FeedManiac Monday: School Lunch Blog–Check This Out!
April 5, 2010 in Elementary Educators, High School Teachers, Making Personal Connections, Maniac Mondays, Middle School Teachers, Preschool to 1st grade teachers Tags: kids and nutrition, maniac monday, Mrs. Q, school lunch blog, school lunches
photo by Jeff Sandquist www.flickr.com
I saw this story about Mrs. Q and her blog: Fed Up with Lunch: The School Lunch Project on Good Morning, America a couple weeks ago, and I knew I wanted to talk about this on my blog–since we are talking about education and stuff like that here. You know–important stuff! 
So, if you haven’t heard of Mrs. Q and her project yet, then here’s a brief synopsis. Mrs. Q is a teacher in the Midwest. She is eating school lunches this school year and blogging about them. She didn’t start this project because she had some big inspiration. She started because she forgot her own lunch a couple times, and she had to eat what the kids ate. Many of these students are on the free and reduced lunch program, and this school lunch may be their only hot and complete meal of the day.
On her blog, Fed Up With Lunch, Mrs. Q has posts such as: “March recap” (posted on April 4) where she tells readers what she had for lunch in March such as 4 pizza lunches and 7 fruit cups as well as what she is learning during this project: “I am getting sick of eating school lunches. Imagine how the kids feel.” or “I am still nervous about losing my full-time work as an educator. I’m trying to think positive about other opportunities that might open up if I were forced out (I no longer believe I would be fired, but I bet it would be “suggested” that I leave). “
The lunch posts are always interesting because they have pictures of the food she ate that day. Check out these two: salisbury steak and tex-mex, and let me know if you think you would want to eat that! Not looking so appetizing!
If you are concerned with your child’s nutrition when they are at school or if you are wondering what types of meals your kids eat or if they eat at all, I would check out Mrs. Q’s blog. Her posts are full of all types of information–she has guest bloggers and experts weighing in with their opinions. She answers questions and responds to comments. What I really like and admire is she is in the trenches, and she is eating this stuff herself. She’s not just writing about it. I used to eat school lunch sometimes when I taught full time, and I agree with just about everything Mrs. Q says. I have eaten lunch at my stepson’s school–his lunch ladies are the nicest, and they are doing the best with what they are given–but it’s just not good food (IMHO). It’s just not.
So, check out Mrs. Q’s blog and/or leave some thoughts here about kids, nutrition, and school lunches.
(I love this book series!)
April 5th, 2010 at 8:20 am
Margo, thank you for posting this! School lunches tend to be a sensitive subject in general. As mentioned, many students are fed one or two meals a day at school, and those are the best meals they see each day. Unfortunately, school lunch programs are not up to par with today’s health concerns and dietary needs. They are often making do with what they have, as you mentioned, or poorly operated. Mrs. Q’s blog is certainly and eye opener for anyone who hasn’t taken the time to analyze school lunches. For me, a fourth grade teacher, I see many truths and areas of improvement for our children.
April 5th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
Thanks, Holly, for chiming in, especially since you are also in the trenches every day!
April 17th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
I too have been following Mrs. Q. I teach 3 yr olds two days a week. I eat lunch with ‘my’ kids on those days. At the meet and greet before school starts in Sept. We go over what should be in those lunches the mom’s so lovingly pack. (1 milk product, 1 protein, one fruit and 1 Veg or 2 vegetables and bread.) I always tell them that a milk product can be cheese or yogurt instead of milk and that instead of bread they can send crackers, rice or noodles. I also give them a list from Dr. Sears site about what foods are good for growing brains and bodies. What actually gets sent in floors me.
We spend our lunch time learning, talking about what we are eating and what tastes good. “I have carrots, who else has carrots. I’m drinking water…I have water too! Eat your growing food first. What is growing food?” and so it goes.
I do have access to a microwave in case something needs to be warmed up. One mom insists on a “hot” lunch, but only sends in processed food(canned ravioli and boxed mac and cheese).
I also see a lot of cereal bars, cheese or peanut butter crackers in the little packages, processed lunch meat, and little tubs of applesauce, most with added sugar.
I pack what they don’t eat back in their baggies and containers so mom’s know what their kids are actually eating.
Another thing that bothers me is individual packages that are difficult to open. I open my kids food and set it out. They are 3, but next year they will be expected to try to open their own. So at this time of the year I start encouraging them to start trying to open the packages. It is very difficult for them.
They are encouraged to eat their “growing food” before I open any sweets that are in their bag. Unfortunately the sweets are easily opened.
I feel that all the mixed information that parents get from commercials and news and magazines that they have no idea what is good for their kids to eat. So many adults don’t know how to really cook anymore. They just warm food up from the frozen package.
Everyone needs information they can trust and sometimes that is hard to come by.
April 18th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
Hi Viki:
You sound like an awesome preschool teacher–I want to commend you for caring so much about the students’ growing bodies as you do their minds. I wonder if some of the parents’ bad habits rub off on the kids, even though they would go above and beyond for their kids. I also think sometimes it is just ease. But I am thinking about how I am going to try so hard to give my stepson healthier food for lunch this summer (He’s 9.) and how I could use Mrs. Q’s blog for some help with this. There’s so much to think about as a parent, especially with all the information we are given these days. Thanks again for your thoughtful comment.
Margo