Every day I pack lunch for my boyfriend's daughter to take to middle school. In years past she's been pretty good about eating it all. She tells me what she does and doesn't like - and I give her foods that I know she eats at home. An average day's lunch would be a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread, a yogurt tube, some grapes, some mini carrots, and a box of orange juice. She has told me repeatedly that she prefers packed lunches to what is offered at school. Lately - she comes home with the fruit, the juice and the yogurt uneaten. I've asked what the reason might be - and she has no answer other than "I don't know." We talk with her about how some foods help your immune system and others help your organs - etc. But she won't eat the lunch. Her appetite at breakfast and dinner is just fine. She always has room for snacks or dessert. I'm guessing she's just socializing at school and not taking the time to eat. Has anybody else had this problem? What did you do?
2007-02-15 04:53:09 · 13 answers · asked by liddabet 6 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
First remember what you were like in Middle School. Lunch time is the main time to socialize and spend time talking about what you want to. Sounds like she's just busy with friends and not eating everything. She's eating some though so be glad of that. You do give her a HUGE variety of foods to choose from, she's not going hungry at lunch so don't worry about her. She'll be fine. She's getting plenty at breakfast and dinner at home. You're worrying too much. She's a kid after all.
2007-02-15 05:05:35 · answer #1 · answered by Melanie A 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If she's eating fine the rest of the time, I'd let it go. The kids in public schools DON'T have a lot of time for socialization and lunch is usually short, at our local schools 15 to 20 minutes, depending on when you class arrives.
What can you really do? Eating is an issue you cannot force. Unless you plan on showing up at school and sitting beside her through the entire meal. Humilating for her and a waste of time for you. Like I said, if she's eating fine the rest of the time, just keep packing it and let it come home. Ask her what she'd rather have. Maybe some apple juice or something. There's also a lot of pressure to eat the popular foods, so maybe if you could buy the juice in a can to look cooler (welch's in a can is very good) or even a water bottle, in some schools thats very popular, and get pudding in a tube instead of yogurt (same amount of milk and sugar as the gogurt)
2007-02-15 05:02:16 · answer #2 · answered by ? 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
She could just be socializing but she could also not want to eat in front of her peers.
I used to do this too... sometimes I'd eat the lunch other times I'd just toss the whole thing. Be grateful she's bringing the unused portion home instead of just junking it like I did!
I don't think this is a huge problem at all. Just start packing her a sandwich and a juice box. If she eats well at the other meals and is otherwise healthy, she's totally fine and you'll only cause a rift by harping on this minor issue.
2007-02-15 06:11:37 · answer #3 · answered by Goose&Tonic 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I will tell you how is it with me and it might help you a lot.I'm 15 and I have always had money for lunch(to buy what I like no matter where from) and I usually don't have lunch or have something fast and simple just to have a bite.I know I should eat and I perfectly know all the illnesses and other things I could get by not eating but I still don't eat(or eat rarely) and the reasons are few.First one - often,I'm not hungry and just don't eat because I haven't felt the hungry feeling.Second is because in the canteen there is nothing tasty,everything sucks.The reason with your girl might be about her schoolmates - for example I would never eat something I have packed from home because I feel it ashaming to bring something from home while my schoolmates buy what they want.
2007-02-15 05:36:14 · answer #4 · answered by Livia 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
one, don't give room for snacks and desserts. health food comes first. if she don't eat it with lunch, she eats it when she gets home, don't pack snacks till she learns to eat her real food. second, "I don't know" is not an acceptable answer. A bad habbit to get her into. This last life long if not stopped now. Find the real reason, which is likely, "I didn't want it" accept the answer, but don't accept the behavior.
2007-02-15 05:14:02 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I hardly ate lunch when I was in middle school and high school. They hardly gave enough time to eat AND socialize, so I chose what most of the others did and hung out with friends.
2007-02-15 05:04:09 · answer #6 · answered by ♥Me 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
For one they really do only have soooo much time for their group to eat and get out for the next group of kids. Its crazy and they really do get rushed so they eat the basic and spend the rest of the time socializing with friends they havent seen all day long. I was a teen girl once and thats what happennedd to me. My son comes hom everyday so its easy for me to feed him. I think your doing just fine- its just the time they have to eat and they need their friend time in there too!
2007-02-15 05:40:55 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I could be that she is just not hungry at lunch time.....I am 23....I know that when I was in middle and high school....I just was not hungry at their lunch time....which was 11:30. And if I was not hungry I did not eat....As long as she is eating well at home, and at least part of her lunch as school....she will be fine.....
2007-02-15 05:25:52 · answer #8 · answered by yetti 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes i've had this problem. my 12 year old girl gets lunch at school. we have actually caught her lying about eating at school. i think a lot of it for her is appearing that she's not a big eater. she used to be chunky and now is not so i think it's an appearance issue. i had her school counselor speak to her about anorexia even though it wasn't yet an issue. she usually eats right after school and again at dinner so i've tried to stop stressing about it. at least your daughter is eating the biggest part of the meal.
2007-02-15 05:00:15 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
i don't think there is any special trick to make older kids eat their lunch. stop nagging her and be happy she didn't throw the food away. as long as she is eating healthy at home than let her eat what she wants for lunch.
2007-02-15 05:02:30 · answer #10 · answered by Miki 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋