too lazy to go outside and run around with their kids - play soccer, shoot hoops, go for a walk, but turn off the tv, and the videogames, and go have fun! Stop blaming your kid's obesity on everyone else! And I want to know what these parents are giving their kids for dinner, and for snacks?
I think the problem here is the parents, who are too lazy to go outside and run around with their kids - play soccer, shoot hoops, go for a walk, but turn off the tv, and the videogames, and go have fun! Stop blaming your kid's obesity on everyone else! And I want to know what these parents are giving their kids for dinner, and for snacks?
I wanna know what ever happened to the days when parents packed their kids lunches?! When I attended public school my Mom always packed my lunch. I was probably the only kid in school that had celery sticks, homemade soup and cups of applesauce instead of baloney sandwiches and Twinkies. It's sad when kids these days are eating over processed foods like Lunchables and snack cakes. I think society has just become so busy that it's almost a thing of the past to actually take time to do something so little as pack a homemade lunch. 
I think these days bologna sandwiches and Twinkies ARE considered a homemade lunch.
My daughter attends a county elem. school and there the lunches have over 700 calories each. The quality/taste is awful and she can't stand them most of the time, so we pack her lunch over 90% of the time. The "hot" food is barely warm. "Salad" has mostly brownish iceberg lettuce. You get a packet of "cheese" to put on your "burger" to make a cheeseburger. The quality is much poorer than when I was in local schools.
Snoop, is she at one of the schools that the meals are trucked in already prepared off-site, or does she actually have a fully functioning cooking cafeteria?
QUOTE (Yossarian @ Sep 23 2005, 01:38 PM)
Snoop, is she at one of the schools that the meals are trucked in already prepared off-site, or does she actually have a fully functioning cooking cafeteria?
The former, and no amount of begging will change that. Many have tried. But since the BOE folks don't have to eat it, nothing will change. Yet at other schools, parents can do their laundry at school.
Didn't seem to affect me... 
Let's not blame the parents that would be wrong...
Let's not blame the parents that would be wrong...
My kids eat lunch from school once or twice a week and they seem to like it.
Fortunately all of them would rather pack lunch so I don't have to worry about it.
I am more worried about my daughter in high school. They seem to have tons of choices and i'm almost positive shes eating only junk when she can.
Off topic for a quick question. What is so important about Bester Elementary?
having only been here a couple of years it seems like everytime there is a story
about schools around here it has to do with Bester. Was this the first school in Hagerstown or is there some sort of historical significance?
Sorry to change topics but I didn't think this deserved its own thread. Snoopy will delete or move this with his moderator magic if its inappropriate
Fortunately all of them would rather pack lunch so I don't have to worry about it.
I am more worried about my daughter in high school. They seem to have tons of choices and i'm almost positive shes eating only junk when she can.
Off topic for a quick question. What is so important about Bester Elementary?
having only been here a couple of years it seems like everytime there is a story
about schools around here it has to do with Bester. Was this the first school in Hagerstown or is there some sort of historical significance?
Sorry to change topics but I didn't think this deserved its own thread. Snoopy will delete or move this with his moderator magic if its inappropriate
Do they use credit accounts to pay for school lunches around here? The kind where parents put money in an account every few weeks so the kids don't have to carry money.
I have a nephew (in Virginia) who is quite overweight and I remember my brother-in-law saying he would spend all of his lunch credit for the week by like Tuesday or Wednesday. The cafeteria staff would let the kids buy whatever and as much of the food they wanted. Even if the lunch is healthy, eating two of them is just too many calories.
I really feel bad for my nephew. It's almost like he's obsessed with food. Now that he's starting middle school, I'm afraid he's gonna get hazed.
I have a nephew (in Virginia) who is quite overweight and I remember my brother-in-law saying he would spend all of his lunch credit for the week by like Tuesday or Wednesday. The cafeteria staff would let the kids buy whatever and as much of the food they wanted. Even if the lunch is healthy, eating two of them is just too many calories.
I really feel bad for my nephew. It's almost like he's obsessed with food. Now that he's starting middle school, I'm afraid he's gonna get hazed.
QUOTE (samy0 @ Sep 23 2005, 02:56 PM)
My kids eat lunch from school once or twice a week and they seem to like it.
Fortunately all of them would rather pack lunch so I don't have to worry about it.
I am more worried about my daughter in high school. They seem to have tons of choices and i'm almost positive shes eating only junk when she can.
Off topic for a quick question. What is so important about Bester Elementary?
having only been here a couple of years it seems like everytime there is a story
about schools around here it has to do with Bester. Was this the first school in Hagerstown or is there some sort of historical significance?
Sorry to change topics but I didn't think this deserved its own thread. Snoopy will delete or move this with his moderator magic if its inappropriate
Fortunately all of them would rather pack lunch so I don't have to worry about it.
I am more worried about my daughter in high school. They seem to have tons of choices and i'm almost positive shes eating only junk when she can.
Off topic for a quick question. What is so important about Bester Elementary?
having only been here a couple of years it seems like everytime there is a story
about schools around here it has to do with Bester. Was this the first school in Hagerstown or is there some sort of historical significance?
Sorry to change topics but I didn't think this deserved its own thread. Snoopy will delete or move this with his moderator magic if its inappropriate
Isn't Bester one of the remaining Elem. schools still IN town?
Is Salem Elem. considered IN town?
That might be why you hear so much about it.
Bester is in town, Salem is in town and so is Winter Street.
The rest are in the county.
Bester used to be a JR. High school up until about 1960. It was replaced by the middle school E. Russel Hicks.
The rest are in the county.
Bester used to be a JR. High school up until about 1960. It was replaced by the middle school E. Russel Hicks.
Also within the city limits:
Emma K. Doub
Pangborn
and that one at the corner of Northern/PA Ave. whose name escapes me.
Emma K. Doub
Pangborn
and that one at the corner of Northern/PA Ave. whose name escapes me.
Paramount has the food trucked in. Just imagine limp food that has been sitting in steam trays for a few hours. Yummm.
Yes, they have the stupid debit cards. I refuse to let my daughter use it, and send in the money daily when she actually wants to eat the lunch. I want her to know the value of money, not just get into a "Charge it!" mentality at the age of 5 or 6. Funny thing. When she was in second grade, I received a bill for 3 or 4 bucks. I refused to pay it, because she pays daily, so there shouldn't be any outstanding balance. Then at the end of 3rd grade, she was plus 3 or 4 bucks. Again, I only send in the money as she needs it. So, their accounting sucks, and there is no way I would blindly send in money with my child.
As far as nutritional value, I think the info (averages) is published on the back of the menu they send home. But no, I don't think they are particularly appealing or nutritious. I usually pack her lunch, and have granola bars, salad, (or carrots, celery, or cucumber slices) fruit,(prepacked bowl or fresh) and a PB&J or deli meat with crackers.
Yes, they have the stupid debit cards. I refuse to let my daughter use it, and send in the money daily when she actually wants to eat the lunch. I want her to know the value of money, not just get into a "Charge it!" mentality at the age of 5 or 6. Funny thing. When she was in second grade, I received a bill for 3 or 4 bucks. I refused to pay it, because she pays daily, so there shouldn't be any outstanding balance. Then at the end of 3rd grade, she was plus 3 or 4 bucks. Again, I only send in the money as she needs it. So, their accounting sucks, and there is no way I would blindly send in money with my child.
As far as nutritional value, I think the info (averages) is published on the back of the menu they send home. But no, I don't think they are particularly appealing or nutritious. I usually pack her lunch, and have granola bars, salad, (or carrots, celery, or cucumber slices) fruit,(prepacked bowl or fresh) and a PB&J or deli meat with crackers.
The lunches seem a lot healthier these days then back when I was in high school. Don't some schools even have salad bars available now?
My kids never liked buying lunch because they didn't have enough time to eat it after waiting in the long lines, so I always packed a lunch for them!
After speaking to friends with kids in the Wash Co. high schools, they don't like the lunch account systems either. Their kids were spending the lunch money on junk, or buying other kids food when they were out of money. Then their children would complain because the account was empty after a couple of weeks!
My kids never liked buying lunch because they didn't have enough time to eat it after waiting in the long lines, so I always packed a lunch for them!
After speaking to friends with kids in the Wash Co. high schools, they don't like the lunch account systems either. Their kids were spending the lunch money on junk, or buying other kids food when they were out of money. Then their children would complain because the account was empty after a couple of weeks!
QUOTE (samy0 @ Sep 23 2005, 02:56 PM)
Off topic for a quick question. What is so important about Bester Elementary?
having only been here a couple of years it seems like everytime there is a story
about schools around here it has to do with Bester. Was this the first school in Hagerstown or is there some sort of historical significance?
having only been here a couple of years it seems like everytime there is a story
about schools around here it has to do with Bester. Was this the first school in Hagerstown or is there some sort of historical significance?
Bester was doing badly, so they gave them a new principal (Mrs. Stiles) a few years ago and spent oodles of money on them, let them have handpicked teachers, many other benefits that other schools do not get, etc. and, voilla, their scores went up, so they plan to apply this to other schools that are struggling. Trouble is, other county schools suffer because money is spent preferentially on these few "problem" schools. Much of the problem stems from sleezeball parents, but the school officials and social services organizations often make excuses for poor parental behavior and even help perpetuate it.
Great! So the schools with active parents, good kids, & good staff
now get the shaft and less funds so the weak schools can catch up.
Almost doesn't make sense to do good if thats the case.
now get the shaft and less funds so the weak schools can catch up.
Almost doesn't make sense to do good if thats the case.
You got it! I wasn't kidding when I said that one school (Bester, I think) bought washers and dryers so that if a parent came to the school to help or check on their kids they could do their laundry there for free. That's just one example. Your tax dollars at work!
QUOTE (Snoopy @ Sep 26 2005, 10:14 AM)
You got it! I wasn't kidding when I said that one school (Bester, I think) bought washers and dryers so that if a parent came to the school to help or check on their kids they could do their laundry there for free. That's just one example. Your tax dollars at work!
Oh isn't that special! I'm guessing all the kids probably get free lunch and a private tutor on my dime also
Btw> Has it worked? are all the test scores up? Has there been a great improvement?
As I said earlier, as I understand the scores went up after a few years, so the principal was sent to another school to "fix" it. With lots of extra money, smaller classes, the cream-of-the-crop of teachers, extra hours, extra benefits, etc. yeah, they got better scores. But the extras there came at expense to the kids in other schools. Poor teachers were booted outta there, but where do you think they went? Trying to get rid of awful teachers at other schools is almost impossible.
Actually, Stiles was at Eastern when it had troubles. Yes, the scores went up, so now they are trying the same thing at Bester by moving her there.
I believe the laundry was not for parents, but because they were trying to enforce a loose uniform, the kids could have their uniforms done at school, since they probably only had 2 or 3 of the shirts. Don't know if they are still doing the uniform thing or not. They weren't wearing them the day I was there for observation, so I doubt the laundry thing is still happening either.
Paramount lost 2 or 3 teachers in the Bester "upgrade", including the media specialist and one of the K teachers who now splits time between Paramount and Bester, teaching Spanish in both places. I think someone else from Paramount went there, too, but I'm not completely certain.
Yes, Samy, lots of the kids qualify for free lunch. However, I don't think they get free tutoring yet, because they test scores haven't been bad enough to go to the next phase of mandatory reforms (extra tutors, bussing to other schools).
There are a whole host of factors that fit into the Bester equation. Now that I'm back in school and majoring in education, I see so much correlation between my textbooks and what is happening in our schools. Problem is, the complexities are so vast, that it is hard to remedy one problem without adressing the causes and remedies of the other problems because they all are interdependent. Since education is required by law to be available to all, the school has to become a social panacea in order to make sure the kids are prepared to learn in the first place.
I believe the laundry was not for parents, but because they were trying to enforce a loose uniform, the kids could have their uniforms done at school, since they probably only had 2 or 3 of the shirts. Don't know if they are still doing the uniform thing or not. They weren't wearing them the day I was there for observation, so I doubt the laundry thing is still happening either.
Paramount lost 2 or 3 teachers in the Bester "upgrade", including the media specialist and one of the K teachers who now splits time between Paramount and Bester, teaching Spanish in both places. I think someone else from Paramount went there, too, but I'm not completely certain.
Yes, Samy, lots of the kids qualify for free lunch. However, I don't think they get free tutoring yet, because they test scores haven't been bad enough to go to the next phase of mandatory reforms (extra tutors, bussing to other schools).
There are a whole host of factors that fit into the Bester equation. Now that I'm back in school and majoring in education, I see so much correlation between my textbooks and what is happening in our schools. Problem is, the complexities are so vast, that it is hard to remedy one problem without adressing the causes and remedies of the other problems because they all are interdependent. Since education is required by law to be available to all, the school has to become a social panacea in order to make sure the kids are prepared to learn in the first place.
This lady takes pictures of the lunches she packs for her kid every day and posts them in her blog. Granted, they're vegan, but man... I would love to be her kid.
http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/2005_09_...ox_archive.html
http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/2005_09_...ox_archive.html
She has too much time on her hands!
Wonder if she makes office calls?
Wonder if she makes office calls?
Little schmoo. 
Cute.
My favorite quote..."He ate everything but..."I hate banana," he told me. "Oh. But you eat them at home, don't you?" "I hate them at school."
Cute.My favorite quote..."He ate everything but..."I hate banana," he told me. "Oh. But you eat them at home, don't you?" "I hate them at school."
QUOTE (peacefrog @ Oct 6 2005, 12:04 PM)
This lady takes pictures of the lunches she packs for her kid every day and posts them in her blog. Granted, they're vegan, but man... I would love to be her kid.
http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/2005_09_...ox_archive.html
http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/2005_09_...ox_archive.html
omg she's so creative & dedicated! I'm all for eating healthy but I gotta admit sometimes it's easy to get lazy and just open a bag of chips
I like that lunch box. I want one!
That reminds me of "The Breakfast Club" when Molly Ringwold's character Claire brings out her lunch box and it's a mini sushi bar with chopsticks!
That reminds me of "The Breakfast Club" when Molly Ringwold's character Claire brings out her lunch box and it's a mini sushi bar with chopsticks!
It's actually a poster at art.com
I thought it would be cool to do Breakfast Club for Halloween but it would too hard to do and no one would recognize what it was.
God I'm such a thread jacker...
Anyone, besides Jack Skellington, know what album cover Allison is looking at during lunch?
God I'm such a thread jacker...
Anyone, besides Jack Skellington, know what album cover Allison is looking at during lunch?
QUOTE (Heather @ Oct 6 2005, 02:12 PM)
It's actually a poster at art.com
Oh, that's great!
QUOTE (Heather @ Oct 6 2005, 02:16 PM)
Anyone, besides Jack Skellington, know what album cover Allison is looking at during lunch?
Seriously folks.
It was Prince. 1999.
Molly's lunch box is known as a Bento box... a Japanese "lunch box."
I'm getting one for DH and then packing him fancy lunches for work.
If you consider PB&J to be fancy.
I'm getting one for DH and then packing him fancy lunches for work.
If you consider PB&J to be fancy.
QUOTE (Snoopy @ Sep 23 2005, 12:26 PM)
My daughter attends a county elem. school and there the lunches have over 700 calories each. The quality/taste is awful and she can't stand them most of the time, so we pack her lunch over 90% of the time. The "hot" food is barely warm. "Salad" has mostly brownish iceberg lettuce. You get a packet of "cheese" to put on your "burger" to make a cheeseburger. The quality is much poorer than when I was in local schools.
My daughter goes to Old Forge Elementary School and is in first grade... probably twice a week she buys her lunch... her favorites are hot dog, cheeseburger and tacos... they have the meals trucked in there also...
I just asked her and she said all the cheeseburgers already have the cheese melted on....
She raves about the tacos saying they get to put the fillings they want on them... she always has a fruit choice with lunch and milk...
While school lunches may not be as healthy as a lunch we would pack for our child, so far I find no problems with them...
The school breakfasts are also very good... each child gets cereal, milk, fruit juice and a muffin of some kind.... no worse than I would serve her at home...
QUOTE (Old Griz @ Oct 7 2005, 03:47 PM)
The school breakfasts are also very good... each child gets cereal, milk, fruit juice and a muffin of some kind.... no worse than I would serve her at home...
When I was in school, they never served breakfast!
QUOTE (PHISH @ Oct 7 2005, 02:58 PM)
QUOTE (Old Griz @ Oct 7 2005, 03:47 PM)
The school breakfasts are also very good... each child gets cereal, milk, fruit juice and a muffin of some kind.... no worse than I would serve her at home...
When I was in school, they never served breakfast!YUP, breakfast is served and it only costs $1.00... my daughter loves it because she gets to sit with her friends and socialize before classes start...
We offer to make her breakfast each morning, but usually she opts for the school breakfast... I think that she is usually not ready to eat that soon after getting up... I know I'm not...
Griz, do you take her to school? My daughter doesn't get off the bus until 8:15 and class starts at 8:25. There's no time to eat breakfast there.
Phish, some schools actually serve breakfast to all students for free each day. I believe it is called Maryland Meals for Achievement and is grant funded. (Don't quote me though!) MMFA serves Fountaindale and used to be at Pangborn (not sure if it still is). I know the school has to apply and probably meet some kind of FARM criteria. Fountaindale had a bit of trouble getting it because the building isn't handicap accessible, and they couldn't move the serving carts up and down the stairs. They must have found a solution b/c they have the breakfasts now.
Phish, some schools actually serve breakfast to all students for free each day. I believe it is called Maryland Meals for Achievement and is grant funded. (Don't quote me though!) MMFA serves Fountaindale and used to be at Pangborn (not sure if it still is). I know the school has to apply and probably meet some kind of FARM criteria. Fountaindale had a bit of trouble getting it because the building isn't handicap accessible, and they couldn't move the serving carts up and down the stairs. They must have found a solution b/c they have the breakfasts now.
QUOTE (momsapilot @ Oct 9 2005, 07:35 PM)
Griz, do you take her to school? My daughter doesn't get off the bus until 8:15 and class starts at 8:25. There's no time to eat breakfast there.
Phish, some schools actually serve breakfast to all students for free each day. I believe it is called Maryland Meals for Achievement and is grant funded. (Don't quote me though!) MMFA serves Fountaindale and used to be at Pangborn (not sure if it still is). I know the school has to apply and probably meet some kind of FARM criteria. Fountaindale had a bit of trouble getting it because the building isn't handicap accessible, and they couldn't move the serving carts up and down the stairs. They must have found a solution b/c they have the breakfasts now.
Phish, some schools actually serve breakfast to all students for free each day. I believe it is called Maryland Meals for Achievement and is grant funded. (Don't quote me though!) MMFA serves Fountaindale and used to be at Pangborn (not sure if it still is). I know the school has to apply and probably meet some kind of FARM criteria. Fountaindale had a bit of trouble getting it because the building isn't handicap accessible, and they couldn't move the serving carts up and down the stairs. They must have found a solution b/c they have the breakfasts now.
No she takes the bus and it picks her up at about 6:55 AM she has time to eat breakfast at school.... her classes start a lot earlier than 8:25. But I am talking about Old Forge. Even though she is up early enough for us to prepare breakfast for her, she prefers to eat at school... of course on chilly mornings she likes to sit and have a hot chocolate with Daddy while he plugs the coffee IV into himself..
The free breakfast program is at all schools and is based on family need, everyone gets an application at the beginning of the year to see who qualifies... we were asked to fill it out even though we knew we did not qualify.. I believe they use the information for some kind of Fed Funding program based on family needs.
I can't speak for any other schools, but I can tell you that I am very pleased with the way Old Forge goes about taking care of my child... both educationally and socially. The teachers are fantastic and the principal is the greatest... I have watched him at a school function say hello to each individual student he meets by name.. never missed a one.. takes dedication and caring to know the names of each individual student under your care. The kids love him and I can tell you that as a parent I am highly impressed with the way he runs the school and cares for the kids..
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