Author Topic: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?  (Read 5953 times)

swampwiz

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I was reading how parents in Denver are taking advantage of not paying for their kids' school-lunch:

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/08/denver-schools-end-lunch-shaming-unpaid-lunches-grow/

This got me thinking that perhaps some super-early Moustachians here are taking advantage of free school lunch for their kids.  I suppose that the penumbra of this would be SNAP benefits, although that typically has work requirements.

beer-man

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2018, 05:29:51 PM »
Yep, the program started in our area a few years ago. We do free lunches, We don’t take advantage of the breakfast cause the food they serve is mostly processed junk...plus our family breakfast time with 3 little ones is precious.


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charis

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2018, 05:49:47 PM »
Everyone gets free lunch at our school, no income inquiry. We mainly do it to save time/we are lazy.

mak1277

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2018, 06:29:01 AM »
I would never do this.

MayDay

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2018, 06:35:22 AM »
Generally schools get more funding the higher percentage of FRL kids. So they usually want to sign up anyone they possibly can.

My kids don't qualify but I'd use it if we did,if the school wanted us to.

beer-man

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #5 on: August 09, 2018, 06:37:40 AM »
I would never do this.
Why not?


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CopperTex

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #6 on: August 09, 2018, 06:40:21 AM »
I wouldn't give my kids free lunch even if we qualified for it. I call it "prison food". Pure junk.

beer-man

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #7 on: August 09, 2018, 06:43:08 AM »
I wouldn't give my kids free lunch even if we qualified for it. I call it "prison food". Pure junk.
Where I’m at it’s actually pretty good. I’m surprised at the variety sometimes and the quality of food. Plus I’ve worked at a jail and it’s nothing like jail food. Jail food is whatever is cheapest in bulk....the school lunches are designed and planned in advance


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Mississippi Mudstache

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #8 on: August 09, 2018, 06:52:47 AM »
All children in our school district get free breakfast, so we take advantage of that. We pack their lunches, and would probably do so most days even if we qualified for free lunch, which we don't.

CrustyBadger

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #9 on: August 09, 2018, 06:58:14 AM »
Our school district provided free breakfast to all students in certain schools with high poverty (high FARMS rate) as part of a grant funded program by Walmart, I believe.

My children often ate breakfast at home, and then a second breakfast at school, in the years this program was in effect.   I think it was mostly foods like cereal and prepackaged pancakes, milk and juice. 

The district also operates free summer lunch programs at certain schools meant for ANY children living in the area, no id or application required and no income restrictions.  The year my first child was in kindergarten and my daughter was a toddler we went a few weeks to this program one summer.  The food was truly awful most days.  We stopped going.

mak1277

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #10 on: August 09, 2018, 07:01:55 AM »
I would never do this.
Why not?


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Because I don't believe in taking handouts, especially when I don't need them.
Because I don't want my kid stigmatized as being in need of handouts.

Free school meals are intended for people who need them...not for people who choose to retire early.

MayDay

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2018, 07:08:44 AM »
No one knows who gets FRL and even if they did, it only has a stig a if people think it does and act like it does.

Every kid has a lunch number that they tell the lunch lady. Whether they pay or get free. It's no big deal.


mak1277

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2018, 07:13:31 AM »
No one knows who gets FRL and even if they did, it only has a stig a if people think it does and act like it does.

Every kid has a lunch number that they tell the lunch lady. Whether they pay or get free. It's no big deal.

Even if that's the case, my first reason stands.

charis

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #13 on: August 09, 2018, 07:22:33 AM »
I would never do this.
Why not?


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Because I don't believe in taking handouts, especially when I don't need them.
Because I don't want my kid stigmatized as being in need of handouts.

Free school meals are intended for people who need them...not for people who choose to retire early.

This is not the case in some districts, including ours, where everyone gets offered lunch everyday.  There is no sign up, it's just there, same with breakfast and afternoon snack, which are served in the classroom.  Do you instruct your children to turn down a classroom snack because it's a handout?  (because it is)

Kids take what they want and leave what they don't want.  This is the case starting in pre-K.  Thus, none of the children are aware that a stigma ever existed, which is the point of the program.  I let my kids decide whether they want to bring lunch or get school lunch.  It's far from prison food - my children often choose whatever fresh fruit or veg is offered that day.  It has nothing to do with retiring early or saving money.  My kids eat leftovers and we buy in bulk, so the saving would be negligible if any. 

Cranky

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #14 on: August 09, 2018, 07:29:16 AM »
2/3 of my kids thought school lunch was horribly gross, and wouldn't have taken it for free.

The other one adored school lunch and was pretty bitter that "everyone" else got free lunch (we're in a very high poverty district) and I only let her buy lunch twice/week. I'm pretty sure she usually traded her sandwich for fish sticks, though.

If everyone got free lunch, and my kid wanted school lunch, fine.

But otherwise, no, I am well aware that there is a limited pool of money available to provide benefits to people who need them, and so I wouldn't use resources that someone else needs.

boarder42

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #15 on: August 09, 2018, 07:40:12 AM »
I would never do this.
Why not?


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Because I don't believe in taking handouts, especially when I don't need them.
Because I don't want my kid stigmatized as being in need of handouts.

Free school meals are intended for people who need them...not for people who choose to retire early.

so where do you draw the line at handouts then?

do you take all your tax deductions?
Do you plan to use the ACA with a subsidy?
Do you contribute to qualified retirement accounts?
Are you planning to recieve social security and medicare?

or do you just pay the max amount of money to the govt possible.

partdopy

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #16 on: August 09, 2018, 08:58:03 AM »
I would never do this.
Why not?


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Because I don't believe in taking handouts, especially when I don't need them.
Because I don't want my kid stigmatized as being in need of handouts.

Free school meals are intended for people who need them...not for people who choose to retire early.

I agree with not taking handouts, but I assume you pay property taxes every year that go to school funding, so I wouldn't classify this as a handout but rather getting something in return for your money.

I get it as a lesson to your kids in self reliance though.

mak1277

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #17 on: August 09, 2018, 09:06:07 AM »
If everyone got free lunch, and my kid wanted school lunch, fine.

But otherwise, no, I am well aware that there is a limited pool of money available to provide benefits to people who need them, and so I wouldn't use resources that someone else needs.

Agree here...if school lunch is free (full stop), then I'd have no problem with my kid getting free school lunch.  But if it's a benefit for people who need it, then I would not accept a free lunch for my kid if I was early retired and had the means to afford lunch.

mak1277

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #18 on: August 09, 2018, 09:09:25 AM »
I would never do this.
Why not?


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Because I don't believe in taking handouts, especially when I don't need them.
Because I don't want my kid stigmatized as being in need of handouts.

Free school meals are intended for people who need them...not for people who choose to retire early.

so where do you draw the line at handouts then?

do you take all your tax deductions?
Do you plan to use the ACA with a subsidy?
Do you contribute to qualified retirement accounts?
Are you planning to recieve social security and medicare?

or do you just pay the max amount of money to the govt possible.

Tax deductions are not benefits for people without means.  They are available to all based on the tax law.  I absolutely take my tax deductions.

As for social security and medicare, I plan to receive that only because (in theory) I'm only receiving back the money I put into the system during my working days.  I fully support the idea of individual/portable/self-directed social security where I get to manage the money I pay into the system.

ACA with a subsidy....I will admit I am very conflicted about this.  I fully support that it should be means-tested and people with a high net worth should not get the subsidy just because they have no earned income.  When it comes time to make a real decision on this, I'm not sure what I'm going to do to be completely honest. 

boarder42

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #19 on: August 09, 2018, 09:22:43 AM »
I would never do this.
Why not?


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Because I don't believe in taking handouts, especially when I don't need them.
Because I don't want my kid stigmatized as being in need of handouts.

Free school meals are intended for people who need them...not for people who choose to retire early.

so where do you draw the line at handouts then?

do you take all your tax deductions?
Do you plan to use the ACA with a subsidy?
Do you contribute to qualified retirement accounts?
Are you planning to recieve social security and medicare?

or do you just pay the max amount of money to the govt possible.

Tax deductions are not benefits for people without means.  They are available to all based on the tax law.  I absolutely take my tax deductions.

As for social security and medicare, I plan to receive that only because (in theory) I'm only receiving back the money I put into the system during my working days.  I fully support the idea of individual/portable/self-directed social security where I get to manage the money I pay into the system.

ACA with a subsidy....I will admit I am very conflicted about this.  I fully support that it should be means-tested and people with a high net worth should not get the subsidy just because they have no earned income.  When it comes time to make a real decision on this, I'm not sure what I'm going to do to be completely honest.

who do you think lines the pockets of the politicians that make these tax laws we exploit that are favorable to those with means.  depends on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go on ethics.  If the metric that has been decided by the govt for whatever the case is FAFSA food stamps etc. and i meet that why would i not use it just like Warren Buffett says he should pay more taxes but won't do it out of the kindness of his heart.  We overly exploit the system in place here that was put there by the rich and for the rich.  So I guess i jsut dont like moral arguements around systems that are there and were decided by the govt.

mak1277

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #20 on: August 09, 2018, 09:27:53 AM »
I would never do this.
Why not?


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Because I don't believe in taking handouts, especially when I don't need them.
Because I don't want my kid stigmatized as being in need of handouts.

Free school meals are intended for people who need them...not for people who choose to retire early.

so where do you draw the line at handouts then?

do you take all your tax deductions?
Do you plan to use the ACA with a subsidy?
Do you contribute to qualified retirement accounts?
Are you planning to recieve social security and medicare?

or do you just pay the max amount of money to the govt possible.

Tax deductions are not benefits for people without means.  They are available to all based on the tax law.  I absolutely take my tax deductions.

As for social security and medicare, I plan to receive that only because (in theory) I'm only receiving back the money I put into the system during my working days.  I fully support the idea of individual/portable/self-directed social security where I get to manage the money I pay into the system.

ACA with a subsidy....I will admit I am very conflicted about this.  I fully support that it should be means-tested and people with a high net worth should not get the subsidy just because they have no earned income.  When it comes time to make a real decision on this, I'm not sure what I'm going to do to be completely honest.

who do you think lines the pockets of the politicians that make these tax laws we exploit that are favorable to those with means.  depends on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go on ethics.  If the metric that has been decided by the govt for whatever the case is FAFSA food stamps etc. and i meet that why would i not use it just like Warren Buffett says he should pay more taxes but won't do it out of the kindness of his heart.  We overly exploit the system in place here that was put there by the rich and for the rich.  So I guess i jsut dont like moral arguements around systems that are there and were decided by the govt.

The government doesn't, hasn't, and never will define what I consider moral.  Obviously there is no bright line here, and you can make logical arguments that make sense on both sides of each point you brought up.  I have made my personal decision about most of those things. 

Free school lunches are, in many places, put in place to help people in need.  If I retire early and can afford my child's lunch, I will not accept free lunch just because I chose to retire and have no earned income.  That crosses the line for me.  Your mileage may vary, and I couldn't care less.

Scotland2016

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #21 on: August 09, 2018, 09:37:36 AM »
I worked at an elementary school with universal free breakfast and lunch. At first I thought it was a great idea because no one would feel shamed or singled out, but I think the policy backfires. The school needed to keep the number of children taking the free food up or else they would lose the program. Therefore, it was rule that they had to take the food even if they didn't like or want it. Huge amounts of food were thrown out unopened. Probably more than was eaten.

Fishindude

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #22 on: August 09, 2018, 09:44:03 AM »
I would never do this.
Why not?


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Because I don't believe in taking handouts, especially when I don't need them.
Because I don't want my kid stigmatized as being in need of handouts.

Free school meals are intended for people who need them...not for people who choose to retire early.

Amen !
100% Agreement.

px4shooter

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #23 on: August 09, 2018, 09:54:32 AM »
If less people exploited the free meals, would the quality of food increase for those that actually need it?

boarder42

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #24 on: August 09, 2018, 10:01:08 AM »
If less people exploited the free meals, would the quality of food increase for those that actually need it?

if less billionaires paid accountants to exploit tax law for maximum gain would we be in debt as a country?

charis

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #25 on: August 09, 2018, 10:02:58 AM »
I think the title of this thread and the OP are confusing.  I consider myself to a fairly new or early mustachian, but we are far from retired.  I probably wouldn't attempt to qualify for an income-based free lunch if I was FIRE. 

But a small part of the reason that I don't turn it down now is because I like the fact that my kids and others don't perceive free-lunch students as being different or poor.

Mississippi Mudstache

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #26 on: August 09, 2018, 10:33:13 AM »
If less people exploited the free meals, would the quality of food increase for those that actually need it?

No. All school lunches must meet basic Federal requirements, but decisions about the specific foods to serve and the methods of preparation are made by local school authorities. The USDA's National School Lunch Program picks up the tab for free and reduced lunches, so your local school system doesn't care whether you or the federal government is paying. I would wager that if free lunches were suddenly made available to everyone, the quality would increase, because many people who currently send their kids with pre-packed lunches would want to take advantage and would be more effective advocates for better lunches than the people who currently receive free and reduced lunches.

boarder42

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #27 on: August 09, 2018, 10:38:57 AM »
If less people exploited the free meals, would the quality of food increase for those that actually need it?

No. All school lunches must meet basic Federal requirements, but decisions about the specific foods to serve and the methods of preparation are made by local school authorities. The USDA's National School Lunch Program picks up the tab for free and reduced lunches, so your local school system doesn't care whether you or the federal government is paying. I would wager that if free lunches were suddenly made available to everyone, the quality would increase, because many people who currently send their kids with pre-packed lunches would want to take advantage and would be more effective advocates for better lunches than the people who currently receive free and reduced lunches.

yep i can see this happening.

Cranky

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #28 on: August 09, 2018, 10:47:31 AM »
How great is lunch going to be for $2 - much of which goes to labor costs? School lunch programs are not money makers for the school system.

mak1277

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #29 on: August 09, 2018, 10:59:28 AM »
If less people exploited the free meals, would the quality of food increase for those that actually need it?

if less billionaires paid accountants to exploit tax law for maximum gain would we be in debt as a country?

Strawman

boarder42

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #30 on: August 09, 2018, 11:24:08 AM »
If less people exploited the free meals, would the quality of food increase for those that actually need it?

if less billionaires paid accountants to exploit tax law for maximum gain would we be in debt as a country?

Strawman

its not a strawman they are the same exact thing the govt creating a system and someone exploiting it for their own gain at the expense of others.  you can call it what you want i just find it quite humerous where people choose to draw their moral lines with exploitation of a system thats legal.

and to be fair i'm not necessarily advocating for this nor do i know if i would do it if i had income at that level i'm just playing devils advocate to the idea that this crosses some line that everything else we eploit doesnt.
« Last Edit: August 09, 2018, 11:35:06 AM by boarder42 »

Mississippi Mudstache

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #31 on: August 09, 2018, 11:26:27 AM »
How great is lunch going to be for $2 - much of which goes to labor costs? School lunch programs are not money makers for the school system.

We spend less that that on our kids' lunches, and they're full of nutritious food that they'll actually eat. Of course, we don't include our labor costs in the calculations, which as you point our comprise a large portion of school lunch cost.

robartsd

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #32 on: August 09, 2018, 01:08:04 PM »
Qualifying for and taking advantage of subsidies is one thing. Not paying expected costs because there isn't an effective enforcement program is a different game. I guess the school district should start reporting the parent's debt to the credit agencies.

I don't know if my family growing up even tried to qualify for school lunch programs - we probably would have qualified for reduced price at least part of the time I was in school (but by then I may have stopped eating cafeteria food at all). Kids did know when a classmate in line before them had a free lunch - we either paid cash or the cashier looked up the student on a list and checked them off. A few times I did forget my lunch or lunch money and got the "alternative lunch" (I think it was a grilled cheese sandwich and applesauce - better than some of the lunches I would bring when I didn't care for what was on the menu). It wasn't a big deal, but it probably would have been if that's what I ate regularly.

Cranky

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #33 on: August 09, 2018, 01:46:45 PM »
How great is lunch going to be for $2 - much of which goes to labor costs? School lunch programs are not money makers for the school system.

We spend less that that on our kids' lunches, and they're full of nutritious food that they'll actually eat. Of course, we don't include our labor costs in the calculations, which as you point our comprise a large portion of school lunch cost.

Yes, and that's why I packed lunches even for the kid who *liked* school pizza. But you are never going to get some fabulous gourmet organic locally sourced school lunch at school lunch prices (and an enormous percentage of the kids would go "Yuck!" even if you did.

Back in the day, the lunch ladies at my school were in the kitchen cooking at 7 AM, and it was all made from scratch (and I still thought it was gross) but the whole labor/ingredient pricing structure is different now.

mm1970

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #34 on: August 09, 2018, 02:05:22 PM »
I was reading how parents in Denver are taking advantage of not paying for their kids' school-lunch:

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/08/denver-schools-end-lunch-shaming-unpaid-lunches-grow/

This got me thinking that perhaps some super-early Moustachians here are taking advantage of free school lunch for their kids.  I suppose that the penumbra of this would be SNAP benefits, although that typically has work requirements.
Starting last school year, everyone at our elementary school got free lunch.  Prior to that, we paid for it.

Every student in the district at all grade levels gets free breakfast.

Over the last decade the district started providing free lunch to all students in some schools - generally with the largest % of poor students.  The district has made it a goal to expand this to other schools.  So as of last year, there were 6 or 7 of the 10 elementary schools who were getting free lunch, and 1 of the 4 junior high schools. 

This year, I know they've added at least one other junior high.

As our kids go to the "poor" schools - last year in elementary they got free lunch, and this year one in elementary and one in junior high, I think still get free lunch.  They sent me the link to add money to the account, but last year the button was missing because of the school we are in.

Also, the food is very healthy at our schools (California).  Lots of local produce, freshly made, and we aren't relying on full reimbursement from the government for that.  They also have free meals in the summer and free dinner at about 6 locations each evening - $5 for adults to buy a meal.  They make enough money on the adult meals to offset the cost of the lunches.

NV Teacher

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #35 on: August 10, 2018, 09:35:42 AM »
As a kid I ate school lunch everyday.  It was good food that was prepared from scratch at the school.  The food that is served at my school now is junk.  It arrives frozen on little cardboard boxes that are heat and serve.  The food is tasteless, greasy, and gross.  I’d say that at a minimum 60% is thrown away everyday.  Such a waste.

robartsd

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #36 on: August 23, 2018, 12:54:41 PM »
As a kid I ate school lunch everyday.  It was good food that was prepared from scratch at the school.  The food that is served at my school now is junk.  It arrives frozen on little cardboard boxes that are heat and serve.  The food is tasteless, greasy, and gross.  I’d say that at a minimum 60% is thrown away everyday.  Such a waste.
I got to experience the difference by switching schools in 4th grade. I went to looking at the lunch menu to decided which days to pack a lunch (I didn't care for a particular item) to looking at the lunch menu to decide which days to buy lunch (I liked a few items a lot). My favorite school lunch was french bread pizza; but I think both schools prepared that from bread baked elsewhere, canned sauce, and frozen shredded cheese.

ixtap

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #37 on: August 23, 2018, 12:58:30 PM »
As a kid I ate school lunch everyday.  It was good food that was prepared from scratch at the school.  The food that is served at my school now is junk.  It arrives frozen on little cardboard boxes that are heat and serve.  The food is tasteless, greasy, and gross.  I’d say that at a minimum 60% is thrown away everyday.  Such a waste.

That's what my lunches were like in the 1970s. Well, I think they arrived in aluminum foil trays, rather than cardboard but they were definitely heat and serve.

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #38 on: August 23, 2018, 01:31:34 PM »
Never here, the lunches look like dog food, might as well poison the kids. Ketchup is considered the vegtable. I would take the free lunch if the food was good though.  Check out this video on what the school lunches look like in other countries. Makes ours look like a joke.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WfNMemslD1E#

seattlecyclone

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #39 on: August 23, 2018, 01:59:48 PM »
The advice given by my state government is "Households with income levels below certain thresholds (see the tables below) are encouraged to apply for any or all of the programs listed above." They do not in any way encourage people to think twice about applying unless their kids are literally starving, so as not to somehow deprive needier students from getting the help they need. Instead, everyone who meets the requirements is officially encouraged to apply. That's good enough for me. If we happen to have a qualifying income (below $45.5k for a family of four), we'll fill out the forms.

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Re: Any super-early Moustachians getting free school-lunch benny for kids?
« Reply #40 on: August 23, 2018, 06:05:59 PM »
The lunches at both the school districts we've lived in have been pretty good. Stuff like brown rice with chicken, tamales, pasta.... Fresh fruit, veggies, and milk every day. There's hotdogs and pizza too, but if I were packing lunch for my kids I'd probably pack those some days too. My son also really likes the school food. Considering how much I pay in property taxes, I don't think I'd feel any qualms about taking advantage of the FRL program if we qualified. Unfortunately we never have.