Today’s menu: cheeseburger, corn, peach fruit cup, popcorn chips, milk
I’m feeling so yellow after this meal. Can you get over how everything is the same color? And then there’s two corn-based sides…
I love popcorn. It started because of my Grandma, who was a popcorn fanatic and ate it whenever she watched a movie. I’m not referring to movie theater popcorn, but popped on the stove, drizzled with real melted butter, and consumed while enjoying an old movie in her den. Good food is all about memories and family, no?
I’m trying to figure out why the popcorn had to be made into crisps?! Popcorn is good without being further processed! The last picture is a look inside the package at this strange food. It didn’t taste like popcorn to me.
With so many comments in here, I know you probably won't see mine. I just want to say that I really admire what you're doing here. I don't know how other people see this, but I like to think of it as patriotism. America was founded on the principle of standing up for something you believe in. Bravo, Mrs. Q., bravo.
Don't lose faith,
Derek Hogan
Hello, I just came across your blog via Yahoo. I am full time student young mom and chose school meal for my kid. Although his school seems keen on nutrition compared to others, now i wonder what my kid eat everyday. I ignored the issue for long time since i provide him quality meal twice a day & weekend. And thought it's enough. I am not rich, but i don't give my kid nothing unorganic yet let him eat school lunch. It feels so wrong now. I am seriously thinking to start making lunch, no matter how busy i am. Thank you for what you're doing.
So happy to have come across your blog!
I'm right in this now with our local district. My son (10) and I are always discussing what is served at his school lunches… one word "disgrace." I do all in my power to make him a decent lunch everyday, and feel sad that the other children have no other choice but to eat the processed garbage the school serves. I'm excited to find people who feel the same way… "I'm not alone!!" Will definitely follow your blog and best of luck in your mission! May we who CARE about the HEALTH of our future generation UNITE and make a CHANGE!
[…Even if it is step by step, day by day, school by school… it's worth every second of effort for our PRECIOUS CHILDREN…]
I'm a junior in high school, and so many of the pictures on here look exactly like the school lunches I had back in elementary charter school. I remember one day I had pizza for lunch. I came home with terrible cramps and queasiness, so I took a nap. Some time later, I used the bathroom, and what followed was a couple of diarrhea and vomiting sessions. At least in high school the food is so much better…
I, like so many others, found your site through Yahoo, and I truly appreciate what you're doing. It's a shame that so many kids have to eat such disgusting lunches. Keep up the great work!!!
Hey Ms. Q
Unlike most of your followers, I'm not American and so the concept of school lunches as you portray them is completely alien to me. I have to admit, when I saw some of your pictures I thought most lunches looked pretty balanced. They had milk, fruit, veggies, wholewheat(!) bread in addition to the main. That is a huge improvement to what children eat in many other parts of the world. My school experience had a dry burger in a white-bread bun and soggy lettuce and about a mg of mayo, with no sides (usually everyone got a coke from the vending machine!) Most days I got a pretty decent lunch from home, but anything like milk or fruit was out of the question. I hadn't even discovered wholewheat till I reached adulthood. I think American kids really are well taken care of.
Having said that, I love good food, so I'm not saying that the pictures look immensely appetising, and I do feel that there's always room to improve. Just hope I gave you some perspective – you guys don't really have it all that bad 🙂
I just went back through a few pages of "lunch" and I have to say I'm glad I'm not in school anymore. The lunches look better than what we were offered while I was in school and there are more vegetables, but what's with all the icees and packaged junk…? And less than 30 minutes to eat? Who's coming up with these things? That's an awful thing to get students in the habit of, wolfing down food or not even getting to finish because there wasn't enough time. More power to you for getting that stuff down…
Nauseating.
That is one sad cheeseburger. No ketchup/mustard, or even some greens??? Now I can see why I was tired in class without all of my daily food groups =(
Wow, 258 comments! Congrats Ms Q! 😀
I'd like to congratulate you on what you are doing, and hope that your stomach feels better soon.
I am a third year college student, but I still remember the school meals I had throughout my youth in the Southern California and Phoenix, Arizona areas. After reading your blog, I'd like to point out that even though we're in different areas, it seems as though there is a marked improvement from the food I ate at school. Most days, I couldn't eat what they served, either due to its complete disagreement with my system, or to my numberous odd food allergies(I know, they're the same thing, basically). I have a severe pineaple allergy, and have never been able to stomach fruit juices because most use pineapple juice as a sweetener or a base.
My college, Northern Arizona University has a food system in the main cafeteria which I wish that all school levels would adopt, in a lesser form. Our cafeteria has many choices, but most elementary or high schools would have on main area which cooks a few choices for entre's. Then we have large batches of soups, as well as salad bar and Subway type sandwhich areas. I know that most schools cannot afford this, but upgrading our schools to something which can illustrate healthier eating habits would be nice. I constantly see advice posted about food choices, and it surprises me. Are we college students so ignorant about how to eat?
I don't eat school lunches but I've seen my friends eat them, the cheeseburgers at my school arent that bad (my friends don't always eat them….SCORE!) but the rest of the food looks like a disasterpiece, props to you teach!
Once I got a cheese burger at my school and it was still frozen so were the other ones. I think what your doing is amazing because i know school lunches in my town are over priced, badly prepared, gross, and most importantly un-healthy!