Why We Pack Lunch

I work in school that serves hot lunch to its students and offers it to its staff. My kindergartner attends public school everyday where hot breakfast and lunch are offered. My husband works in the evenings at a retail store where there is a food court. We could all eat where we work or go to school, BUT WE DON'T. We pack our lunch, or dinner.

When it comes to my husband and I, we have access to microwaves, and anything is game. The simplest way we pack our lunch is that I cook almost twice what we need for every dinner, so there are at least two servings left over for the next day's work meals. Some days it homemade pizza, some days (like tonight) is leftover cream of asparagus and leek soup with garlic croutons. We never grab anything pre-made unless we pre-made it, and that is a very satisfying way to nourish the soul in the middle of a shift.

WHY? Why don't we just eat what is at work? Well, for one, making a few extra servings of a dinner is cheaper. We save around $12 a day by eating what we bring from home. Try portioning out leftover dinners into single serving plastic containers when you put it in the fridge for the night instead of putting one massive piece of foil over a large container. That way, you can grab and go in the morning. Another WHY? Its healthier. Think about my post on hot pockets and how many unpronounceable ingredients are in that grab and go dinner, or some drive through food.

What about PUBLIC SCHOOL HOT LUNCH? 

Well, I let my kindergartner experiment through the year with hot versus cold lunch. On days that sounded appealing, like pizza, corn dog and turkey and gravy day, my little guy occasionally tried them. 

He did not like them. They were "too greasy" or "too spicy" or just "not as good as home lunch." I am sooooo glad he decided this, and we wanted him to discover it on his own, guiding his healthy choices instead of forcing them. He still chooses hot lunch about once every two or three weeks, but I am happy and proud to pack his cold lunch every day otherwise. WHY? Oh, you had to ask didn't you. Here are FOUR reasons why a homemade (not a Luncheable), home packed (again, not a Luncheable) meal reigns supreme for my kindergartner:

1) The ORGANIC Factor: Yes I will put my plug in here for natural and organic foods. I don't like the idea of my kids eating pesticides, antibiotics and other toxins on their food. I must suggest here that you read Maria Rodale's book, Organic Manifesto to glean more reasons, if you need them, on why organic and natural foods are so good for you and your planet.

2) The MILK Factor: For public school lunch, chocolate milk is an option every day. As yummy as it seems it contains a high amount of refined sugars that cannot be that good for little bellies. In my kiddos' lunch he brings a thermos of organic white milk, hold the sugar please! World famous chef and activist Jamie Oliver 

does a great job exposing the truth of chocolate milk and other nastiness in school food on his Food Revolution website. Please check it out.

3) The CONNECTION Factor: When I pack his lunch, my son knows it, sees it and registers it. One more chance for me to take care of my little guy when he is away from home. I also use his lunch as a chance to leave a little picture or note to connect with him in the middle of his day from across town. You can't do that with hot lunch.

4) The FRUIT AND VEGGIE Factor: When I pack a lunch, I insert a fresh, raw fruit or vegetable and this gives my kiddo one more chance to have at some natural vitamins and fiber. But there is fruit at school with hot lunch. True, but its often canned in extra syrup, always non-organic and optional. When you pack a sack lunch and the contents are a sandwich and a sliced apple and milk, there's not a lot of room to skip the fruit if you want to be full, and my 6 year old knows this.