https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 22 May 2026 15:48:12 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1814683 Wed, 13 Aug 2014 17:55:29 +0000 rins72 1814683@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The vast majority of the students at the school I work in qualify for free/reduced lunch and there's only a handful in each grade that pack. Our kiddos have a choice of three entrees each day (today was grilled chicken sandwich, turkey lunchmeat sandwich, or macaroni and cheese). They also have a choice of several fruits and veggies (today we had carrots, baked beans, cucumbers, fruit cocktail, pineapple, and maybe some others). They have to take at least one fruit or veggie but can take one of each if they want, just not two of the same thing. Some days I really question the healthfulness of the choices. It drives me nuts when they put a chocolate chip cookie with only one entree and it's usually something that kiddos don't want to eat (like chicken alfredo). I can't tell you how many kindergarteners eat a cookie and milk for lunch on those days! Argh! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1814657 Wed, 13 Aug 2014 17:33:31 +0000 Kimberlybee 1814657@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: @T-Mom: @locavore_mama: Thanks. I think I want to order one, trying to stay away from plastic bento boxes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799766 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 15:42:23 +0000 gingerbebe 1799766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mom always packed our lunches, except if the school lunch was serving something on the menu we really liked, she'd let us buy. (They sent out the menus a month at a time). So we'd circle on the menu the days we wanted to buy and she would know now to pack our lunch that day. </p> <p>In our area, we have no questions asked free school lunch. So anyone who wants the school lunch gets it free, but you have to sign up for it. DH and I pack our lunches for work, so I imagine we'd just do the same for our child.</p> <p>Did you know you can make a whole loaf's worth of PBJs at once and freeze them? They'll thaw by lunch time. </p> <p>I love the idea of having kids pack their own lunch. Right now, for DH and I, I make up little baggies of baby carrots, cut fruit, individual hummus cups, string cheese, muffins, etc. and leave it all on a tray in our fridge. Then I pack up sandwiches (dry - just meat and/or cheese, without any wet fillings), and we can just grab whatever we need in the morning. I think it would be a great thing to do for kids too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799676 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 14:54:28 +0000 T-Mom 1799676@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: I'm thinking the YumBox will be great because she can eat right out of it instead of unpacking stuff all over the table (and possibly contaminating everything with peanut residue that might be on the table). I just don't know if it fits in the new lunchbox I ordered. I also have a laptop lunch bento box.. it's HUGE. I don't know if that's going to work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799664 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 14:51:04 +0000 swedishfish 1799664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work in a school where a substantial number of students receive free or reduced lunch. A good number of students bring their own lunches. There are no ways to refrigerate or heat up food for students. </p> <p>@Anagram: I wish we had that. I hate when I forget my lunch because the school lunches are so gross. My mom's high school has a separate line in the teachers' dining room and their food is much better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799659 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 14:50:16 +0000 Mamaof2 1799659@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T-Mom: what one will your DD use for school? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799649 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 14:45:50 +0000 T-Mom 1799649@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kimberlybee: Yup that looks like a Lunch Bot. We have a 3 section one and it's great.<br /> @Mamaof2: We have a YumBox! It is completely leakproof. But heavy.. and a little bulky. But I like it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799626 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 14:33:12 +0000 shinymama 1799626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No free lunches {except for those that provide documention of government assistance}, no microwave, and no refrigeration.</p> <p>We deposit money into his "account" every month because it saves us time and money, and he prefers it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799612 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 14:29:28 +0000 Anagram 1799612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: The middle school I work in doesn't have cafeteria workers any more to save money. Instead, the school district contracted with local restaurants to do the food instead--there are 5 set restaurants who have the same day each week--</p> <p>Monday-Japanese<br /> Tuesday- Italian<br /> wednesday- deli<br /> Thursday- Korean<br /> Friday- pizza (but other choices like salads and subs as well)</p> <p>Parents have an online system where they choose their child's exact order each day of the week and pay. The restaurants deliver each order individually wrapped with the child's name on it and the teachers on lunch duty just lay them all out on the tables and the kids come by and pick them up.</p> <p>Probably 95% of the kids order lunch through this system. The rest bring it. It's something more like $5-$6 a day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799579 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 14:20:04 +0000 Mamaof2 1799579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I want to try the Yumbox - says its leak proof!!! </p> [attach=4342/14/n9ulpg.600x428.02-IMG_1507-1024x732.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799557 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 14:09:05 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1799557@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: @Kimberlybee: yup! Here lunch bots <a href="http://www.lunchbots.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.lunchbots.com</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799476 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:42:58 +0000 regberadaisy 1799476@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kimberlybee: I can't think of the name right now. But maybe Lunch Bots?</p> <p>I just got really excited about buying fun lunch containers and thermoses. :P A waste imo for toddlers since they can't appreciate it but kids will! haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799468 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:41:24 +0000 Kimberlybee 1799468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: Great tips there, thanks for the link! I like the 4 compartment tin container they displayed. I wonder who makes it. It would work for both kids and adults. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799455 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:34:15 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1799455@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: thought of you when I saw this come up in my fb feed!<br /> <a href="http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2012/08/28/eat-well-spend-less-10-tips-to-pack-brilliant-school-lunches-avoid-wasting-food/?utm_content=buffereb983&#038;utm_medium=social&#038;utm_source=plus.google.com&#038;utm_campaign=buffer" rel="nofollow">http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2012/08/28/eat-well-spend-less-10-tips-to-pack-brilliant-school-lunches-avoid-wasting-food/?utm_content=buffereb983&#038;utm_medium=social&#038;utm_source=plus.google.com&#038;utm_campaign=buffer</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799387 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:09:38 +0000 regberadaisy 1799387@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. bird: nope, but looks interesting! I'll have to check it out.<br /> @Mrs. Lion: oh that's a good idea. I really don't think packing her lunch is that much work though. :) DH &amp; I pack lunches every day so it's just one more container. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799383 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:08:40 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1799383@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: i have a friend who taught her kids to pack their own lunches starting in kindergarten. They could make their own sandwich and pick out a couple snacks and a piece of fruit. Less work for mom, and the kids had ownership of their lunch so eating it wasn't an issue :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799364 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:01:59 +0000 looch 1799364@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At the public school, there is a set menu that you can buy on a weekly basis. I am not sure if you can purchase daily, but the idea is that you don't carry cash, but a lunch ticket. You can buy milk only separately.</p> <p>For the lunch bringers, no microwave, no water, etc. You have to bring everything or you can buy a milk ticket. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799359 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:00:04 +0000 regberadaisy 1799359@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know why I thought it would be different than when I was a kid! :)<br /> We're still packing LO's daycare lunches at 27m so I don't foresee myself stopping at grade school. Wondering if it's like daycare where most parents don't pack their lunches. I think at grade school age it'll be much harder to convince her to eat a packed lunch if ALL her friends are buying. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799347 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 12:56:13 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1799347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>school lunches here are around $2 as well, but the cafeteria is a private entity and they are for profit...so the line is full of a-la-cart garbage that costs a fortune. The parents can put money on their account and then the kids can buy whatever they want. I used to see kids every day buy an ice cream, french fries, and two bags of chips for lunch. Then the parents wonder why they are going through their money so often. </p> <p>We will be doing lunch from home, woth the occasional treat paid for with cash so that they see that they have to make choices within a reasonable limit. </p> <p>Sorry for the long response....this is a pet peeve of mine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799338 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 12:53:37 +0000 mrs. bird 1799338@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: have you seen 'two angry moms'? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799328 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 12:50:44 +0000 Dandelion 1799328@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have to pay for school lunches. D can bring one, but there's no microwave or fridge, and it's just way easier to have him buy his lunch at school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799312 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 12:45:47 +0000 T-Mom 1799312@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our school lunches cost $2 regular priced and $0.40 if you qualify for reduced lunch. My DD will probably be bringing her lunch every day due to allergies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799291 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 12:40:31 +0000 Alivoo01 1799291@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You have to pay for school lunches, unless you prove you need govermental assistance, then they give your reduced price meals. However, you're more than welcome to bring your own lunch. And there's no microwave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799148 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 11:48:51 +0000 mediagirl 1799148@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You have to pay for school lunch around here at public or private (and that's how it was where I grew up, too). Most kids take their lunches, lunch is provided for children if the family can show they need free/reduced lunch.</p> <p>Growing up, we took sandwiches, chips, fruit and dessert as our lunch. Plus a milk or juice box. No microwave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/school-lunch-1#post-1799139 Tue, 05 Aug 2014 11:45:06 +0000 regberadaisy 1799139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Crazy thought for those with school aged kids.</p> <p>Does school provide lunch for free? If you have to pay do you just send your own instead? I'm assuming there's no microwave so either a thermos / insulated container for hot food or cold lunches? </p>