Monthly Archives: January 2010

Ad free for now

Thank you for all who voted in the poll. Eighty-one percent of you believe I should put ads on the blog. I’m going to wait and see. Reasons are:

1) Ads don’t jive with the purpose of the blog

I’ve started this “guerilla” undercover lunch project… and then you guys, my readers, get some weird off-beat Goo*gle ads, which most likely will have nothing to do with what I’m doing here.

2) Donations and transparency

I love the idea of making a donation to a farm-to-school initiative and I may just do that on my own time. But if I set up ads, how do I do that? with my real name? and SSN#? And then I’m assuming I get the ad check directly, which then I have to deposit and then turn around and donate. Basically, I can’t make it go from blog to organization unless I put a donate button. I haven’t done enough research into specific organizations and I don’t want it to look like I’m endorsing some over others. So now is not the right time.

3) Lack of time

I don’t have very much time what with working, family life, and running our home. If running ads even adds just 10 minutes per day of extra work, I honestly don’t have that time. I’m already going to bed way later than usual because of the project. I just can’t do any more than I’m already doing. I can barely find time to read all of your excellent comments!

***

I was thinking that if I decide to go with ads, I could donate the ad revenue to my school when/if I get found out. I think I’m going to get “busted” one day and I’m unsure of what ramifications there would be. But if I could off-set the bad press with a little ad revenue for my school, that could be a nice way to smooth things over.

Skipped lunch

Shot from Day 2: the paper containers and their ironic message

I did not eat school lunch today. I should inform all my amazing and devoted readers that there will be large bunches of days in February (and throughout the year actually) where I will not be eating school lunch due to absences (family commitments), holidays, teacher institute days, etc. In an effort to protect my anonymity I’m not going to elaborate…
 
So instead of a usual post, here are some other random shots I’ve taken since starting the project that I have not shared previously:
Up close shot of the Fruit Punch Juice I drank sipped on Day 5. I was a little shocked by the list of countries that “may” have provided “products” for the juice.
The “cherry icee” from Day 11. Above: a strange label I couldn’t entirely decipher. Probably for legal purposes.
The ingredients of the “cherry icee” …notice no cherry was involved in the production of the icee: it’s apple juice-based. When I read the ingredient list, I tossed it.

To monetize or not to monetize

It was suggested by a close friend that I add Google AdSense to the blog and then donate the proceeds to a Farm to School initiative or another group. I’m getting enough traffic here that I could raise a couple hundred dollars per month just based upon people landing on the site (clicking not required).

Although I like the idea of donating to a worthy cause, I don’t feel comfortable adding ads to the blog. To me having ads undermines the whole point of what I’m doing as an individual to raise awareness. On the other hand, giving money to something that does agree with the tenets of the blog is appealing. But then who would I choose and should I rotate on a monthly basis to various agencies….

I’d like to have a “show of hands” of my readership so I’m going to add a poll to the right-hand side of the blog. You are welcome to comment as well.

Day 17: pizza

Today’s menu: pizza, carrots, milk, ranch dressing, apple

I felt under the weather so I ate half of today’s lunch. I brought some very plain food from home to supplement because of my queasy stomach,

I realized that I can’t post pictures of the menu because it has identifying info on it… hmm

***

I’ve eaten more pizza in the past few weeks than I’ve ever eaten in my life and I’ve never disliked pizza more. Ironically, when kids see me in the hallway taking my lunch back from the cafeteria, they exclaim, “Pizza! Yes!”

Day 16: peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Today’s menu: peanut butter and jelly graham cracker sandwich, apple juice, fruit cup (peaches), milk

I could barely eat this meal so I didn’t. And then I was deliriously ravenous driving to get my little one.

And then it got worse.

I got sick when I got home. I can’t say what exactly did it. Whether it was the lunch (I ate only half of one sandwich) or the not eating enough (also family history of vertigo) or taking a vitamin towards the end of the day without much in my stomach or just plain getting sick….
I feel better now. I probably didn’t eat enough. You know, I think I’m going to pack a lunch for tomorrow. In general I don’t look at the lunch menu for a extra “surprise,” but I can’t do it after this night in the bathroom. I can’t make my husband do all the work two nights in a row. Until I feel better I’m doing the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) and I’m sure none of those foods are on the menu.

I noticed a LOT of kids with packed lunches today. Maybe they knew something I didn’t.

***

Earlier in the day I asked the kids what they thought of the lunch. Some ate it and said they thought it was “good.” A couple kids did not eat it. Tons of packed lunches though. Maybe 20%? Trust me, that’s a lot.

I asked a couple kids if they ate the peaches and they looked at me strangely and said, “no.” I don’t think they even opened the packages.

***

I took a photo of the nutritional facts. Each sandwich was 318 calories. Because the other food items haven’t listed the calories, I never knew. Looking at the calories made it hard for me to choke this one down.

Day 15: cheese sandwich

Today’s menu: cheese sandwich, tater tots, orange, pretzels, milk

This meal actually reminded me of a hot lunch meal I enjoyed in school. The cheese sandwich actually tasted almost identical to the one I ate in school. However, it was accompanied by tomato soup. To me it was (and still is) a really great duo.

I survived today’s meal just fine. I was offered the peanut butter and jelly sandwich or the cheese sandwich. I couldn’t stomach the pb&j this time, but next time I’m offered it, I’ll force myself to eat it.

NOTE: major photo quality improvement! I figured out how to do it right.

Celery Love

I chopped up some celery to make myself a throwback snack “Bumps on a log” (celery with peanut butter in the groove and raisins “ants” lined up on top). I chopped off the end of the celery and here was a green rose.