Motherhood & School Lunches

Well they sure aren't healthy even with Michelle Obama's revamping the menu and they are definitely unappetizing. Okay really I don't know how healthy they are, I just know that I don't serve my son chicken nuggets everyday at home.

Here's what I know. My son would agree with most students across the nation that The Healthy Hunger-Free Act has made his lunch taste like cardboard. 83.7 percent of school districts across the nation have reported that more food is being wasted since the act has been in effect says the National School Boards Association. That's no surprise to this mom since my son complains that the bread choices are the worst part of his choices. Where he loved the chicken patty sandwich last year he can no longer stomach it because of the bread, instead he chooses to eat chicken nuggets everyday.

Last year while I was substituting at the school's and had lunch room duty I was appalled at the meager portions. This mostly was the case at our Middle School. I know my son and six nuggets, a small bag of chips, and a juice will not fill him up. At the best this portion of food will only take the edge off of his hunger for an hour. To make sure he gets full enough I approved his spending from the typical $2.50 for a normal lunch to $5 / $5.50 for a double lunch. And yet I'm still not thrilled that he eats the same thing everyday. What happened to meatloaf, pizza, and green beans? The aforementioned Act is only a guideline for districts to follow and the way in which they follow them are up to each district. I guess my gripe would be with my district then. I believe we can have lower sodium foods, green beans without added salt, small side salads, or mashed potatoes.

When he entered middle school and I knew that he would be able to choose his lunch I thought about holding his had through the lunch line to show him what I thought would be a good lunch. I gave that idea up when I saw what they offered. It's all simply nasty looking. I could send his lunch with him right? I know my son so well that when he asked to do this on his own, of course because cool kids did it, that I knew he wouldn't like it at all. I know, as he now does after that one failed attempt, that he wants and needs hot food to feel full. A lunch meat or peanut butter sandwich will not satisfy his hunger. I prefer that he is as full as a twenty minute lunch will allow. Therefore I will let him eat a double order of chicken nuggets everyday. Hopefully Michelle Obama will pay a few surprise visits to schools all over our country and give some decent feedback on a way to encourage our youth to eat better.