School Lunch Should Be a Dining Experience

by Sandy Maple (Subscribe to Sandy Maple's posts) Feb 27th 2009 9:00AM

A few months into the first grade, I realized that my kid was having a problem at school. Lunch. Every morning I would fill Ellie's lunch box up -- and every afternoon I would find it almost completely untouched. She might drink the juice, but that was it.

It wasn't because she didn't like my food. She just found the whole experience of cafeteria eating chaotic, stressful and ultimately unappetizing.

Pile all the noise, mess and often unidentifiable smells wafting through the room to an ever-shrinking lunch period. In the same way that schools are trading away recess for more classroom time, many are also trimming lunch. This mad dash to chow down creates an atmosphere akin to a hot dog eating contest.

And this, according to South Beach Diet doc, Arthur Agatston, MD, is not only bad for the digestion, it is robbing our kids of an opportunity to learn how to eat -- properly.
"The lunchroom culture is fast food," says Dr. Agatston. "But it shouldn't be fast food. The teacher should be sitting at the table with a tablecloth for a civilized meal. I think it's a huge learning opportunity for kids."

Is he completely out-of-touch? Not to me. Why shouldn't kids be allowed -- no, required -- to eat at school in the same way we expect them to eat at our own dining tables? Slowly and civilly. And for those kids who don't eat this way at home, this might be their best shot at acquiring those skills.

Ellie is now in second grade at a very small school that doesn't even have a cafeteria. Hot lunches are prepared off site and the children eat in their classrooms. While they still have just a half an hour to eat, the smaller setting has changed everything for her. Lunch time is quiet and calm and presided over by a teacher eating her own lunch. Today, the only thing left in Ellie's lunch box was her napkin.

Source

Comments (18)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

SKL 2-27-2009 @ 9:53AM

Oh brother. First of all, parents need to teach children how to eat at the breakfast and dinner tables. My 2-year-olds know how to conduct themselves at a fine-dining restaurant. And please don't start telling me that the schools have to do this because "some kids don't get it at home." That is not my problem. There should be common-sense rules enforced so that kids who know how can sit and eat properly and comfortably. That's all most adults can hope for at lunchtime. Ever had lunch in a factory or corporate break room? But, if you want your kids to have a "fine dining experience" at lunch every day, feel free to send them to a private school.

A more constructive suggestion would be to stop giving kids enough lunch to feed two adults. Give them a small, highly nutritious, satisfying meal that they can easily finish in half an hour. Frankly, I think they should do away with hot lunches all together. A wholesome sandwich with fresh fruit/vegetable would be cheaper, healthier, easier to clean up, and easier on the environment.

I would not be opposed to having a "field trip" type of event on one day to teach kids about "Miss Manners" stuff. My kid sister had this in preparation for a Model UN competition in Europe. It was a great idea on a one-time basis.

Jamie 2-28-2009 @ 4:42PM

Yes, the kids need it at home. But in the younger years there is nothing wrong with consistency and repetition. I would be open to considering a new idea such as this one.

Chanel 3-04-2009 @ 5:08PM

Community,Community,Community. I am a ferm believer of childrens reinforcement. Why not have fun in the Lunch room and still encourage manarism. Please continue to keep a open mind for the kids,and the hard working parents whom may wish for the extra help. I am a Pre k,K,1st,2nd,3rd,4th,and 5th Caferterian.

sb 2-27-2009 @ 4:08PM

I dont think the schools need to use lunch as a learning opportunity for good manners but I also have first grade child who will not eat his lunch at school. This is partially because a shared time is used for both lunch and recess. If he takes too long eating he will miss out on recess time, he fears. I also believe the smells, yelling, mayhem that seem inherent in a public grade school lunchroom are unnerving for those of our kids that KNOW that this type of behavior is unacceptable at home but seems to be the norm at school. Clear separation of activities may help, so kids dont feel like they have to choose between eating lunch or playing at recess. I think for most of us its pretty clear which would win that contest...

Rob O. 2-28-2009 @ 5:53AM

I find nothing wrong with the school cafeteria to being a place where kids are expected to eat and do so in a civil manner. If you're already having nice, sit-down meals at home with your kids, then great, this will only serve to reinforce those concepts. For those kids who don;t get this at home, then yes, why not let school set an example of what mealtime should (at least some of the time) be?

Of course, the issue isn't only about how, but WHAT kids eat as well. We've got to stop feeding them nutritionally-void junk and be more mindful of the fact that school lunches are, in part, a training ground for how kids will eat for the rest of their lives.

Rob O. 2-28-2009 @ 5:54AM

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ann_cooper_talks_school_lunches.html

SKL 2-28-2009 @ 7:24PM

What's wrong with this quaint idea is that the schools would demand funding for it, and that's not what they should be doing with limited education dollars. And education dollars will always be limited. And so are the hours in a school day. You want lunch to be an hour, what do you want to cut? And you'd better not suggest cutting the teachers' precious planning periods.

Aside from the fact that kids will just make a joke of it. If they can't stop themselves from throwing food at each other now, do you really think adding tablecloths, candles, and cloth napkins is going to change that? Make them sit quietly and eat at their plain old lunch table, and you will have accomplished plenty.

Is there anything the schools shouldn't do, is what I'd like to know, if using lunchtime to teach "fine dining" is now on the wish list.

I wonder when they will institute butt wiping class. I mean after all, what if some kids don't get this at home?

Rob O. 2-28-2009 @ 7:45PM

I agree that there's no need for "fine dining" trappings like tablecloths & candlesticks but it does seem odd that there's NEVER a shortage of funds for athletics, but nobody would dare suggest having boosters or bumping taxes by a tiny percentage to provide better quality food.

I'd sooner they cut football and institute better quality lunch - and breakfast - offerings.

Joy 2-28-2009 @ 10:48AM

It sounds good in theory to have a "fine dining" experience in a school cafeteria but in reality, it would only work in a very small school district. I worked for 15 years as a lunch/playground lady in a very big school district. We had four 30 minute lunches with a little over 300 kids in 2 of them. There were 4 of "us" adults and as soon as 1 child would go outside, 1 of us had to go outside to supervise them. You have to look at the numbers to know our job was to make sure they were safe. It's very chaotic in a big lunchroom and turning it into a nice restaurant just simply isn't feasible. Just who do you think is supposed to turn it into a Miss Manners type of place?

It is not up to the school to give kids a nice "sit down dinner" because they don't get it at home. First everyone wants the schools to back off and then they want the schools to "do it all" because they don't get it at home. *scratching my head*

I wouldn't do that job for a million dollars now the way parents are. The parents are always complaining about everything. Now they are expected to know every little Johnny who is allergic to peanuts to the bullies who bring knives to school. Then you have the "she's hurting my feelings" kids, the constant tattletales to the boys who just want to eat and go play. How in the world can you expect a few adults to manage all of this? To make sure the whole lunch is eaten, the kids are safe and returned to class on time. When you have 300 kids going back to class and another 280 coming into the lunchroom, how do you think we can have a fine dining experience? Then you have the parents of the boys who use lunch to play kickball being made to sit with napkins on their laps???

Parent's who expect this kind of thing should go and see how hard it is to work in a lunchroom and on the playground keeping your kids out of harms way and quit the complaining.

Sorry......this kind of thing really irks me. School budgets are getting cut all over the place and the cooks and supervisors of lunch are always getting beaten up and it really irritates me and if parents would go in and see how hard this job is, they would quit "suggesting" this crap.

Sandyone 2-28-2009 @ 8:09PM

Joy, you should write a book! Lessons From The Lunch Lady.

I've loved hearing your experiences because they have given you such a great look into kids and schools!

Joy 2-28-2009 @ 8:18PM

Thank you Sandyone. I loved my job and wouldn't have quit had I not moved. But now, to many parents think their kids can do no wrong and all people do is complain about the schools. Someone brings a knife to lunch, we are supposed to take it away and then everyone says we over-react but then if there were an accident, the first thing would be "lunch-lady" saw knife and didn't take it away. It's just a no win situation.

Also, I like the rose colored glasses of a nice sit down lunch with the fancy trimmings but I just can't see it work by my experience. My own two boys would have freaked out since they were done eating asap to go play kickball.

Amy Wood 3-01-2009 @ 8:00AM

I, too, am a former kindergarten teacher who had lunchroom/recess duty. . .I agree with the amount of things required for a teacher to be responsible for/your irritation. However, there is one MAJOR thing that I disagree with you on:

Health related information about your students--you should be aware/want to know about health related problems of your students. That shouldn't be irritating to you at all. My child has a severe peanut allergy--one that requires an epipen. I fear sending her off to school b/c of teachers like you. To no fault of your own, overworked/underpaid and way to many responsibilities. However, it would take one time being around the wrong food that could cause a severe allergic reaction.

For this very reason, I wish that they could come up with a way to make it easier on you to identify the child/children with medical issues. . .one that doesn't make the child feel self conscious but does make it easier on you.

As far as time allowed for children to eat--it is ridiculous. By the time I used to help the children through the lunch line, help with varous things, settle kids down, etc. it was time to go outside for our 10 min. of recess! I used to watch the clock--the children basically had about 5 to 10 min. to eat. Ridiculous.

Joy 3-01-2009 @ 10:56AM

I'm very sorry if you misunderstood me Amy. I never once said I was irritated because children had allergies. All I was really trying to say is no matter what we do, we get slammed for something. Our main goal is to keep the kids safe and try and make sure they eat and to get a little fresh air. Imagine 300 adults in one room eating quietly. It would be hard right? Just how do you think it would work with kids? All under the age of 12. WIth just 4 adults supervising! Now would you rather we have a fine dining experience or make sure your child isn't eating peanuts? We had to make sure there was no food throwing, no making fun, keeping our eyes on the medical issues, making sure "so and so" eats her carrots because mom called and was mad her kid came home with her carrots uneaten, make sure X doesn't sit by Y because mom called and X's feeling were hurt because Y said something to her, make sure nobody has gum, make sure nobody has a weapon, take the kids who want to go outside, outside, get them back in safe and back to class. How can we also add a nice sit down dinner and teach manners in that time. In 30 minutes?

You have been there is sounds like so how would you make this work? You yourself said you found it hard in the amount of time you had. Medical issues and safety issues have to come first. Social issues should come last.

Amy Wood 3-01-2009 @ 3:09PM

Joy--

Thanks for the clarification. . .I agree with no sit down dinner at school. Let's concentrate on sitting down to eat. That alone is what is wrong with lunch in schools--no time, too many kids, odd lunch times. I have a nephew who eats lunch at 10:30am. That is just crazy.

I am also on your side when it comes to parents wanting the teachers/volunteers, etc. to raise their children. Children should come to school with manners--they should also know how to behave at the "dinner table". The purpose of lunch time is just that--to eat lunch.

Maybe they should start making the students eat in the classroom like someone else said. We used to do that at our school--it was more quiet and calm. In addition, it was our classroom, so our teacher wanted to keep it clean. We had to stay in our seats and we could visit with our neighbors. If you bought a hot lunch, they had a cart that came around to each classroom and delivered it. I was always able to finish my meal and we always went outside for a nice recess. Ahhhh, the good ol' days.

Mary Sullivan 3-07-2009 @ 10:41AM

Good, no-nonsense post! Although some of the issues you brought up are more important than others, as far as monitoring...e.g., peanut allergies and knives can both be pretty serious and do need adult attention....whereas boys who punt eating in favor of recess, well, those parents just have to deal. (One of my 3 does this on a pretty regular basis, along with complaining about smell and chaos of the lunchroom. I wish he'd eat his sandwich more consistently, but what can you do? I try to work the silver-lining angle by putting out a ton of fruit and veggies after school, when the kids are starving and will eat almost anything, lol.)

Agree with your major point--the fine-dining thing is untenable in a public school. How about a family potluck--strictly voluntary--once or twice a year, hosted by the school? Everybody brings a dish, and it could be more manners-y, if that's what the community wants. Ultimately this type of learning falls in the "family" column, though.

regards,
Mary
http://www.squidoo.com/lovestamps

TERRI 3-03-2009 @ 4:42AM

This ad has hit it on the nail. Children do need more of a dining experience at school. The only problem is the teachers feel thats their time to run errands, gossip and go take smoke breaks. Having been a teacher myself for a number of years, i know what im talking about. These days teachers look at their job as just that- a job. The passion to make these kids better though education( be it academically or socially) has faded for most. I credit that to increasing stress in the community. Our kids are stressed too. Teachers do not get paid what they are worth, this is true, however, shouldnt the child leave school feeling like they have learned something every day? Maybe if we paid our teachers moe money, then they would feel like fulfillimg their duty to the utmost. Maybe they wont want stay in their bubble world where they are the victim. Our kids need pasionate teachers who care about them as a person- not just another name on their role call list.

Elizabeth 3-03-2009 @ 9:01AM

I'm currently an au pair in England, and at the school the children go to, they do sit down with their teacher in the lunch room, and they are expected to have proper dining manners (something we are trying to reinforce at home). They are also teaching the children how to make healthy eating decisions, providing fresh fruit and veggies as well as burgers and fries. I only wish more schools in the states were like this. Why can't they be?

CATHOLICSCHOOLMOM 3-19-2009 @ 8:41PM

Be grateful that your child isn't in Catholic school. My child is in 2nd grade, at a private Catholic school. They get 45 minutes, total, a day for lunch and recess each day!!
25 minutes lunch and 20 recess daily. The teacher who mans the lunch room is called the "LUNCH NAZI" she gives the children 5 minutes to talk and then they have 15 to force down the food they either had packed or hot lunch. This lady threatens them to have their food shoved down their throat (remember there are 65 2nd graders to be served and seated in this time and then eat) My child brings her packed lunch home, full many days, because she didn't have enough time to eat it all. And she has came home telling me that she threw up her soup or lunch because the lunch nazi threatened to hold anyone who didn't clean their plate in from their recess time that day.

Obviously, we are dealing with a hormonally challenged Old Bitty. I pray that children at other schools are given the opportunity to socialize and eat like normal, social beings. Kids get very little social time or visit time during the day, it's sad that kid's can't have a little joy in their long work days at school. My child has adjusted and I've bit my tongue and thank God my child is in the other class and doesn't have "THE LUNCH NAZI" all day.

I make sure she gets a great breakfast and dinner, but the stress of lunch time still pisses me off every school day, for my child!!