The School Lunch Debate: Do you bring or buy?

I'm so curious where ya'll stand on the school lunch debate: Do you pack a lunch for the kids or do they buy the hot lunch from school? I'm a lunch packer. Every. Single. Day. (We don't have a choice due to food allergies.) So I feel like I'm a bit of a lunch packing expert. Expert for my kid, that is. I know exactly what is actually going to get eaten. I know exactly how to fill that belly until she steps off the bus in the afternoon. However to the average outsider I'm sure the contents of her lunchbox might seem weird:

I never really gave two thoughts to what other kids ate for lunch. This is just what works for my kid. However at Back to School night recently we parents received a lecture on why it is so important to purchase the school lunch. One of the guidance counselors stood up and testified on why school lunch is such a bargain and how the meals are so healthy. To cap it off, she showed a picture of a school lunch and countered it with pictures of packed lunches she had spotted around the cafeteria. She considered the packed lunches far inferior to the school lunch.

Anywho...I'm a bit paranoid about the lunchbox now. We have a running joke when Eden steps off the bus and I ask her if anyone took a picture of her lunch today. (So far the answer has been no. Phew!)  As you can see, I'm getting over my paranoia by publishing my own pictures. 

These are my usual lunchbox warriors. I spent $10 on the containers and wrappings and these will last me at least until January. The groceries totaled about $20 but they're used for more than just school lunch. Also, obviously this feeds my girl for more than a week. In all, I feel like packed lunch is still a bargain. Especially since I know it's all going to be consumed. 

So I'm curious: where do you stand in the lunch game? Do you pack? Buy? Do you consider buying school lunch a good use of food money? Gawd it must be convenient! I hear you can just load money onto a magic card and forget about weekday lunches until the money runs out. Sounds heavenly. My lunches may not be Pinterest-worthy (I'm NOT a cut your sandwich in the shape of a Death Star kind of Mom) but they get the job done. I'd love to hear your views of school lunch!

 

Comments

[Melissa]

Awwww, don't let the madness get to you!!! You are the expert of your children and your family and its diet, not a random guidance counselor who throws everyone into a one size fits all mentality. And really, what he or she is deeming the healthiest is really all about his/her diet/perspective. My family (bc of blood sugar issues) eats a diet very low of carbohydrates/heavier on protein and veggies, light fruit. If I personally ate the way the government/FDA recommends (the school lunch way), I would be on massive doses of insulin. I cannot process certain types of carbs effectively, including bread, potatoes and rice. They are like poison to my body. When my kids eat them, they eat and eat and eat and are still starving, so I know its having the same effect-bc that was me all my life! I have had heard quite a few times in last year advice that our diet is lacking out on all those healthy carbs and too heavy in protein. Well on our diet now, my children are not hungry in between meals, growing and thriving, and bc of hereditary, its probably the kind of diet that will benefit them for life (if they choose to continue it once out of house). Regardless, my job is to give them the best start....and our diet is based on our genetics and that we don't process the carbs the ways others can and the LONG, extensive list of diabetics on both sides of our family (including myself). Your family is completely different than ours and has different dietary concerns than ours and your diet/lunches are based on that! You know what Eden will eat (and what is safe for her to eat), what will fill her, and that she is staying healthy and well nourished. So don't let someone else tell you what is best for your children/family! I am sorry that they are taking pictures of kids' lunches to shame parents into buying what they deem the only way and the best....terrible terrible!!! Really, unless a kid is coming with a paper bag filled with twinkies and a can of coke, schools should not be butting into this. Most people are doing the very best they can, especially those taking the effort to pack a daily lunch for school.

[Chonte]

She do both! My daughter will Always Want to buy lunch if its pizza or chicken nuggets but she loves a good PB&Fluff "sushi" roll from home!

[Jennie Mortenson]

Emily bought lunch alot...I swear she was going to turn into a chicken nugget. One kid it was just more convenient to buy..however I see lunch making in my future! Especially if one of them is Celiac's.
I may make a deal..one school lunch a week.( if allergies aren't an issue)