lunchtime woes

[jgmommo]

My 7yr old dd is in 1st grade at a small private school. There are 22 kids in her class (mixed age, 1-3rd grade) and they all eat lunch together. I should say they allegedly eat lunch together because she simply doesn't eat. I don't know if she's truly just not hungry by 11:15 when they eat or if she's just too busy talking. They can stay and eat as long as they want and in nice weather, they can eat outside if they want to, so it is not an issue of her being rushed.

I have had her make her lunch, which she enjoys doing. If there isn't time for her to make it, I ask her what she would like. I don't pack much. It doesn't seem to matter-- she just doesn't eat. She says a million different reasons why and nothing seems to help.

Anyone else in this situation? It really effects her behavior later in the day. They have a snack that the teacher sets out in the afternoon and the kids can just graze on it but it is very often junk like goldfish or crackers. I do not want or expect her teacher to monitor her lunch intake, and I think the teacher also agrees that is not her job.

Any ideas?

[Twocoolboys]

My 7 yr old son does not eat much for lunch at school, but he does eat a little. He has admitted to being too busy talking.

Would your dd be more likely to drink something healthy? What if you packed her a drinkable yogurt and/or some kind of juice that you know she loves? Or how about lowering your standards a little and putting in some food that you know would really entice her. Maybe there is some kind of middle of the road food that is still moderately healthy, but still a little more enticing so she'd eat it even if she is talking. I don't know what your packing for her - I know my son doesn't like it when I fill his lunch with all super healthy stuff - that's when he is likely to take a couple bird-sized bites and leave the rest.

It is hard to be the kid with the whole-wheat, home-made super cruchy lunch in a group of kids with really fun-looking, yummy pre-packaged stuff. I was that kid when I was little - lol. My mom made her own whole-wheat bread and I remember having these thick slabs of bread for my sandwhich and wishing that I could just have some wonder bread.

Does she eat the snack the teacher puts out? I don't think goldfish and crackers are all that bad and I think eating it would be better than going hungry.

But, if she really won't eat anything at lunch or snack, even if you get creative with it, then I wouldn't worry about it. You can't make someone eat. Just give her a snack asap when she gets home.

[chel]

my dd also has this issue. For a while she wasn't eating anything. She buys chocolate milk, but i don't know how much she drinks.
After talking about it, she asked for popcorn. It a microwave healthy kind. So while not totally good, it's not "butter lover's" evil either. It also keeps her very regular She still gets hungry by the end of the day and will become truly evil if she doesn't eat ASAP once she gets home. And then she eats almost an hour straight.

For my dd, is isn't so much she doesn't like what I pack, she actually eats all leftovers once she's home, I think it's more she'd rather talk at lunch. They just get so little free time at school. Everything is so organized. The only time to talk to friends is during a 10 minute recess!

[jgmommo]

Thanks for the responses. It made me realize that perhaps rethinking how I define lunch is what's needed. Her school has a fair mix of crunchy and not-so-crunchy types- lots of kids have those thick slabs of whole wheat bread but lots also have lunchables. So, I have been packing stuff like banana bread with a container of cream cheese for her to spread on it and she has loved that. Tonight she asked me to make a pb&J sandwich using banana bread as the bread. That will work. I also suggested cereal (with milk in a thermos) and she thought that was the funniest thing ever so we'll probably try it.