WWWMD? Picky Eater and School Lunches

[indyrowergirl]

Our DC provides all table food.  Breakfast, AM/PM snacks, and lunch.  We do breakfast at home because we're never there early enough.  DS1 is a picky eater.  He was great until sometime around the age of 2 when he figured out that the could say "no" and from then on, he's been picky.  Probably 3 out of 5 days a week, he skips lunch at school (or will only eat some small portion of it - like the bread).  This has been going on in earnest for about the last year and a half.  I was content with the situation because I figured, natural consequences and what not, he should learn that if he doesn't eat, he will get hungry/grumpy.  I didn't want to give in to the pickiness and make it any worse.  (Note that he eats plenty at other meals, so gaining weight and growth are not issues.)

Fast forward to this year.  I've noticed in the last few months that more and more of his classmates are bringing their lunches.  (They have labels on their cubbies to indicate who packs a lunch vs who eats the DC food.)  He's asked if he can bring his lunch.  So far I've refused because who needs one more thing to do, and again not wanting to give in to the pickiness.

WWWMD?  Pack lunch or continue to make him suck it up if he chooses not to eat the food that he is served? 

[pitta12]

I agree, I'd give it a try and if he doesn't eat it then he doesn't get to bring a lunchbox any more. DD is a picky eater and this is what we do with her (she's in K now). I kind of would rather pack lunch now so I know what she ate or didn't eat rather than paying $3/day for a lunch that I'm pretty sure went straight to the trash can. (I realize you are already paying for the DC lunches at this point so that's different.)

[mustardseed2007]

I agree with the PPs. I'd give it a try and see if the home lunches will still be sensible and nutritious. Part of me wonders how weird are the school lunches? For DS we mostly eat hot lunch from school. But I know he doesn't like a big chunk of meat, so the day they have baked chicken I make him a PB&J sandwich with a fruit and a veg (like cucumbers and carrots). He eats the whole thing including the veg, so it's cool.

But he will eat lunch on days that are a bit out of the box, like chili and tilapia. If your kid didn't want to eat chili and tilapia, I wouldn't be too concerned about that in any event.

[momofcatan]

If you can make a well rounded lunch, with some variety, I would go for it. More work sucks, but I like having control over what DD is eating for lunch. Can you look at the school menu ahead of time and make a plan with him for 2 days he will eat their food and 3 days he can bring his own? Will DC allow this?

[sugarcraze]

I'm with the other ladies - I'd at least give it a try. If he doesn't eat what you pack either, then I certainly wouldn't continue.

[allthedrinks]

That's a tough one. I think my decision would depend on what the DC was serving for lunch. My DC definitely serves better lunches than anything I could pack DD so I would not make her lunch, at least not every day. Maybe as pp have said pick a day you pack for him?

[theborg7of9]

I would not pack a lunch because I know it would be pbj every time and I want him to be exposed to a variety of food

[jmski]

Maybe pack 2 days a week and eat DC lunch three days a week

[indyrowergirl]

Thanks ladies! I checked with DC and sending lunch is an all or nothing deal. (Too much work/hassle for them to manage a kid who eats the food provided one day but a lunch from home the next.) I'm going to go ahead and give it a shot starting next week. I'm not sure how much variety I'll be able to pull off, but at least he'll be eating lunch (as opposed to skipping it as he does now). Thanks for the advice!