School lunch menu question...

[5stones]

only my youngest wants to buy about 1x a week, usually on fridays for pizza and the fruit cup. The older 2 haven't bought a school lunch in years. My middle one is picky and she has had PB&J everyday for 6 years!

Our school district has PB&J everyday that is free is someone forgets thier lunch or has no money in thier account etc... I though that was a good thing.

The HS has wraps and salad etc... which my eldest says look pretty good but the lines are way too long and then you don't get a table etc...

[destin04]

I know in Lewisville ISD they contract out to Aramark and ever since they did that the food has gone down hill....it's all about saving a dollar these days. My kids never bought their lunch they thought it was gross. What's even more silly is the fact that kids can't have their parents bring them in anything from a fast-food place because in the school districts eyes it compete with their food contract. One day my husband took our then 12 grader Chick Fil A and was told that he couldn't bring it into the cafeteria because it was against school policy. He about flipped out! He went out to his car..found a Wal-Mart plastic bag and put it in there and then brought it back in.

[GayleTX]

I spent 27 years in the schools and my observation (especially in the past decade or so) is........If the schools serve balanced, nutritional meals, most of the food goes in the trash can. If the schools serve high carb junk food such as pizza and corny dogs, then they'll clean their plates. So many kids have not been raised to eat right - the blame must be shared by the families and the schools.

[sonshinelife]

Originally Posted by destin04

I know in Lewisville ISD they contract out to Aramark and ever since they did that the food has gone down hill....it's all about saving a dollar these days. My kids never bought their lunch they thought it was gross. What's even more silly is the fact that kids can't have their parents bring them in anything from a fast-food place because in the school districts eyes it compete with their food contract. One day my husband took our then 12 grader Chick Fil A and was told that he couldn't bring it into the cafeteria because it was against school policy. He about flipped out! He went out to his car..found a Wal-Mart plastic bag and put it in there and then brought it back in.

I was able to take lunch to my son in his school which he is LISD and many of the other parents have as well. I think this may be on a school to school basis if you were not allowed to do so.

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by destin04

I know in Lewisville ISD they contract out to Aramark and ever since they did that the food has gone down hill....it's all about saving a dollar these days. My kids never bought their lunch they thought it was gross. What's even more silly is the fact that kids can't have their parents bring them in anything from a fast-food place because in the school districts eyes it compete with their food contract. One day my husband took our then 12 grader Chick Fil A and was told that he couldn't bring it into the cafeteria because it was against school policy. He about flipped out! He went out to his car..found a Wal-Mart plastic bag and put it in there and then brought it back in.

It may be they don't want kids eating those greasy fast foods which are worse than school lunches. At least the attempt for nutrition is there for the school lunches as opposed to fried chicken, white buns, and / or french fries. When I eat food like that, I'm "done in" for the rest of the day as it makes me extremely fatigued and I'm sure it can have the same effect on the kids. I can understand a school saying no to that.

Keep in mind too that if many parents brought in lunches for kids, it makes for quite a disruption. It's just not something most districts want to do and I don't believe it has anything to do with money. They're running a school, not a restaurant and it just doesn't make sense to disrupt the school atmosphere. If they don't want to eat the school lunches, the parents should pack lunches for the children. Keeping it simple and organizes makes it better for everyone.

[$DFW8$]

Originally Posted by txbugaboo

Hi everyone!
We just moved here from another state this summer. The school lunch menu at their old school was great, the kids had a choice between two main dish entrees and then there was usually a vegetable, a starch and a fruit or dessert. They also had a salad bar available every day. This new elementary school they're at has the craziest school lunch menu that I've ever seen. EVERY Friday is stuffed crust pizza, broccoli w/ cheese sauce, chilled apricots and vanilla pudding. Now, normally that isn't so bad, but it's on the menu EVERY SINGLE FRIDAY. EVERY Wednesday is Cheeseburgers, tatertots, pickles and carrot sticks - EVERY WEDNESDAY. What really set me off is tomorrow's menu: Mozzarella sticks, broccoli & rice casserole, grapes and spinach. This is completely normal for this school district - to have 2 vegetables (usually ones kids don't like). I just don't get it, what happened to giving the kids foods they like? I understand they have guidelines and healthy foods are needed, etc. - but it was that way at all of our other schools and their foods were ones that kids liked. Is it just me and the fact that I have picky kids? How would I go about getting something like this changed or is it impossible? Am I over-reacting?

You are not over reacting at all! The school lunch food these days is pathetic!