10 of the Worst School Foods

Too bad this is all my school ever serves!

When I was a kid [not actually that long ago] I NEVER bought my lunch. I had a pack lunch every day, made by my dad. It was a treat if I could find some quarters to buy an ice cream dessert at school. Guess that's why I wasn't a fat kid.

This is why my siblings and I were seldom allowed to eat school lunches growing up. It's cheaper and healthier to make lunches at home (provided you actually make a lunch and don't pack a mayo soaked, cheese loaded, bologna sandwich on white bread or a lunchable, a soda, some packaged, chemical filled cupcake and a bag of chips, which is along the lines of what many of my friends came to school with when they packed a lunch). Did I get made fun of for my lunches growing up? Sure, I was ridiculed, but now I'm glad my parents cared enough to make sure I was eating healthy food. The time and energy they put in while I was growing up shows, even years later, in my health, physique, energy level and eating habits. Most of the people I went to school with who ate that crap look horrible now that we are nearing 30. They may not have seen the physical affects of eating that crap at 16, but they sure are seeing them now and I bet they're more than a little annoyed with the parents who helped put them in that situation.

Pack your kid a lunch when you can. Eating at school a day here and there when you're out of bread or have to sleep that extra 20 minutes in the morning will not kill them. They eat most of this stuff out and about with you from time to time anyway. This is what our food has become. Until we all decide we've had enough and change what we buy and eat, it will stay this way.

This is most frightening.Almost all the foods mentioned here are meals my kids take in school lunches and it's not calming to know they keep packing in nitrates , sodium and the likes of them. They used to be on pack lunches but they kept complaining it was boring and they are now on school meals,they are been pumped with calories.For me, my kids are very much on the slim side(almost underweight) but I think it will be a good idea for parents with overweight kids to take the pain of packing healthier meals for their children.Its not like we all don't need healthy eating though, slim or fat

I wonder how bad the gravy over rice was.

Parents..your kids will throw away your healthy sack lunch and stand in line to get nachos even if they charge it.

I mean, when I eat those, I don't feel smarter, or more energetic. And everyone's saying kids should eat,and have more energy healthy,and they feed kids food that's not even real. And the lunch ladies and men don't care.

But the mac n cheese and mashed potatoes and gravy were SOOOOOOOO delicious! :P
As long as they are eating healthy breakfast, dinner and snacks...this little bit of junky food wont hurt them too much.

How about you all stop complaining about school lunch and maker your kid his or her lunch if its so bad? I eat school lunch and I have for 11 years, and I'm not obese nor do I have problems eating healthy foods.

Giz, how much is lunch at your kids school? Ours is only $1.50 so it's just alot easier and cheaper to let your kid eat lunch. Now that I am older I wish that I would do things differently but, ya know life. It happens

I used to hate it when my mom packed me lunch for school. Now after being allowed to eat the school lunch for about 4 years, i realize she just wanted me to be healthy.

Do any of you know how much money the cafeteria staff has to feed our children? It is not a lot. Perhaps instead of complaining maybe more parents should donate money or find other ways to raise money for cafeteria lunches. If it bothers you that much than pack their lunch. Are you lonely up their on your high horse, pixie (or maybe Gisele is keeping you company)? There are some parents who for personal reasons cannot pack lunches for their children and the kids have reduced or free lunches. Should those parents let their kids starve? It would be nice if local farmers and cafeteria staffers could figure out a business relationship so that the local farmers are supported and school lunches would be healthier. On a side not: I enjoyed my school lunches (granted they are not the healthiest foods). The pizza was really good and the cafeteria ladies made the BEST cookies EVER! lol:)

And that's why my daughter packs her own lunch. I'm not paying those high prices for her to eat crap.

i ate that crap when i was little, never became fat. i played soccer and stayed active outside with my friends/neighbors riding bikes, scooters etc. i eat healthy now and still exercise, im fine.

and im tired of seeing 25g of sugar for chocolate milk when only HALF is added sugars, the rest being lactose.

Kristina,
So true! I have two kids, a full time job, and grad school. However, we eat healthy otherwise, so school lunch is not that bad. Plus, our schools try to serve as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. Since we live on a sub-tropical island, most of those fruits and vegetables are local grown. At $2.20, it's a deal compared to how much groceries cost.

When I was a kid, would barely touch the school lunches. When I got home from school, I would pig out and I became overweight. So when my kids are old enough, I will be packing them a lunch, with healthy food I know they will eat. :)

Pixie, I really don't mean this as an attack, or to hurt your feelings. I'm the mom of a 6 year old boy with Autism. Before he was born, I said the same things you did. Life happens, and sometimes your best intetions go out the window. :) I tell you this to say, remember to build in some flexability. There will be days that you are too worn out from keeping your children out of stuff and runing the rest of your household. Sometimes, McDonalds is an option; just not every day. :) And from a former fat kid that grew up being on some kind of diet or another my entire life, it's better to teach your child balance in all areas than to deny them "kid" foods all the time. If you don't occasionally give them "kid" foods, they won't learn moderation. Just something to think about. :)

Flavored milks should be the first thing to be taken out of school lunches. We discovered at the teacher table one day that there was less sugar in a can of Mountain Dew than the cartons of strawberry milk available to the students. They should have a choice between white milk and water.

It's always a balancing act, feeding kids in the real world. www.redroundorgreen.wordpress.com