Calling all Americans!

What I don't understand, is why on earth parents don't pack a lunch for their kids. Isn't it expensive to eat in the cafeteria every single day? Why do so many rely on the school to provide nutrition to their children? I feel it is my job to feed my kids. Maybe I'm a minority though.

Because they're struggling to make ends meet. Many families don't have homes or refrigerators, or jobs... the children are receiving *free* meals at school. You are lucky to be able to provide well for your family. Others are struggling in different ways. It's not helpful to judge them based upon your own priorities.

No, she's not "lucky" to be able to provide for her family. She works hard to be able to provide for her family. And it IS helpful to look at someone's priorities when that person's priorities are in the right order, starting with her children. I wonder how many parents who claim they can't afford to make their kids a lunch every day can somehow magically find enough money to pay a cell phone bill every month.

The problem in America is that no one believes in personal responsibility. You breed them, you feed them.

But, you know what? There are areas of major cities where the residents don't have access to grocery stores, farmer's markets, or gardens. And no transportation to get to other parts of the city. How would you suggest those parents buy and pack lunches? From the meager offerings at the gas station? Or from McDs? There's one on every corner in Anacostia, DC, but no grocery stores to be seen for miles.

There is no magic work hard=success formula. Many, many families who are living under the poverty line work "hard." They just don't have the social capital to be able to pull themselves out of the poverty the way that someone born into an educated middle-class family does. It's a vicious cycle, sure, but judging people born into situations they can't get out of doesn't help.

Free and reduced-price school lunches serve a very important function in our society. They feed hungry children. It's frustrating that they're not always as healthy as we know is best. But there's only so much money to go around (especially in poorer districts where there isn't a lot of personal property tax to fund the schools, or where the parents aren't as connected and active in order to raise extra funds).

Whether we like the school lunches or not, I certainly hope that nobody is advocating doing away with free and reduced price lunches. You would be a terrible, terrible person for thinking it's okay to let small children go hungry.

I think more schools should focus on providing healthy food, or no food at all!

Idealism is great, but what about the kids who would show up with no lunch?

My son goes to a charter school that does not have a cafeteria. We, as parents have to send a lunch to school with our children. What is even better, they don't allow junk food or sodas. I have to send him with healthy snack and water only. If it were not for this rule, I am sure my son would prefer chips and juice boxes and what not at school. But since it's the rule, he knows, and it isn't even a discussion. And it forces me to get it together and prepare healthy food and not take the easy way out by throwing in a bunch of packaged & processed foods everyday. I think more schools should focus on providing healthy food, or no food at all!

Love this chance you get in preparing your sons lunch in foods you WANT him to eat.