# What would you do if the State substituted your kid's lunch? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 16, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041 "2012-02-16T17:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/1 "2012-02-16T17:11:41Z")
A mom in North Carolina sent her 4 year old to pre-kindergarten with the following lunch packed from home: a turkey and cheese sandwich, a banana, potato chips and apple juice. A state inspector for the department of HHS happened to be in the school that day, inspected the child’s lunch, told her that the lunch her mom packed wasn’t healthy enough so they presented her a lunch tray from the cafeteria that was chicken nuggets, two veggies, bread and milk. The kid ate three of the chicken nuggets and took her lunch from home back to her mom along with a note that she had been charged $1.25 for the school lunch. [http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/homemade-lunch-replaced-with-cafeteria-nuggets.html](http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/homemade-lunch-replaced-with-cafeteria-nuggets.html) Is this truly where we’ve come to? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/2 "2012-02-16T17:42:44Z")
Pit thread in progress: > **[Food police](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=642194)** > > Government agents go lunch box -to- lunch box in a Carolina kindergarten lunchroom and give a little girl state-approved chicken nuggets because her homemade lunch wasnt acceptable by “The Division of Child Development and Early Education at the... ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/3 "2012-02-16T19:17:02Z")
I’d go apeshit, considering my daughter’s food allergies. She’s smart enough to know what she can and can’t eat, but if an authority figure told her to substitute her lunch for something else, she might feel intimitated enough to listen. Whether or not the story is true. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/4 "2012-02-16T19:21:35Z")
Honestly, I probably wouldn’t even notice. Ooh, my kid ate chicken nuggets instead of a turkey sandwich. And I give a crap because? I’d be irritated if they charged me for it, but since they didn’t, hey, give my kid all the free food you want. Go nuts. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/5 "2012-02-16T19:36:05Z")
To MsWhatsit: According to the OP, the kid came home with a bill for the lunch! I think the Inspector needs to keep his attention focused on what the cafeteria serves, and on the needs of the kids in the subsidized lunch program. And if that isn’t enough to keep him busy then somebody call Jamie Oliver to put this guy to work. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/6 "2012-02-16T19:41:23Z")
If it makes anyone feel better, what the OP lays out didn’t exactly go down that way: [Story update](http://www.fox2now.com/news/ktvi-preschoolers-meal-was-not-replaced-mom-was-never-charged-fee-20120216,0,5771122.story) ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/7 "2012-02-16T19:42:28Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > To MsWhatsit: > > According to the OP, the kid came home with a bill for the lunch! > > I think the Inspector needs to keep his attention focused on what the cafeteria serves, and on the needs of the kids in the subsidized lunch program. And if that isn’t enough to keep him busy then somebody call Jamie Oliver to put this guy to work. Yeah, the link in the OP has incorrect facts. The Pit thread has a link to an [article with updated information](http://www.fox2now.com/news/ktvi-preschoolers-meal-was-not-replaced-mom-was-never-charged-fee-20120216,0,5771122.story). Nobody was charged, no food was taken away. A kid was given extra food. Big whoop. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/8 "2012-02-16T23:43:11Z")
Actually, the parent not being charged cheezes me even more! Our tax dollars are paying for those GAWD-awful chicken nuggets, and the poor teachers have become lunch inspectors! In these days of increasing class sizes, teachers using outdated textbooks, and never enough school supplies, it is grating that a kid who brings a decent lunch to school is given subsidized chicken nuggets as a supplement FOR FREE. I bet the accounting department in that school district is seriously whack! ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/9 "2012-02-17T00:45:19Z")
The Nanny State has managed to rise to even higher levels of absurdity. Now we are inspecting kids lunches? Parents can’t even decide what their child will eat? Ace \ where will this stupidity stop? ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/10 "2012-02-17T01:25:57Z")
This preschooler was not part of a regular school program. The public preschool program in NC is for at-risk kids, usually defined as such because they’re economically disadvantaged. Most, if not all, of these kids would qualify for free or reduced price lunches. That’s probably why they’re keeping an eye on what they bring for lunch - to make sure they’re getting enough to eat. Regular public school for kids in NC starts with kindergarten. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/11 "2012-02-17T01:26:13Z")
Subsidized preschool programs for at-risk kids are more encompassing than regular school, that’s kind of the point of them. Kids from low income families are at a higher risk of malnutrition and developing poor eating habits, so that is being addressed. I find this situation unnecessary only because it sounds like the girl’s lunch was fine, but if it had been pure junk, I would have been all for them supplementing it with better food. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/12 "2012-02-17T02:01:40Z")
I’d probably be embarrassed, then start packing better lunches. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/13 "2012-02-17T02:24:22Z")
Since my daughter has severe food allergies, if she was 4 I would have been very ticked off indeed. But that’s pretty much why I didn’t send her to school at that age. At 4 she was still learning to hold her ground about food, and if an adult had assured her that something was OK she might have eaten it. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/14 "2012-02-17T02:50:04Z")
> [@](#): > > WHAT CONSTITUTES A USDA-APPROVED LUNCH FOR PRESCHOOLERS? > > The state guidelines require that one serving of meat, one serving of grains, one serving of dairy, and two servings of fruits or vegetables are provided with each meal. Turkey – meat Sandwich bread – grains Cheese – dairy Banana, apple juice, potato chips – fruit. Not sure if chips are a veggie, but I wouldn’t count them. So what am I missing? How did this lunch fail USDA guidelines? ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/15 "2012-02-17T02:50:56Z")
Oh, for the love of god, is it too difficult to ask people to read the links that have been provided in this thread AND the other one? ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/16 "2012-02-17T03:56:35Z")
For those who don’t want to read the link-they felt that the lunch should be supplemented with milk. Rather than give her just milk, they gave the child an entire lunch tray. She chose to eat the chicken nuggets instead of her sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/17 "2012-02-17T04:03:06Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > Oh, for the love of god, is it too difficult to ask people to read the links that have been provided in this thread AND the other one? We are not now discussing that, but discussing what we would do in the case of the school subbing out our lunch for a school lunch. Frankly, going by y memories of public school foods, I would be extremely pissed off about it. When I do cook and pack a lunch for my goddaughters, it is _very_ nutritious - they have no food allergies, but they get very carefully portion controlled foods following a specific nutrition plan similar to my diabetic one [their parents prefer to very carefully follow portion control and making sure they get appropriate meals and snacks for their age groups. Also, no breaded fried garbage foods like commercial chicken nuggets. No sugar laden death bombs - for sweets they get whole fruits.] ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/18 "2012-02-17T04:25:51Z")
So, the child made a choice, told her mother a garbled version of the incident that doesn’t really jibe with what’s been discovered since, and the right wing went batshit insane and used this as an example of how stupid/over-reaching/totalitarian the government is, and how perfect/beyond reproach the child/mother is. Got it. I’ll remember this next time somebody pulls out the “we’re the smartest, hippest people on the 'net” line. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/19 "2012-02-17T05:24:47Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > When I do cook and pack a lunch for my goddaughters, it is _very_ nutritious - they have no food allergies, but they get very carefully portion controlled foods following a specific nutrition plan similar to my diabetic one [their parents prefer to very carefully follow portion control and making sure they get appropriate meals and snacks for their age groups. Also, no breaded fried garbage foods like commercial chicken nuggets. No sugar laden death bombs - for sweets they get whole fruits.] Very carefully portion controlling food for healthy kids sounds pretty weird and anal. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/20 "2012-02-17T05:52:17Z")
Since this presumably wouldn’t be the first time I’d heard about the requirements for lunches from home, I’d go and check those requirements to see what I left out. If I had left something out I’d go get some of that and start including it. If I was pretty sure the lunch was OK, I’d call the school up and find out what exactly happened. If it was a mistake and the school realized it, I’d acknowledge that and move on. If it was a mistake and they didn’t realize it, I’d explain it to them and follow up closely. I know, it’s not as sexy as losing my shit and busting some heads in righteous indignation over the nanny state and its balanced-diet tyranny. I guess that’s why it’s a good thing I don’t have kids. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041.md?page=2)