Things Have Changed in “Lunch Lady Land”

Last night was new parent orientation at the school and Pre-K orientation.  Most of this meeting was finding out about times that school starts and ends, volunteer opportunities and how the drop off/pick up process works.  We also learned about there “Specials”.  These are what I would call call extra curricular.  My kids will get to have P.E and Computer class.  Sadly music is out :-(  What I found most interesting though was the school lunch program.

Now I will start this by stating that I started 1st grade in 1976, so things were very different from what my children will experience.  First off,,and yes sounding like my parents, when I was in elementary school lunch cost $.50.  Now my kids will pay $1.75 for there lunch and 0$0.50 for a carton of milk.  They also get choices and can pick from two different entry’s and have some choices of sides.   Yes, you can even have it “your way” in the school cafeteria. 

When I was in school if you knew were going to be purchasing lunch everyday for a week or a month you could purchase a lunch ticket.  The “lovely” lady that took the money would check off each day of the week on your ticket so you didn’t have to remember your lunch money.  Another, thing that periodically happened was the dreaded “I forgot my lunch” then you would simply ask the teacher for a charge slip.  You turn this into the lunch lady and would get the lovely cafeteria meal of the day.  The next day you would bring in the money you owed for the previous day’s meal.

Well now the local bully whom steals lunch money has to work a little harder at for the change.  Both of the kids will be issued a “lunch number”  For my daughter I will send her lunch money in an envelope that has her number.  I am sure it will be similar for my son, as he is only in the first grade.  The teachers collect the envelopes and turn them into the lunch room attendants.  Then each time they purchase lunch they tell the cashier there lunch number and she then debits there account.  To make matters even easier and harder for the lunch money stealing bully I can go on line and set up an account for each child.  This account would be attached to my debit card and they would debit my card each time my child makes a purchase!  I can see the ice cream cart taking up any raise I hope to get in the future, so we will think about that before we sign up!

I have just sat down with my son and gone over the menu for next week and he has decided to purchase his lunch all but one day.  With our daughters speech and processing delays I will have to ask her on a daily bases, but since she is such a good eater I may just go ahead and have her buy when he dose.  I imagine after a few weeks when the novelty of school lunch wears off on my son I will be packing his Goober jelly sandwiches or ham sandwiches.  Unless the actual quality off the food has gone up with the price and new payment technology.  Hmm,,, we shall see……..