The truth behind school lunches

I have 2 kiddos that will be starting school again next week and I've already been thinking a lot about what I should put in their lunchboxes on the first day.  It made me think about the fact that less than 2 years ago, I sent my daughter to school with no lunch box at all.  She ate the school lunch EVERY day.  There may be some fit mamas out there that also allowing your kiddo to eat school lunch, not knowing exactly what the school is serving them each day. 

My eyes were opened when I watched Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution a couple years ago. See his website here.   If you haven't seen the show, you should watch it on Hulu if you have it.  It is jaw-dropping. He goes into public schools and exposes the horrific food guidelines (such as tater tots being considered a vegetable).  All the foods came out of a box, no fresh foods, and most foods were fried.  I thought surely our great public school here serves much healthier stuff than what I saw on that show.  Lo and behold, I was wrong.  I went to visit my daughter at lunch one day and I almost cried when I saw her plate and all of her friends plates from the lovely school lunch.  Corn dog, tater tots, strawberry milk, and a cookie?!? Seriously???!  These were the choices.  Oh and then I looked at the monthly lunch menu.  I was horrified that each lunch ranged anywhere from 600-1000 calories!  That is an INSANE amount of calories for an adult, let alone an elementary school student!  Ok this was it, no more school lunches.  I made a commitment to myself that I wouldn't send my daughter to school without a packed lunch again.  Last school year was the first year she didn't eat 1 school lunch.  Every time I came to visit her at lunch I was validated in my decision after looking at her friends' plates. 

Facts about school lunch:

• Did you know that strawberry and  chocolate milk have as much sugar as a candy bar?  And strawberry milk also usually has artificial color, such as red 40 (which has been linked to ADD).
• French fries and tater tots meet the school guidelines as a serving of "vegetables"
• Everything comes from a can or box (full of sodium or sugary syrups, not to mention chemicals and preservatives!)
• They allow "meat alternative", which is not real meat...it is created in a lab.
• Most school lunches also have a daily dessert choice, such as cookies - as if the flavored milk isn't enough sugar!

Are your kids eating the school lunch and crashing after school or in the late afternoon?  Are there any behavioral issues?  Make a commitment to yourself, to your kiddo:  No school lunches for 1 month.  I know it will be more effort on your part to put together your kids' lunch box each night or morning before school.  I promise it will be worth it.  I immediately saw a change in my daughter's behavior and increase in energy throughout the afternoon.  

Need ideas on lunches? 

• Check out this school lunch round up from 100 days of real food.  
• Here are tips to plan ahead for school lunches from 100 days of real food.
• Also from 100 days of real food, 10 real food ways to switch up your kiddos lunch
• Here are some tips for making lunch fun for the kiddos from Skinnytaste.

Thanks for reading!