Now, we all know that growing boys can eat and eat and eat. In fact, they all possess at least one hollow leg.
When Buddy got home that day, I asked him about the lunch servings and he said that not only were they light on the food, but often, the food was barely edible.
They do have a salad bar in addition to the hot lunch offering, which is nice. But, get this: The students are separated by gender for lunch and the girls get to go first (makes sense - Ladies First), but by the time the boys arrive for lunch, the salad bar is picked over and there isn't much left. Can they not restock the salad bar area when things are running low or is the economy worse than I know?
All I know is I pay a hefty lunch bill for both children at the end of the month. So, I asked Buddy, "Would you prefer if I prepare a cold lunch for you every day, so you have enough food?" and he said, "NO! There is only one dorky kid who brings a cold lunch every day and no one wants to be like that."
Apparently, it is "uncool" if you bring a lunch. However, things are A-OK if you get a hot lunch and even if it's really horrible, you gain "street cred" points. (even if you pick at the nasty lunch and basically almost starve to death during the day).
I took a lunch EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. of my school career until 10th grade and we could go off campus and buy other things. My poor mom said she got so sick and tired of smelling peanut butter, she never wanted it again. And that was it for me: peanut butter sandwich, no jelly. Items I agreed to add were either apple slices or Fritos. From 1st to 9th, that was MY daily meal. In fact, I don't recall ever having lunch at the school cafeteria - just the smell of the place made me queasy.
Thank goodness, Buddy is a kid who still enjoys having a decent breakfast. I know he's not going off to school completely without any nutrition. Unfortunately, I'm old school and give my kids things like Cocoa Puffs (actually, the generic equivalent). Whatever. I grew up on boxed cereal and/or grits and I turned out...
OK? I guess? I graduated from High School and College. My Dad paid for my education, but he didn't facilitate in any way the outcome of said education. In other words, I didn't get a "pass". I did all the school work myself. And, back then, I lived on potato chips and beer (I was a vegetarian).
But, it breaks my heart that my son has to have such pathetic portions and choices for lunch. That kid could eat a side of beef by himself. Let's face it: Any 13 year old who loves squid/calamari and will order it any time he has a chance is not really your average 13 year old. LOL.
Happy Thursday, hooligans! It's all yucky and grey and rainy here, so I'mma zone out for a few. See ya tomorrow!
Love,
Hmmm.... If you pay for a school lunch it only seems fair that any student be given the same opportunity to have an adequate quality/quantity of lunch.
ReplyDeletemy son always says that he'd rather buy lunch, too. I think thats just because he's too lazy to carry his lunchbag to school..
ReplyDeleteWho knew bringing lunch was uncool? Back in my day, bringing your lunch was the cool thing to do. Cafeteria lunch was for pizza days and poor kids.
ReplyDeleteThings change. I would think they should restock the salad bar though. That's nuts.
In many of the school districts in Texas, lunch is free for 100 percent of the students, regardless of family income, because there is such a large percentage of free lunch kids that it isn't worth the administrative costs of dealing with those that should be paying. And let me tell, you, if you saw some of the tubby chil'ins around her, you'd see there is no shortage of food at the salad bar!
ReplyDeleteThe food is so nasty at Nooze's school that I refuse to let her eat it. If she opts for school lunch, she must pay for it herself. (It costs over $2/day.) They offer junk food a la carte, an idea I find deplorable for elementary school.
ReplyDeleteI take Nooze shopping with me and have her create lunches as we shop. (I may need to code items in the fridge better, though...)