School Lunch...Do you pack one???

Im definitly going to pack my daughters own lunches when she starts school for the first time in september. Its not that I think bad of school lunches I jus know whats in her lunch because I packed it for her. LOL Its a nice thing to do for them knowing mommy put some of there favorite things to eat in there lunchbox. So yea I do say you should make your daughters lunch for her.

I will pack my sons lunch. This way I know that he is getting meat and fruits and veggies, and a treat or two. But from time to time I will give him a couple dollars in addition to his lunch so that he can buy a treat from the cafeteria. I like to pack his lunch because I know that his food is prepared in a clean area. I will know that my hands are clean when I make his sandwiches and whatnot. I also just like to take the time out in the morning to make his lunch because I love him so much I like to be able to do these weird little things for him. He has gotten to the point now that he likes to help me make his lunch. He likes to help me pick the items out in the grocery store. He likes to help me put the cookies in the baggie or cut the crusts off the sandwich etc).

I guess I'm just lazy, but my kids eat the school lunches. It is just easier for me that way. The lunches are made onsite and only cost $1.40, so I can hardly get cheaper than that by packing. If the girls do not care for the lunch that is on the menu on any particular day, they are free to pack their own lunch.

i do have to agree some school canteens are totally yuck. i dont have any children but when i was at schooli used to pack my lunch every day, and only every now and then my mum would give me some money for a treat at school, like a cooked lunch or something like that. also its much cheaper if you buy the food and send the child to school with a packed lunch and you know they are eatting healthy food.

My daughter eats the school lunches. She likes them and they are free. She has never once complained about the lunches all year.

Actually, I am not going to school nor have a children to prepare one. But I do pack lunch for my self when I go to work. Well it helps me being efficient with money and my time. I may be buying some times but having packed lunch would really save more of time and money. =)

My kids are in child care and they stay in the child care center for the whole day from 8am to about 6 pm. The centre do provide food for them, morning tea break, lunch and afternoon tea break, but I still pack some snack for them. They can have additional snack during the afternoon tea break but they will take the center's lunch.

Having 4 kids, packing lunches was the best idea for lunch at school. I always made sure to have easy things to pack, like good sandwiches,fruit, cheese, fresh cut up veggies and dip. Once in a while I would surprise them with a candy bar or a cupcake. I also used to get the kids to help make the lunches the night before. That would help to avoid the morning rush. I used to have fun getting creative with their lunches at times, like on Halloween I used to make batter dipped fried chicken that I put green food coloring in to make it look rotten. I would make quacamole dip and chips to go with it. It looked pretty discusting, but the kids loved it.

I used to bring packed lunches to school. It was okay, the food still tasted fine, but I always complained about my lunch being cold by the time I have to eat it. I don't really like cold meat, so eventually I decided to forget about packed lunches and go for McDonald's instead every lunch break. Big Mac almost always beats anything I could ever come up with at home, and that definitely had something to do with my decision to forego packed lunches.

I pack my kids lunch. for a couple different reasons. We can not afford the school lunches for 4 kids. Its only 2.00-2.75 a day but it adds up. Another reason would be, because I used to work in the cafeterias around where I live. For the price you pay the poor kids starve around here. When I was working there the menu was a joke I thought. 3 out of 5 day was mexican food...nacho, taco's,burrito's. 1 day was chicken. Either a drumstick, or tenders. The last day was pizza of course. I worked alot of my time in a high school. We had alot of the kids just get a roll most days because they did not like the mexican food. They were still carged the full price of a meal. If you wanted an extra slab of butter, lol that was an extra $.25. So I will continue packing their lunches for the simple fact that I can afford to make them and I know they will eat and have plenty to eat.

Yes,I think the horror stories about school cafdterias is not only in your country but also in many other countries.I have heard the hororr stories about my middle school cafeteria,such as moldy appetizers in the plates.So I went back home to eat my lunch(My middle school wasn't far away from my home.)Then I was tried to go back home for lunch everyday...not convenient.So I packed my lunches to school,just bread,milk or sandwich.But I encountered new problem:My classmates wanted to enjoy my lunch......Finally I had to give up my home-made lunch and had my lunch in school cafeteria. But now I'm a university student,I have freedom to choose my lunch--in campus cafeterias or in restaurants. In my opinion,I think it's better for children to pack lunch to school.Home-made lunch is delicious,healthy and safe.

I do pack my son's lunches right now. I wanted to do that the first year until I got a feel for how this school cafeteria stacked up. I think I will still pack lunches next year when both of my kids attend there. But, I may opt to buy sometimes as well. I will definitely save money by doing it myself and my kids are picky so they may not eat what is presented to them in the cafeteria. I need to work on my frugal lunch box additions.

I dun packed for myself... But i guess in future when i have kids, i will pack them for my kids... Others will envy them... I mean packing own lunch will be healthier as well as cost saving...

I remember when I was in school--hard as a rock grilled cheese sandwhiches, purple hotdogs, etc... I would certainly would pack a lunch. I don't know exactly what to pack but I know you should avoid anything that has a strong smell--kids are ruthless, and keep in mind that some times they do not get to put their lunch in a cooler. So if you are going to pack sandwhiches keep in mind what will get soggy, or invest in a cooler type lunch box.

Our kids eat the school lunches. The school is pretty particular so we feel comfortable with the kids eating the lunches and there's never been a problem in the three years since they've been there. Plus we qualify for the free lunch program.

My daughter is in kindergarden this year and last year she went to Pre-K and she always eats in the cafeteria. Mostly because she gets free lunches =) But I go have lunch with her every now and then and the food isn't bad. She enjoys eating in the cafeteria but some days she doesn't like what they are having so I will bring her lunch from McDonald's or let her take a lunchable. They food isn't bad here, I have seem some parents go through the lunch line with their kids and get the food!!

Hi there Babygurl850406! I always make my children's lunches for many different reasons, one for what you are speaking of, another to save on money for buying and making things yourself tends to go further ahead, and the nutrition factor which is very important for me to teach and show my kids. =) Happy posting Stacy

the home is far alway from school,and child must be eating at school cafeteria,i haven't the habit to do a pack for children to eat,it forbid by school.and the food quality is good at school cafeteria

My son has school dinners, they have all changed over here, and everything is healthy except for one day of the week when they they cook fish fingers or homemade burgers. At least he has one good meal a day as he refuses to eat when he gets home !!