Izzy (and Mama) Eat: The Gourmand Goes To College...

Tales of Empty Nest and College Boy Eats.. The Next Chapter

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Singing The Lunchtime Blues...

Sandwiches coming home untouched, pasta barely eaten, Izzy's lunchbox was coming home in a sorry state. Something was surely amiss in the lunchroom but I knew not what. So I adjusted his lunch and instead of the usual two to three items, I put one measly sandwich or a small amount of pasta and vegetables.

Gone were any notions of packing a lunch like Albert's (including a whole array of delicacies) who is a character in one of our favorite story books, Bread and Jam for Frances. Instead I resigned myself to packing a paltry lunch for Izzy and then having a snack fiend arrive home from school at three o'clock and eat non-stop until dinner.

The reason for this odd eating behavior (which has also afflicted many of Izzy's schoolmates): a change in lunchtime. Lunch is now eaten at 11:30 instead of noon. After eating breakfast at 8:30 and snack at who knows when, it is no wonder that Izzy is not quite hungry for lunch at 11:30. Haven't they heard of elevenses?

Parents have voiced their concerns but since the lunch hour was changed as a result of various park issues, the lunch hour is likely to remain as is. It is up to the parents to come up with solutions.

Some mentioned serving smaller breakfasts, which I am opposed to doing. Isn't breakfast supposed to be the most important meal of the day? Other ideas that might prove more effective are: limiting snack portions, offering lighter snacks such as fruit, and allowing access to lunchboxes after park time.

An early lunchtime is certainly not ideal but neither is school lunching in general. If only we lived in France, where many school children still go home for lunch..

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