Lunch at Schools - is anyone there?
Now that we've tried to figure out what's for lunch again and again, what do we do when the kids don't actually eat it? Heather emails:
I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this. My kids are first and third graders at a Beaverton elementary school. Every day I send them with homemade lunches, usually containing things they have picked out or made themselves, yet the lunches come back every afternoon half eaten, or sometimes barely touched at all. My third grader is a bit better about finishing, but my first grader does not even come close to finishing his lunch on a daily basis. I'm not sending a lot of food, either: half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a piece of fruit, maybe a small container of nuts, and a small drink. I used to send more, but I couldn't stand all the waste. The thing that gets me is that he tells me every day that he does not have enough time to eat it. Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but I have to think, aren't there teachers in the cafeteria to make sure the kids are eating? Does anyone at school care that my son is there for 7.5 hours and is only eating a couple of bites of sandwich and a snack in the classroom?
I was actually a teacher in BSD. There is no way that the 1-2 aides who are most likely monitoring the cafeteria during your child's lunch time can keep tabs on all of the 75+ children's food consumption. I think you're really going to have to work on this with them at home, and explain your expectations of their eating.
I know that lots of times kids do not eat because they want to be the first kid out the door to go play on the playground for recess. This is extremely frustrating.
Maybe you could drop by the cafeteria unannounced and see the dynamics firsthand. Try to get there as your child is finishing up, and check in and see what's left in the box. Maybe a few lunch dates could help solve the problem.
Posted by: kathy | October 29, 2007 at 08:02 AM
We had a similar experience when my son was in kindergarten last year. Because it was a half day program with lunch at school every other Friday, he had fewer opportunities to eat at school. He rarely finished much of his lunch and was always ravenous as soon as I picked him up. For my son, he is very easily distracted and loves to "people-watch". This includes watching his school friends while they are all supposed to be doing classwork.
I think that as long as you are able to give your kids a good breakfast and have snacks ready when they get home, you should try not to worry. I certainly understand this is much more easily said than done... Another thing that just occurred to me: What if you put little notes in your kid's lunch boxes reminding them to eat? I make little picutre notes for my son sometimes to remind him of his jobs (Get dressed, eat breakfast, etc). He loves it and seems to be drawn to the "to-do" list approach. You could develop a sticker and reward program and label the items you really want them to eat. If they do it, they get a special snack when they get home. It wouldn't have to be cookies or anything, just something you don't normally buy. For me it could be individual serving yogurts or frozen blueberries.
Good luck!
Posted by: Cindy | October 29, 2007 at 08:18 AM
I'm also a former teacher and just wanted to add that if your kids really aren't getting enough time to eat, the school would likely cooperate with you on a plan if you asked them for help. I would have preferred that a student finish up in class after lunch than not eat. It's hard to teach and learn without a good lunch!
Posted by: Kristin | October 29, 2007 at 08:52 AM
This is a very common problem and I think one of the biggest complaints at my daughter's all day kindergarten. I was in the cafeteria one day for lunch and it went like this. Five minutes of debating who would sit where, then five minutes comparing lunches, followed by about five minutes of eating. The kids then are encouraged to clean up so they can go to the playground.
I know at home, my daughter spends at least fifteen minutes eating her soup, then thirty minutes later has an apple, then after another thirty minutes or so has a yogurt. There is no way to replicate that at school so she does not eat all of her lunch.
So far, I make sure she has a good and big breakfast. I pack things she will eat and eat quickly. She really likes soup in her thermos and she can drink it. Most days they get a snack in the afternoon which helps. When I pick her up she typically eats the last of her lunch on the playground or on the way home. If we are headed directly to an activity, I have something like a smoothie to really fill her up.
This is really an issue of not enough time and too many kids for the schools. It is really amazing how they move the kids through the lunchroom. I know that I feel the way she eats at home will lead to much healthier habits in the future. I do worry about the stuff it in as fast as you can way promoted by the schools. Personally I have yet to find a great solution.
Posted by: Sarah C | October 29, 2007 at 10:57 AM
At my daughter's school, they have recess before lunch (at least for K-2, not sure of other grades), so there isn't an advantage to leaving the table early. I think they are also given 25-30 minutes for lunch, and there are parent volunteers to help monitor and open those pesky containers too. Maybe a schedule switch isn't possible right now, but it may be a good long term solution.
My big problem is all those crusts left in the lunchbox!!
Posted by: Liz | October 29, 2007 at 11:44 AM
I know my kids have a half hour to eat - and the kids have to stay in the cafeteria the full half-hour, no running out to play after a few bites.
So the "we don't have time" excuse doesn't fly with me. My second-grader knows that there will be no snack after school unless whatever's left in the lunch box gets eaten first, and he generally does just that as soon as he gets home.
Posted by: zinemama | October 29, 2007 at 12:11 PM
Unless there are behavior problems in the afternoon or your child's teacher notices that he/she is having trouble concentrating, please don't worry about uneaten lunches. If social time and running around on the playground (good exercise!) are more attractive to your child than eating--good! Too much revolves around food. Most kids will eat when they're hungry. Maybe it's only a few bites at lunch. And probably that means they'll need a good snack after school (that's when my son eats most of his "lunch"). But what's wrong with that set up?
And the teachers aren't supervising in the lunchroom. They're eating their own lunches and enjoying a few minutes of adult conversation or prepping for their afternoon lessons. Besides, you don't really want a teacher telling your child that they _have_ to eat, do you? I'd be very uncomfortable with that since I've never been one to insist that my children clean their plates.
And if you are having problems with behavior and concentration in the afternoon, sit down with your kid and talk about it. I'm not saying that a five-year-old is going to make that cause-effect connection on their own, but with you prodding them (over and over again) they'll start to be more self-aware of what _they_ need to do to take responsibility for their own bodies--eat when hungry.
Just my two cents. I guess I'm sounding more strident than I mean to because I feel like I have this one figured out and it's pretty straightforward. Meanwhile I'm struggling with potty-training my three year old and I know there are plenty of people who have that one figured out!
Posted by: Janice | October 29, 2007 at 12:52 PM
Things changed for us when the school decided that the children would not being going outside for recess after lunch. Then they were given a longer time for lunch. Third grader now has no problem completing his lunch. Also it is because he is older and needs to eat alot!
Posted by: kay | October 29, 2007 at 12:53 PM
Things changed for us when the school decided that the children would not being going outside for recess after lunch. Then they were given a longer time for lunch. Third grader now has no problem completing his lunch. Also it is because he is older and needs to eat alot!
Posted by: kay | October 29, 2007 at 12:54 PM