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Post by Renee' on Apr 4, 2008 8:35:07 GMT -5
Well last night I thought I would look at Lauren's lunch money account. They have a feature that you can see what the student has ordered for lunch over the month. When she gets home I always ask her what she did at school and she always tells me what she ate. She usually says pizza or nachos. Well I thought for sure there was no way she was eating that daily. SHE IS!!! Along with french fries. I am not happy. We are trying hard to get her weight down. I have asked the school about helping us. Is that really what they serve all the time? Where are the veggies and fruit?
I know what you are thinking...you can pack her lunch. I just can't do that everyday. I have 3 kids and 2 are under the age of 4. I am just so disappointed with the menu.
Anyway, I just wanted to vent.
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Post by Jessie on Apr 4, 2008 9:14:28 GMT -5
Seems like that issue has been in the media recently. Actually, it's been shown on some of the Food Network programs too. It's amazing the crap that is served to kids everyday. No wonder this generation of kids is obese! (not to mention the outside influences of fast food)
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Post by Myria on Apr 4, 2008 9:30:05 GMT -5
I know exactly what you mean, Ashley will eat french fries and chicken nuggets every day if I let her. I have been packing her a bento lunch every day (well, trying to anyway..) That way I know exactly what she is eating, and I try to put lots of fruit and veggies in her lunch.
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Post by Googsmom aka Jennifer on Apr 4, 2008 10:03:11 GMT -5
Mary has a lunch time thing at her school now that they have to pick two things off the salad bar as well as their regular lunch and they MUST eat it! At first I was like oh yea, that's BS, but the more i thought of it, I said good. They fill the salad bar up w/ some yummy stuff too Again, Mary goes to a realllly small school, max 300 kids and I think thats pushing it, so there is a few teachers who can "monitor" what the kids are eating. Is there some way you could have some foods "blocked from purchase". Does that make sence? Not allow it to be even bought? Maybe send some fruit/vegi snacks w/ her to have w/ lunch too. Just toss em' in a snack bag and into the backpack they go. It seems like there is a law/regulation that schools have to have one thing from each food group in the childs lunch. Hmmm... still thinking
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Post by jelanismom on Apr 4, 2008 12:52:29 GMT -5
Renee' I can relate to your venting...maybe you could come over to my house and we can vent together!!!!!! I wish I had some advice, but I'm too frustrated with what's going on in my son's school to even think clearly. But I do have an idea, and I'm only guessing.... Is it maybe an option at the school cafeteria that there is a hidden menu option that nobody knows about? Call the school nurse and find out....maybe there's other options? (besides you making lunch) ...I hope so!
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Post by elizabethsmom on Apr 4, 2008 14:19:15 GMT -5
I really do understand! Our high school has the same junk daily! When asked about it, they said "there are healthy options and the salad bar the kids could choose to eat from instead." Right! Because we know my 3 teenagers are going to eat carrots and cucumbers instead of the junk the purchase! :-) I know, I know. They're old enough to make smart choices. But without me there to monitor, they would rather eat pizza! I'm not sure what the answer is at this point unless they just agree to quit serving junk altogether. And that won't happen. (However, on a bright note, our high school DID turn off all of the soda and junk food machines during the school hours so the kids can't purchase from vending!! Kudo's for that). I'm sorry, no answers here, but I can understand your concern. Sheryl
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Post by Ericsmomma on Apr 4, 2008 15:11:57 GMT -5
go to the next School Board Meeting and express your concerns...(just make sure you don't have to be on the agenda beforehand..if so, have them put you on it. But some board meetings have a public comment time, so you would be ok). I'm sure other parents have the same concerns...and the time it right for the schools to make some changes.
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Post by Becky on Apr 4, 2008 15:26:01 GMT -5
I just started working in the lunch room at one of the mid highs and we have two differnt lines every day, one line is salad bar and the other line is something differnt everyday but we do have to put the veggy we are having that day on there tray, it is up to them if they eat it, I also know we have some kids that there parents have on there accounts what they cant eat, a few kids can only have the specail line two times a week then the other days they have to go threw the salad bar line. I know when my oldest was a little younger I went to the main lunch lady and had a meeting on what he could and could not eat so his account was marked so everyone in the lunch room would know what he could and could not eat. Maybe a meeting with the main lunch person would help. Good luck Becky
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Post by Jackie on Apr 4, 2008 15:43:29 GMT -5
When Em was in school there was not that much choice at the elementary level and she usually took a sandwich. But when she got into HS and her weight started going up...I hit the ceiling...and called the cafeteria supervisor at the school. This was "pre account" era...and she took $ everyday...what I gave her and what she knew would buy her cupcakes...etc from the machines from her own personal stash. They did not keep track of who ate what...but even though this was a huge school...the supervisor knew Emily.
I was pretty sure she was having french fries and burgers every single day and I was right. However the cafeteria lady went over the calorie counts and nutrition counts of it all and said she only "fried" the taters once a week...the rest of the time they were baked so not as bad. Also the burger patties and bread were small portions. I finally put two and two together and after some checking around discovered Em frequented the Hostess Cupcakes and Twinkies machines. I was soooo happy when I heard a year or so ago that those are now not in most schools.
With childhood obesity rampant...why tempt adolescents who have raging appetites and cravings with things that will complicate that matter. If Mommy is not looking over their shoulders ...of course they will eat candy, cookies, chips and cokes....DS or not DS.
I bet you can write some cafeteria criteria in her IEP too.
Jackie
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Post by Jackie on Apr 4, 2008 15:44:40 GMT -5
Also when I see the school menus posted in our paper...I am always appalled when I see someting like Pizza AND french fries!!!!
Jackie
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Post by CC on Apr 4, 2008 21:36:11 GMT -5
I know our local schools are just starting to get rid of most the junk food. Chris goes to a private school, they send home a menu for the month, so we can see what food is available each day and if we chose he can buy lunch only on certain days and we know exactly what he is getting. Just a thought and Yes I hear you that your busy with the other kids but Lauren is 9 so how about working with her the night before making her own lunch for the next day. Just a thought We did that with Chris and he now and for some time can pack his own lunch, he even makes his own sandwich ;D K, you might not like the sandwich he makes LOLOL But hey he does it all by him self and a great job too I might add After just a few times helping Lauren I bet she would love doing it herself CC ~
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Post by Googsmom aka Jennifer on Apr 4, 2008 21:54:23 GMT -5
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Post by Jessie on Apr 5, 2008 4:41:11 GMT -5
Good point CC, we do the same thing with Jason and he LOVES to make his own lunch. We get the monthly menu too and can choose the days he is going to take his lunch instead.
Jessie
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Post by Cbean on Apr 5, 2008 8:39:14 GMT -5
Wow!!! You should move here Renee. NJ is really cracking down on "Foods of non-nutritional value"! I find it annoying b/c it impacts EVERYTHING you send in. For instance, you want to send in cupcakes for your child's b-day: you can send in the cupcake, with the frosting, but if it has sprinkles on it, the teacher will not pass them out. Wierd. We don't have cafeteria's at our elementary schools...food is delivered and the kids pick it up and bring it to their classrooms. No french fries and stuff like that. The meals always include a fruit and a salad, or veggie. Not so sure of the actual value of the entrees, but a lot of the kids like them. Sounds like your district should re-think what they're offering their kids.
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Post by advocate4myself on Apr 5, 2008 11:39:27 GMT -5
When I was in middle school we always ate there and we had some type of veggies with our meals but, this was a long time ago and my memory is kind of fuzzy. High School was different. The students either walked home to eat or ate some where. We lived in a small town. Debbie Down syndrome is just a part of who I am. It is not my whole identity as a person.
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