Food Friday: I (h)Ate School Lunch..And Had To Show ID

Today, I joined my 5 year old at school for lunch. I was appalled that they were serving a pretzel with cheese as an entree. Now that the election is over, I have time to meet with him for lunch.

When I got to his school, I had to show my ID. They scanned it. It printed my driver's license picture, my name, what time/date I checked in and even, "cafeteria", where I was going.

I just LOVE having to wear my drivers' license picture on a name tag....said no one ever. But showing an ID to vote is racist. <- note the sarcasm.

I DID find Sean's ISU hoodie that we've been missing, in the lost and found, while I was waiting for his class to come down the hall. He saw me. He grinned from ear to ear.

He was excited.

We waited in line, I had to pay for my lunch, of course, and Sean was excited that he could tell me how it all worked. I had been to lunch with his older brother before, but I let him tell me. The cashier did say, "I was hoping to meet you! I saw the shirts that your oldest wore last week and said, 'Your parents must work in politics!' Liam told me that his mommy does. And Republican! Good work!"

We gathered our utensils and trays. We could add "salad" and a banana. There was a sign that read, "You must take 1/2 fruit and 1/2 veggie in order for the school to be reimbursed for a full meal." Most of the kids passed it over, because, they're in kindergarten. 

And here was my meal. 

A pretzel, the size of a milk carton (no salt), milk, green beans (no pepper), cheese in a cup, and Caesar  salad...ish, again, no pepper.

Sean and I prayed before our meal, and that reminded the kid who sat across from him to pray. He wanted me to take his picture, in case his parents are friends of mine.

This is the "other" option for lunch, called a "kydz-able". And yes, that is how they spell it. Cheese, carrots, Goldfish crackers and grapes with yogurt. And milk.

How can children learn on snack foods for lunch? How is this accepted?  

The pretzel is going to breakdown to sugar and can cause a major tired crash this afternoon. There isn't enough protein to sustain either of these lunches. Most 'kid-friendly' yogurts are filled with sugar and dye, baby carrots are most likely cleaned with a chlorine sanitizer, the goldfish is loaded with salt, and chocolate milk is loaded with sugar. Nothing in either of these lunches will help fuel the minds and bodies through the afternoon of school.

I wonder how many members of the School Board have eaten this lunch, and gone about their day, with nothing else to eat?

I've asked my boys if they want to take cold lunch. They always refuse. At their school, kids who eat cold lunch, have to sit at a different table than those who eat "hot lunch" or a "kydz-able". How is that not segregation?

How is any of this acceptable? This is not lunch food, this is snack food. My challenge to you, tweet, Facebook, share this post. Our kids deserve more than snacks for lunch.