Abby’s in second grade this year. On the refrigerator we have her school lunch schedule posted, in a December-festive black toner on red paper.
The lunch menu is in the form of a calendar, with each day’s lunch options listed in the date blocks. There is always a choice of different food options that would satisfy any 2nd-grader.
For a while, Abby was eating nothing but hot dogs. They usually have multiple choices for main entrees, and she never wanted to eat what she calls “first choice”. Instead, she’d just choose the hot dog.
The way school lunches work now is more interesting than when I was in elementary school. The school seems interested in making sure that each kid gets a balanced diet. They combine this desire with some technology to make it happen.
We put money in an account for Abby to pay for lunch. At the same time, we set some basic preferences about how that money can be spent; whether she can buy ice cream in addition to lunch. She goes to the cafeteria and gives the cashier her account number, and they verify that her order is in compliance with school rules and account settings. It’s sort of “big brother”, but at least we don’t have to worry about her not getting the right food at lunch.
Prices have changed a bit since I was in school. Almost double. But still, a whole lunch for $2 is pretty darn cheap. If you could do that at a restaurant, even if just for the kids, that would be great.
