<p>Our elementary schools here seemed to do a decent job of providing lunches that were reasonably healthy and little kids actually would eat; for example, a turkey hotdog on a whole wheat bun with carrot sticks and milk. There might have been something else, like apples or applesauce, I don’t recall. The hot lunches in my elementary school featured such delights as Salisbury steak and canned sliced carrots and canned potatoes. Yuck. My mother always packed my lunch. I packed lunch for S until I got sick and tired of most of it coming back in his lunch box. He didn’t like sandwiches. It was a constant battle to find something he would eat. At least when we bought the school lunch, I didn’t have to see if he ate it or not. :)</p>
<p>I think about the “Little House on the Prairie” books, and historical novels where food plays a role. Not very long ago kids walked to school with a lunch pail and very basic foods. Even a piece of fresh fruit was a treat.</p>
<p>A brownie is a nice thing, but I find it interesting that anyone thinks American kids need a prepared sweet with their lunches. They need more recess, more music, more art, more P.E. </p>
<p>And “hot lunch” should provide simple, nutritious food that they’ll actually eat. Milk, a peanut butter sandwich, some carrots and a banana is a perfectly healthy lunch for most kids.</p>
<p>My best friend used to always bring her lunch, while I always got the school lunch. We often used to trade, especially on days when her mom packed her a peanut butter/sliced banana sandwich or egg salad sandwich. Yum.</p>
<p>I loved those books, eastcoastcrazy. I think I’ve read each one at least 10 times. </p>
<p>
Did anyone actually say need? I didn’t see that.</p>
<p>I think “not ban” is more appropriate.</p>
<p>
Many schools absolutely don’t allow peanut butter. Personally, I don’t think peanut butter is a great choice for younger kids, even absent allergies, because of the chokeability. Just like hot dogs. I don’t think whole hot dogs should be served in elementary schools, either, for that reason. </p>
<p>I think feeding kids in a large school is a very tough thing and I wouldn’t have ever wanted to be in charge of that!</p>
<p>In my daughter’s public school, the cafeteria was so overcrowded that the garbage just overflowed everywhere, there were never enough seats, and the vermin problem was horrible. All kids jockeyed to eat lunch in a classroom somewhere. I could understand why. Most kids packed lunch. My son’s middle school served the same geographic area, but it was smaller and not crowded, so the cafeterial staff made good lunches (and breakfasts and dinners) in a spotless kitchen and cafeteria. I think they did a stellar job. </p>
<p>What do you all think should be done for older kids, particularly athletes for whom the regular lunch is not enough?</p>
<p>I wouldnt enroll my kids in a school that didnt have PE & recess.
Free time is very important.
I attended an elementary school without a cafeteria or a gym, but it had a large partially wooded field and a covered area.
We had at least 45 minutes for lunch/recess, and a short recess in morning.
We ate lunch in our classroom at our desks.</p>
<p>Both my kids were very active & on sports teams. They didnt eat at school, but brought or bought their lunch elsewhere.</p>
<p>I dont remember many sweets in the elementary lunch offerings, maybe a cookie, but usually a piece of fruit, although my junior high sold french fries & milkshakes through a hallway window 20 minutes into the lunch period for those that needed more calories. Both the french fries and milkshakes were so good. Made on site & fresh ingredients.</p>
<p>
In some places, like here, you don’t get a choice unless you want to go private or home school, which aren’t options for everyone. I completely agree that PE and recess would be great things. I think all schools here have PE but it’s not every day, so that at least is something.</p>
<p>When I was growing up, my schools all had mini muffins and cookies available for purchase. They were small muffins and small cookies, all made on site, and I bet they didn’t have many calories at all. They were so familiar that when they stopped being a novelty, probably less people bought them. I just don’t like banning, I really don’t, and poor schools can use the money, 50 cents or a dollar at a time but can’t sell things like bulbs or greeting cards. Also, fresh baked goods aren’t part of the lives of all kids. I think there is a vast difference between a fresh cookie, muffin or brownie and a bag of chips or a soda. </p>
<p>Parents have to demand what they want for their kids by getting involved at the district & state level.
Tell your local PTA & meet with state reps to get it on the agenda.
I thought that the federal govt mandated PE in order to receive funds, but perhaps it is now more on the states to insure those offerings in schools.
Apparently the way the law is written, it is " suggested".
<a href=“Few State Physical Education Mandates Meet Recommended Guidelines”>http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/schooled_in_sports/2012/07/few_state_physical_education_mandates_meet_recommended_guidelines.html</a></p>
<p>Emeraldkitty, no offense, but parents in these schools are fighting for things like classrooms and seats for their chairs. Ceilings that don’t fall down and things like textbooks. They dont have the basics, never mind luxuries, and many have no meaningful PTA and parents who are in able to get involved for one reason or another. But I do think that the professionals should prioritize exercise. I guess there isn’t enough time after providing breakfast, lunch, sometimes dinner, hearing and vision tests, and whatever might be necessary.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s unusual to move to an area for a certain school district and than have the policies change. Snack policy was changing while my three kids were going through. I certainly wasn’t going to move or put them in private school because I wanted them to eat more snack food. 
</p>
<p>I understand that people have different priorities.
My oldest daughters school didn’t have music, didn’t have a cafeteria, didn’t have textbooks, and didn’t even have desks. This was a private school.
Come to think of it, my youngest didnt have those things either until she went to public school.</p>
<p>We had dinner with Ds Bf parents last weekend and they were commenting that while they live in an area that is perceived as “well heeled”, and many move there for that environment( per capita income is $75,000 in 2012, estimated median home value $800,000), the school yards have so many portables that there isn’t room for play, and they failed their last bond issue for new construction.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Blast from the past…my mom often packed Little Debbie treats in my lunch. Remember Star Crunch? If it wasn’t Little Debbie it was Devil Dogs or Ring Dings or Yodels. </p>
<p>I pack my daughter’s lunch and often include a small treat if it isn’t overly processed. Right now we have some mini sunflower seed cookies that are pretty good. Or I’ll throw in some trail mix that has dried fruit in it.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Who is lending these people so much money? Unless the housing has really appreciated in value… </p>
<p>mmmmm. Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls. Thanks for the blast from the past, sally!</p>
<p>Who is lending these people so much money? Unless the housing has really appreciated in value…</p>
<p>I expect that in many households, there is more than one wage earner. People like Paul Allen may also skew the housing costs a bit.
Although they are still tearing down estates to build housing developments.
<a href=“http://www.covalhouse.com”>http://www.covalhouse.com</a></p>
<p>Too bad we couldnt turn the coval house into a luxury resort.
Maybe with a little more global warming.</p>
<p>Emerald, I figured that. I guess one of the people would have to make a lot more than $75K…</p>
<p>I kind of wish I hadn’t seen that house. I am as green as the lake in your profile picture. </p>
<p>That’s Diablo lake off of highway 20.
One of the places Seattle gets it’s electricity.</p>
<p>Correction posted to the original article:</p>
<p>Correction: The previous version of this article erroneously cited reporting done by The Vermont Watchdog. It has been brought to our attention by the Vermont Agency of Education that the original article on that site was irresponsibly reported. Vermont public schools have not banned brownies, but have asked that treats for sale meet certain nutritional restrictions.</p>
<p>In terms of fundraising, bake sales bring in very small amounts of money. </p>
<p>Our Music Boosters raised $50,000 in one year by volunteering to man concession stands at a local professional sports venue. The volunteer organization gets a small percentage of the profits for the stand. It required the volunteers ti attend one evening of training, and the ability to get enough volunteers to work the dates we signed up to work. </p>
<p>Not every school has a pro team nearby, but there are ways to bring in money without bakesales.</p>
<p>^^
Some Big Div 1 schools also do this. The Crimson Tide lets local schools “man” their concession stands and the schools get a % of the profits. It must be lucrative because I see the same schools come back year after year.</p>