Kids in School! Pack or Buy Lunch!

[Queenofmycastle]

It is about time to send Brett back to school and I wondered whether others bought or packed. I have always been a buyer in that Brett is underweight and I liked those loaded calorie type lunches. Now with childhood obesity, our school district has tried to cut out those lunches and place them with healthier options such sandwiches. Brett is not much on sandwiches and I am trying to come up with some alternatives.

What do you do? Even if you homeschool they have to be fed right?

Alicia

[jwright]

I do both - we get the menu and have to fill it out a month ahead of time so in Sept. we would fill out lunch menu for Oct. Last year my son would get about 6 school lunches each month and then we packed the other days. Basically we just went over the menu and circled the meals he liked and that's what we ordered for him.

Janell

[stephwhiz]

We do what Janell does too. My kids take their lunches about 1/4 of the time. Stephanie :D

[SpiritFilledMomof2]

We do about half and half. I don't really care for the school lunches though, I think they can be a lot healthier. They still serve things like hot dogs and pizza each week. Plus there isn't much variety. But dd likes it and would eat the school lunch over what I pack her anyway. I will send her with lunch if they are serving something she won't eat. If the menu doesn't improve this year however I think I'm going to say something.

We do about half and half. I don't really care for the school lunches though, I think they can be a lot healthier. They still serve things like hot dogs and pizza each week. Plus there isn't much variety. But dd likes it and would eat the school lunch over what I pack her anyway. I will send her with lunch if they are serving something she won't eat. If the menu doesn't improve this year however I think I'm going to say something.

We are the same way. About 1/2 and 1/2. Aaron is not a picky eater, but he will get a whole tray and end up only eating a few things off it. So I don't feel that he is getting fed very well during the day. And they have the same things over and over. Pizza is EVERY friday! :shock: No kidding. I told him that this year that we were packing a lot more. Plus I think it saves a little bit of money :wink:

[Rach]

we also get a monthly and let Aiden decide (within reason of course.)

With Willie, we don't have a choice - we have to pack every day. BUT they will refrigerate and microwave things and get everything ready/cut up/whatever so that's a lot easier than packing a standard lunch.

[pa_wife]

My daughter (14 going on 32)goes to a Christian school, my son(11) is homeschooled. My dd HAS to have a packed lunch. Her school is wonderful, but small and they cater lunch in from the local "greasy spoon." We are in Southern Mississippi and they really know how to fry things. [thumbsdown]
My son, the Emeril wanna be, started making our lunch about 2 years ago. He is actually getting quite good at it. I let him make whatever he wants for us, but it has to include a grain, dairy, fruit and veggie.

[stephwhiz]

Starting this school year, our school system has changed the meals they serve. They are much more health based. They have two main items to choose from and then they have salad everyday, veggies and fruit and different juices and milk to drink. I feel better about them eating school lunches now because of the new menus. They also have it where you can go on-line and put money on your children's lunch accounts. I set up DD's account but am having a problem setting up DS's. It is not taking his lunch number and he's had this number for 4 years now! They may have changed his number with this new system...I have to check into that tomorrow while I'm at school. You can also go to this same website and see how much your balance is because with them taking their lunches sometimes I get all confused as to how much I owe or if I owe anything. Stephanie :D

[Queenofmycastle]

I could only dream of an online system. I went to the school and paid for 1/2 the year at a time last year. The Cafeteria manager wanted to know why. I told her that I did it for her benefit. She said I don't understand. I said I wouldn't want to be in your shoes if you didn't feed my son when my dh would get ahold of you. See they have this new "No Charge" policy, they have the kids believing that they won't feed them if they don't pay upfront.


I think they should put the fear in the parents not the children!

Alicia

[stephwhiz]

That stinks Alicia! Share this website with them https://www.mealpayplus.com/Secure/UserRegistration.aspx

They had a couple of kinks in it but they're worked out now. Trent used to use the last five digits of his ss# as his lunch # so that is why I couldn't add him to the system but today I got his correct lunch # and all is good.

have a great one!

Stephanie :D