Your cart is currently empty!
Why I’m Choosing to Let My Child Try the School Lunch
With my son about to start kindergarten, I find myself pondering how to approach the cafeteria food. Back in my own public school days in the ’80s, my mom made it clear that buying lunch was off-limits. Between my numerous allergies and her belief that school meals were both unhealthy and unappetizing, I never got to experience the joys of cafeteria cuisine.
Fast forward to today, and a glance at our district’s lunch menu reveals not much has changed. Fried burgers, fried chicken, and fried cheese dominate the weekly options. Sweet chocolate milk is served every day, almost like dessert. But honestly? It’s not just the unhealthy ingredients that concern me. It’s the whole institutional vibe of it all. I understand that creating nutritious meals on a budget for a large number of kids is a tough task, and I appreciate what schools try to do. But if my son has the option between the cafeteria food—which I suspect is only marginally more appetizing than what you’d find in a hospital—shouldn’t I push for him to take a packed lunch every time?
The answer I’ve come to is no, and here’s my reasoning: Growing up, my restrictions made school lunches all the more tempting. The aroma of grilled cheese and tomato soup wafting through the halls was torturous. There was a dish called American Chop Suey—a blend of elbow macaroni, ground beef, and tomato sauce—that still lingers in my memory. My food limitations led me to extreme measures once, when I stumbled upon some forbidden Twinkies and ended up eating 17, landing me in the hospital. I might just be the only person who daydreams about school lunches from three decades ago.
Sure, I find the current school lunches less than appetizing, but that’s just my opinion. My son recently devoured a questionable hamburger and mushy fries from a diner and declared it the best meal ever. I want to cultivate his taste buds so he understands what “good” food is, but I realize his palate is on its own journey. Restricting him from certain foods will only make them more appealing.
I’ve been following Ellyn Satter’s philosophy on feeding kids, which emphasizes a “division of responsibility”—I decide what to serve, and he gets to decide if and how much to eat. I could easily say that I’ll just pack his lunch, but completely denying him the option of school lunch could result in a similar reaction as mine—turning it into a forbidden delight. Satter suggests allowing kids to indulge occasionally, like sitting down with a plate of Oreos and letting them eat to their heart’s content. This self-regulation is crucial for learning how to make good choices.
So, my plan is to check the lunch menu together and pick a day or two a week when he can buy his lunch instead of packing it. School lunches are a gateway to larger dilemmas in life. The world is filled with temptations that may not always be healthy or appetizing, and I like Satter’s approach because it doesn’t require completely rejecting the culture around us. It’s about teaching kids to navigate choices they will face in adulthood, like vending machines and fast food. Ideally, we want them to enjoy home-cooked meals with plenty of fresh veggies, while also being comfortable indulging every now and then, like enjoying a stale-but-still-yummy Danish at a work event.
Who knows, he might end up loving the school lunches—after all, they’re offering more nutritious options these days, like kale salad or ginger-sesame coleslaw. But alas, there’s still no sign of American Chop Suey on the menu.
For more insights into parenting and navigating choices, check out our other blog posts at intracervicalinsemination.com. If you’re curious about home insemination and want to learn more, Make a Mom is an authority on the topic. Additionally, for pregnancy resources, March of Dimes is an excellent source.
In summary, I’ve decided to let my son experience school lunches a few times a week. It’s about balance and allowing him to make choices while also teaching him the importance of healthy eating.