What’s for Lunch?
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010
Every day now for years I have packed a school lunch for my daughter.
I’ve struggled with making sure the food is healthy, varietal and yummy. Each day her lunchbox would come home with remnants of what I had so carefully and lovingly put together. She had a request: Could she get a hot meal from school, just like ALL of her friends did?
Hot lunches are pricey. While everything does have a cost, I thought this might actually be worth it. I could save money because I would be preserving my sanity. I looked over the printed monthly lunch menu. Why it was a cornucopia of treats, delights and no work on my part, save for writing a check.
On Monday there was a turkey hot dog with fresh fruit; Tuesday brought grilled cheese and fresh fruit; Wednesday was delicious whole grain pizza with fresh fruit; Thursday’s delivery was a turkey and vegetable egg roll with fresh fruit; while Friday was chicken tenders and fresh fruit.
I asked my daughter if she was enjoying her meals. “Dal-i-cious!” she smiled.
What about the fresh fruit? Was there fresh fruit? I assured her there was, which meant she wasn’t eating it. Oh, well.
When I was a kid I so wanted to have hot lunches at school. The idea of carrying that big, beige tray, which we now know was probably germ-laden, choosing my own foods and carrying them to a table to eat with my friends seemed like heaven.
It was a dream because my mother couldn’t afford it. We’re a little better off so if it makes my daughter happy to have a hot lunch then I’m glad we can provide it.
I do wonder if the trays have gotten any more sanitary. Maybe her school should provide a packet of Purell with each lunch. Or make it mandatory that each child washes her hands before and after eating. Right. There is probably as much chance of that happening as there is of Mimi eating fresh fruit daily.
Given the limited kinds of foods my daughter will eat at home versus what she enjoys at school, I’m happy for the variety. Best of all — I don’t have to make a daily lunch.
What a bargain!
ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
Dawn Yun is the mother of The Writing Mamas, which was born in 2004 at the famed bookstore Book Passage in Corte Madera, Calif. Dawn wrote the best-selling guide, "The Joy of Outlet Shopping," was a writer on the book, "Never Pay Retail" and authored the book, "Calming Crafts: New Crafts to Inspire Your Creativity." She blogs for the San Francisco Chronicle's http://www.sfgate.com, under City Brights. She has written for "Family Fun," "USA Today," "USA Weekend," "the San Francisco Chronicle," "Wine-X," "Manhattan, Inc.," "BabyCenter" and other off-line and on-line publications. She has appeared on "Oprah," "Good Morning America," "CBS This Morning," "Lifetime," "Discovery," and "Fox News."
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Hot lunches – a modern convenience that works! I’m packing lunches for my son at preschool…how many ways can you spell turkey?
Dawn, I am with you on this! I loathe lunch-packing duty. If only they would serve something–anything!–that my daughter would actually eat, I’d gladly pay the price. Can totally relate to your struggles.