Never have liked green beans, so I have no idea what they were like when I was in elementary school. In fact the only four things I remember ever wanting to eat in the cafeteria were tacos, hamburgers (even if they did appear to have been made with oatmeal), 'chopped steak' on mashed potatos (translates to hamburger and gravy on mashed potatos), and turkey and gravy on mashed potatos. I guess anything on mashed potatos was good back then...or at least it was to me.
When Stefanie, my daughter was in elementary school, she never wanted to eat in the cafeteria, so it was rare that she did...guess she had reasons. But too, when I made her lunch I used to put little notes in it, or cut her sandwiches into funny shapes, or surprise her with some special treat, or little 'cracker jack' toy, just to make lunch time fun for her. She loved taking her lunch, and I always got a kick out of hearing her talk about it that night. About the only time she did eat in the cafeteria was if she forgot her lunch for some reason.
Hot school lunch
/burps and reaches for some maalox
For christ sakes, kid school lunches these days are friggin heavy! Periodically I go and have lunch with Catherine at school. It's cute, she digs the attention and the kids are hilarious calling me 'Catherine's mom' and I get random hugs from 6 year olds. Hell, *I* enjoy the attention, I won't lie. But recently I actually sat down and bought myself some school lunch so I could eat with her and not ninja her chicken nuggets.
Is it me or are they reusing the same can of green beans they fed me 25ish years ago? I cracked open my 'teriyaki bits' which turned out to be reheated sirloin steak chunks from some tv dinner and a cup of green beans that looked like they've been boiling for 20 years now. I couldn't blame Catherine and the other kids from reeling back and deciding to eat their leather fruit - you read that right, 'leather fruit'. I'll get to that in a minute.
I took a bite of the green beans and DAMNED if they didn't taste EXACTLY the same. I'm talking the late 70's here, people. The same god durn green beans. Now, leather fruit - processed fruit flattened and packaged, apparently a substitute to an actual retarded in growth washington apple.
Cafetaria woman says, 'Did you want an Apple or a leather fruit?'
'I beg your pardon?'
She picks up the imitation fruit and shows me. 'Leather fruit?'
'Uh...what the hell, I'll try anything once.'
I've had these things before, like 10 - 15 years ago, but they weren't nearly as sticky or as hard. They could actually bend, in fact. /shudder
Then I open my chocolate milk. Again, must be from the same batch of choco milks I had in the elementary school in San Diego. The shit was SO thick and I swear I'm dying of heart burn right now. I will seriously pack Catherine's lunch for the rest of the year. I used to feel bad about packing her a turkey or jelly sandwich, dang.
:bitching
Den
19 years ago
blazyn
19 years ago
my highschool cafeteria included a jasons deli, homestlye cooking, chic fil-a, burger king, and subway. More expensive than public school lunches, but most definately worth it
FyreGarnett
19 years ago
i was thrilled whan i got to my senior year at a new high school and they had a salad bar...
i preffered to pack my kid's lunches - that way I knew not only what they were eating, but had some clue how much they were eating (and no it's not a weight thing - it was more along the lines of making sure they got enough - and it they weren't eating everything, i was checking temps!)
i preffered to pack my kid's lunches - that way I knew not only what they were eating, but had some clue how much they were eating (and no it's not a weight thing - it was more along the lines of making sure they got enough - and it they weren't eating everything, i was checking temps!)
Calimaryn
19 years ago
In elementary school the lunches used to make Angel sick. Every single time she got a salad from their 'salad bar' she would come home and hurl. With my food reactions I feel its best to simply pack lunches. (Of course she doesnt live here with us now but if she did, I or she would pack food daily.)
Durring summer camp I had so much fun with lunches. Dried fruit is fun, finger sized veggies and dip is great, healthy snack bars by Luna Bars or Lara Bars. Its really easy to pack a fun yummy and healthy lunch for kids. Well, if they are not too picky. But then again, if they are picky eaters they wouldnt eat the crap school lunches have either.
Durring summer camp I had so much fun with lunches. Dried fruit is fun, finger sized veggies and dip is great, healthy snack bars by Luna Bars or Lara Bars. Its really easy to pack a fun yummy and healthy lunch for kids. Well, if they are not too picky. But then again, if they are picky eaters they wouldnt eat the crap school lunches have either.
Mileron
19 years ago
On the other hand, if you're a picky eater and the only options for a home lunch include pig's feet or tripe soup or other completely unappetizing entrees, suddenly the school lunches seem like a royal buffet.
The only meal in school I had problems with was the fish sticks. They were always just a little funky.
But Roz is right. The food hasn't changed in years. It's the same with any government run and or subsidized food service venue. When I worked at a Boy Scout camp as a dishwasher - *cough*pc*cough* Food service clean up, excuse me - the beans and chocolate milk and peanut butter were exactly the same as I'd remembered from school.
We even found, in the attic of the main administration building, a case of peanut butter from the 60s. Someone cracked one of the six-pound cans of governmental goop open and it was still perfectly edible.
The only meal in school I had problems with was the fish sticks. They were always just a little funky.
But Roz is right. The food hasn't changed in years. It's the same with any government run and or subsidized food service venue. When I worked at a Boy Scout camp as a dishwasher - *cough*pc*cough* Food service clean up, excuse me - the beans and chocolate milk and peanut butter were exactly the same as I'd remembered from school.
We even found, in the attic of the main administration building, a case of peanut butter from the 60s. Someone cracked one of the six-pound cans of governmental goop open and it was still perfectly edible.
Rikr
19 years ago
I've never heard of leathered fruit, nor do I believe I've ever seen it before. Next time take pictures.
Sarah
19 years ago
Sorry for bumping an old topic, but...
This may be particular to our school district, but the lunches here are healthy, well balanced and taste great. They give the children four main course choices(including a meatless choice usually a salad or fruit and cottage cheese), two or three vegetable choices and to or three fruit choices, along with the option to have 100% juice or milk. They offer healthy "snack" options like pretzels carrot sticks with ranch and fruit snacks, as well as ice cream on Mon, wed and fri.
My eldest is a bit of a food snob, she not picky, but she won't eat something that looks are smells a little funky, so if the cafeteria food was like what you describe, Roz, she wouldn't eat it.
I just figured that all school districts were giveing the children more healthy appetizing food choices. It makes me sad that they are not.
This may be particular to our school district, but the lunches here are healthy, well balanced and taste great. They give the children four main course choices(including a meatless choice usually a salad or fruit and cottage cheese), two or three vegetable choices and to or three fruit choices, along with the option to have 100% juice or milk. They offer healthy "snack" options like pretzels carrot sticks with ranch and fruit snacks, as well as ice cream on Mon, wed and fri.
My eldest is a bit of a food snob, she not picky, but she won't eat something that looks are smells a little funky, so if the cafeteria food was like what you describe, Roz, she wouldn't eat it.
I just figured that all school districts were giveing the children more healthy appetizing food choices. It makes me sad that they are not.