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Old 09-07-2011, 05:54 PM   #41
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Guess I'm wondering how much of the school lunch costs are subsidized by the Federal Government.
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Old 09-08-2011, 09:53 AM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jimnjana View Post
Guess I'm wondering how much of the school lunch costs are subsidized by the Federal Government.

Probably a lot more than you might think... lots of kids on free or reduced breakfast and lunch...


Decided to do a quick search....

"In FY 2010, federal spending totaled $9.7 billion for the National School Lunch Program. This federal support comes in the form of a cash reimbursement for each meal served."

National School Lunch Program « Food Research & Action Center


2009-2010 Participation:

  • 31.6 million children in more than 99,685 schools and residential child care institutions participated on a typical day.
  • Nearly 20 million of these children received free and reduced-price lunch.
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Old 09-08-2011, 10:01 AM   #43
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Originally Posted by Texas Proud View Post
Probably a lot more than you might think... lots of kids on free or reduced breakfast and lunch...


Decided to do a quick search....

"In FY 2010, federal spending totaled $9.7 billion for the National School Lunch Program. This federal support comes in the form of a cash reimbursement for each meal served."

National School Lunch Program « Food Research & Action Center


2009-2010 Participation:

  • 31.6 million children in more than 99,685 schools and residential child care institutions participated on a typical day.
  • Nearly 20 million of these children received free and reduced-price lunch.
I don't mind subsidizing meals for kids who need it. But likely alot of parental fudging of their income figures here.
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The So-called Farm Budget
Old 09-08-2011, 04:49 PM   #44
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The So-called Farm Budget

<<Guess I'm wondering how much of the school lunch costs are subsidized by the Federal Government. >>

The Farm Budget is always a popular place to attack spending. When you look at it, over half the budget goes to school lunch, food stamps, WIC (women, infant, children), and elderly nutrition programs. Not sure what the percentage is, but that will vary significantly based on the demographics of the school system.

There are some excellent programs around the country, but they are overshadowed by the programs who take the easy route of 'carving a can' of highly processed food. Really no different than the food served in most households.
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Old 09-08-2011, 05:02 PM   #45
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Nutritionally, the food was crap. And the menu was repeated so often that after the 4th time the kids didn't think it was all that great.
You kids are smart, and making good choices.

When I was a little kid in private elementary school (1954-1959), a frequent and typical school lunch was:

canned spaghetti
canned green beans
Wonder bread with butter (half sandwich, cut diagonally)
small carton of whole milk
glass of water

On Fridays, instead of the butter half sandwich made of Wonder bread, we got a peanut butter and grape jelly half sandwich made with Wonder bread. For those who don't know, Wonder bread is a white, spongy, nutritionally devoid bread with a lot of hidden sugar in it.

I know school food is bad these days, but could it get worse than this? As a kid, I thought it was great. Nutritionally, maybe not so much...
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Old 09-09-2011, 10:34 AM   #46
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I know school food is bad these days, but could it get worse than this? As a kid, I thought it was great. Nutritionally, maybe not so much...
Our kids school lunches are probably not too bad. They don't serve any white bread - only whole wheat. Nothing fried any more, only baked. I believe they still serve lots of stuff from cans, but they are typically low sodium (for veggies) or low sugar or natural juices only if fruit. Some veggies are of the fresh or frozen variety, such as broccoli.

Typical lunches are stuff that kids like - chicken nuggets, chicken sandwiches, pizza, tacos, grilled cheese. Plus fruit, veggie and 8 oz lowfat milk. Cheaper than a happy meal and probably better for you.
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Old 09-09-2011, 12:15 PM   #47
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Quote:
Originally Posted by W2R View Post

When I was a little kid in private elementary school (1954-1959), a frequent and typical school lunch was:

canned spaghetti
canned green beans
Wonder bread with butter (half sandwich, cut diagonally)
small carton of whole milk
glass of water

I know school food is bad these days, but could it get worse than this?

Yes. Todays offering at my neighborhood elementary (menu on reader board):

Pizza
Berry-milk <--What the heck is that?
Tater crowns
Aotmeal-raisin cookie (their spelling not mine)

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Old 09-09-2011, 12:27 PM   #48
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Yes. Todays offering at my neighborhood elementary (menu on reader board):

Pizza
Berry-milk <--What the heck is that?
Tater crowns
Aotmeal-raisin cookie (their spelling not mine)

I checked ours. Sounds pretty darn good!

Hot Dog w/ Chili or
Chicken BBQ on Bun
Baked Beans
Creamy Coleslaw
Oven baked sweet potato fries
Chilled pineapple (probably from a can)

That beats the heck out of my orange and a slice of cake from the work party.
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Old 09-09-2011, 01:39 PM   #49
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Yes. Todays offering at my neighborhood elementary (menu on reader board):

Pizza
Berry-milk <--What the heck is that?
Tater crowns
Aotmeal-raisin cookie (their spelling not mine)

Pizza and cookies for lunch? You win hands down! I am agog. Let's hope that berry-milk is not another name for cherry coke or some such thing.
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Old 09-15-2011, 11:10 AM   #50
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Guess I'm wondering how much of the school lunch costs are subsidized by the Federal Government.
Keep in mind that public schools receive "impact funding" from the federal govt to compensate them for the cost of educating the kids of active-duty military families who are stationed (living) in that school district while being exempt from state/local taxes. So some of the school's expenses are imposed on them by the federal govt and actually reimbursed.
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Old 09-15-2011, 12:07 PM   #51
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I can only respond as to how we feed our children for lunch. There are 4 of 'em, so that would change your numbers a bit. But we have them pack their lunches every day. We have since they were in school. Occasionally they get a "treat" by buying lunch at school, but because my wife packs relatively healthy food and snacks for them, they don't much care for the lunch at the school usually. Sometimes on pizza day they want it, but only because it's a pizza brought in from the same place that we buy the pizza when we order out.
Every day they have at least 2 fruits (although occasionally it's a canned fruit in light syrup), and 2 vegetables. Usually a starch like potatoes or rice for enough carbs to give them enough energy to make it through the day. And by their pediatricians measurements, they are considered underweight, but never go to bed hungry.

Looking at it from a financial perspective:
I've calculated our total grocery bill for all of us to eat averages $5.10/person/day, and that is with 2-3 snacks after dinner. Now, keep in mind that the oldest 2 are only 11 years old right now, and the next two are younger. And we're working on using the freezer that we recently purchased to lower that down to $5/person/day if not lower by couponing and buying stuff that is only on sale.
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Old 09-15-2011, 12:21 PM   #52
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Your post cracked me up about the young girls.
Our oldest 2 (this year only 11), turn the TV if an inappropriate commercial is on if we aren't right near the TV when some of the commercials come on. And, knock-on-wood, they still want cuddle time with dear old dad (that's me).

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Originally Posted by 52andout View Post
I read further on that your daughter is five. Well, wait till you see what you have to face in the public school system. One of my neighbors told me she was relieved when her son going into third grade picked sneakers that only cost $67. Young girls with make-up, bras, pants that say "Sexy" across the bottom in elementary school. Childhood zips by today, and much innocence is lost so young with all the influence from TV. When I am at the gym I see some shows that are on primetime and I just about go into cardiac arrest at the shock of the sex and violence little ones are exposed to.

You have gotten a lot of hints about setting limits in this environment from several posters who allowed their kids to make choices and learn from them. School lunches save many kids from going hungry all day, but the food may be a far cry from what you serve at home.
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