ONLY 20 Mins for Lunch and Recess!!

First of all, let his teacher know that he is a slow eater and needs more time to eat - and then address it immediately with the school administration and find out why that is the policy - maybe they will accommodate your child personally somehow or lengthen the lunch period for everyone. First graders usually have more than lunch recess when they are sent outside to run around - he could snack then as well - but he should have time to eat lunch and 20 minutes is really short. As for food suggestions - orange (citrus) slices are easier to eat than a whole one that needs peeling - grapes/raisins are easy - crackers with good ingredients (not just saltines) and cheese you cut into shapes with a cookie cutter - carrot and celery stix with dressing to dip in - granola bars are good - Z-bars are my son's favorite and they are pretty good content-wise - I am a label-reader and avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils especially - canola as it has been shown to clog up the spleen - my son doesn't like to take a sandwich - meat gets yucky and he is tired of peanut butter - so he takes a boiled egg (we have our own chickens and he loves them) and a bit of salt - plain potato chips or fritos are decent ingredient-wise but most chips have some flavoring which isn't great for the body in them - dried fruit or even fresh fruit salad is good and healthy as well - good luck.

you don't say how old your son is, but as a former kindergarten teacher I know lunch time is a challenging time for many children. You can help by making sure your child has a hearty breakfast, and if it is allowed, pack him a nourishing mid-morning snack. For lunch, many children like to eat a cup of yogurt or some cheese and crackers and an easy fruit like grapes or an already peeled tangerine. Try to stay away from chips and sweets which will make him cranky later in the day. Allow the chocolate milk - it's filling and better for him than sugary juice drinks. Be sure he has a good snack as soon as he gets home. Also, be aware that some kids will ditch their lunch in order to get more time on the playground. If it is possible, volunteer as an occassional cafeteria monitor so that you know what's going on - the school will be grateful for the help, regardless of your motive. good luck.

Are you sure the 20 mins is for lunch and recess combined? If so, I'd contact the school w/your concerns. That is just not right! 15 min. for recess and 20 for lunch is more the norm.

That said, my son was the same way...slow and selective eater..we worked with the teacher. At first, he was allowed to finish at his desk, then peer pressure kicked in. He adjusted on his own, knowing he'd not eat much if he dawdled, which with Aspergers is a common trait (not that your son has that). But I just let him eat what he wanted at first. Over time, he started getting so hungry by lunch that he ate faster and ate more. He still doesn't finish (he's in 3rd grade now), but he eats what he wants and it's not an issue. I just make sure he has a nutritious snack, like a sandwich when he gets home because he is hungry, and I don't want him to be hungry before homework.

But the squeaky wheel gets the grease on the timing...and rallying other parents helps.

WOW! My first response would be to have a serious meeting with the principal and ask what the ______ she/he is thinking. I know schools think they are so short on time to cram all the knowledge the govt says our kids heads need to absorb, but that is a little insane. 20 min for lunch alone should be a bare minimum. Kids need to eat slow to actually digest the food. If they learn they need to wolf there food down, there will be far worse consequences for the kids. Let me guess, they have to eat first, and then whatever time is left they have for recess? Gee how many kids choose sitting to eat all their lunch over getting to play on the playground? Get the parents together and protest! Bring in scientific research that shows just how bad it is to eat so fast, or for kids to skip lunch, as most will probably eat the cookies in the lunch and head straight to the playground.
The ideal setup is 20-30 min recess time, then 20-30 min for lunch after. This way they get all the pent up energy out before they need to sit still and eat, wont get cramps or digestive issues from running around to soon after eating, and wont feel that they need to scarf it in and run to keep from missing out on play time. They will tend to sit and eat as long as possible to avoid going back to class :-)

Anyway, this may take time to resolve, so in the meantime, Pick your sons absolute FAVORITE foods. If he loves apples more than oranges, pack sliced apples for him. Easier and faster to eat than a whole apple. My daughter is a very slow eater, which i do not discourage. I usually pack her sliced strips of chicken breast, steak, or ham for lunch. Little finger sizes strips are great protein source and easy for them to eat quickly.

Try not to mess with things he may not be able to get open by himself, or that needs a spoon, as he may not be able to get help fast enough. If you want to pack applesauce or canned fruits, pack them in a small reusable cup. The lids are easier to get off, and if you pack canned fruit you can drain the juice so its not so messy like the prepackaged fruit cups. put juice or the drink in a reusable flip top sipper. Spouts can be very hard to drink from sometimes. and juice boxes can be messy, or hard to mess with the straw and get it into the box or pouch.

Try one of the Odawalla type fruit juices they sell in the produce section. Many have a lot of vitamins, and some have added protien. Find one he really likes.

Try to stay away from starches, as they will not help him nourishment wise, and can make it harder for him to diegest the protiens it sounds like he needs.

If you need to make him a sandwich, slice it up in 1/4's for him. faster and funner to eat smaller pieces that fit in his mouth better. Or try wrapping in tortilla, really long and thin over short and fat rolling, easier for him to eat.

Dont do bananas, or unpeeled oranges....
Try energy bars if he likes them, or better, make your own high energy oatmeal cookies. Make them with raisins, cranberries, dried blueberries, choc chips, and lots of nuts try walnuts, pecans, almonds, macadamia, or all of the above. He may not mind them if he they are in the cookie. If he does, put them in the blender first, and pulverize them, then add to the cookies. He wont know they are in there. If you have a juicer, juice some apples, and use the pulp to add to the cookies, for added fiber and vitamins. Normally I would add you can replace most of the butter with applesauce, but it sounds like he can use the fats. The nuts will help with good fats and Omega 3's.

If it gets really bad, pack him a soft granola bar, or something somewhat healthy and filling that he can keep in his pocket and much (secretly if he has to) to keep from being hungry during the day.

GOOD LUCK!

ensure or pediasure maybe? My kids have the same schedule...they were starving and emotional when I pick them up so make sure you have snacks in the car! He will learn after a few weeks to eat enough at lunch.

I have the same problem with my youngest daughter. I have given her small protein shakes that are all natural from Shaklee along with a vitamin program that has worked wonders. She is still thin, however has grown leaps and bounds. If you have any questions, please feel free to visit my website:
www.shaklee.net/denisefriedl

Best wishes in finding the right way for you and your son.

Hello!

I just found out about a book called "Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children" by Ann Cooper and Lisa Holmes that is dealing with school lunches in general and has receipes as well. I have not really looked at it yet, but it may be something you may want to look at?

D.

Make him Lunch Kebabs Cold cuts (cubed or folded), cubed cheese, grapes, and hunks of crusty bread or bagel, with a sweet honey mustard for dipping.

Students are required to have a minimum of 15 minutes for recess a day and 20 minutes for lunch. Now if your student ends up at the end of the lunch line he will have less time to eat.

Try sending a small thermos. They keep the food warm until lunch time. You can make some sort of pasta dish mix with vegetables, mac & cheese,etc.

I'm so sorry to hear about your problem! My son is small for his age too, and only gets half an hour for lunch at school (15 minutes for eating; 15 minutes for recess) - and I thought THAT was bad! I have eaten lunch with my son quite often at school, and one thing I've noticed is the number of kids who ask me to open their milk cartons or puddings or applesauce or whatever. So things that don't need opening or are easy to open without spilling/splattering all over are good. Also, things that don't take a long time to eat/chew, like I know carrot sticks are great, but they take too much chewing time. Also things that he could take onto the playground with him to finish eating during recess "on the run" would be good. One thing I do is put two snacks in my son's backpack - one for morning recess and one for afternoon recess. That way, if he didn't get enough during lunch, he at least has those to fall back on. I would really love to change this whole "rush-rush" lunch thing, and hopefully can do something about it this school year. Good luck!

P.S. Just wanted to add - since I'm not allowed to respond twice - I do not agree with what "Golden A" says above:
" . . . what parents do not realize is that the time that they are released to go to the playground is around the time the other grade levels go in. Even though the kids are told that those that are finished eating can now go outside... they do not force those that are not finished eating to also go out. They allow them to continue eating but tell them they are not allowed to talk to others during this time so that they can finish."
- This is not the case in the school my son goes to. Another grade comes in and stands there staring at you to move before they sit down. The kids are intimidated by the other kids to go ahead and leave - especially since the next class coming in is an older class.

When my stepson came to live with us he was allowed to take very tiny bites and take forever eating. I told him that his new school would not allow him to take forever to eat. Mind you he was in 4th grade at the time. So I had him practice taking larger bits and see if he could finish his food a little faster.

I know the time that kids are allowed to eat at school seems hard for them.

I have worked in a elementary school for going on 4 years and have seen the way things go in the cafeteria. They do have a set time for them to eat.... but what parents do not realize is that the time that they are released to go to the playground is around the time the other grade levels go in. Even though the kids are told that those that are finished eating can now go outside... they do not force those that are not finished eating to also go out. They allow them to continue eating but tell them they are not allowed to talk to others during this time so that they can finish. If they do talk and play during this time where they are finishing eating then yes they will send them outside.

It seems like a hard thing having the time set at only 20 mins but I can honestly tell you that the kids do fine with getting their food eaten. I know some slower eaters and yes they do get to eat their food.

So do not worry too much ... I would recommend if you are really worried about this... go to lunch with your son one day and actually watch how things are ran. He will be fine and so will you.

One of the things that helped me with my son was to feed him breakfast at home and then let him buy breakfast at school. It gave him extra time to talk to his friends, and the school my boys went to allowed them to pick and choose what they wanted for breakfast. He also took a lunch and ate a snack during the day and another one the minute he came home. He didn't do large meals well, just lots of small ones. My daughter is also very small (20 lbs at 2.5 years old) and picky but she can down 2 gogurts in 10 minutes. If his lunch box will keep foods cool, you may want to toss one of those in there. It's reasonably healthy and adds some extra calories.

Rather than making your son eat at an unhealthy pace, perhaps you could band togehter with other parents and insist that the lunch period be extended. I work in a school and even as an adult, often don't have time to finish my lunch. Kids need that nutrition to carry them through the afternoon, so it's ridiculous to rush them so much. Another aspect is that kids will often rush themselves through in order to play so many schools have started making recess/play time first, then have the kids come in to eat. Makes sense. Good luck!

I am a Registered Dietitian and recently became a stay at home Mom but prior to that I was the National School Lunch Program Health Director for the Arizona Department of Education (ADE). All schools on the National School Lunch Program are required to have a local wellness policy. First I would figure out if your school is on the program and then try to be a parent representative of the local wellness policy committee (all schools should have one and they drive the policy). Some schools are better at this than others. Also, the ADE and Action for Healthy Kids Organization have a joint policy for healthy schools. This policy is available at http://ade.az.gov/health-safety/cnp/nslp/InfoResources.asp and recommends "Students and staff shall have adequate space to eat meals in pleasant surroundings and shall have adequate time to eat, relax, and socialize. Safe drinking water and convenient access to facilities for hand washing and oral hygiene must be available during all meal periods. " Obviously 20 minutes does not provide this. You may also visit the School Nutrition Association website at www.schoolnutrition.org and Action for Healthy Kids at www.actionforhealthykids.org. Both of these organizations are well respected in child nutrition. I feel like there is another organization that recommends a specific time but I can't remember that at this moment. If you would like I can email some of my old coworkers and find out. Good luck and what I learned most in my old job is school care more about what parents feel than anyone else. You are there bread and butter because if you take your school out they will get less funding. Get a group of parents together and this will be extremely effective and I think will guide change. You probably won't be able to much about this school year but hopefully next.I received many calls as the Health Department of parents complaining about this issue so I know you aren't alone. Good luck.

Is this a public school?? I thought the 30 min lunch was too short! This is incredible...I can't believe other parents are not distressed too. (Slow eaters or not...it's not good for health to gulp food in haste, then try to run and play.)
I'd be seeing if parental pressure might be applied to get this changed...if not sooner, maybe for next year.
In the meantime, coconut oil (extra virgin...not hydrogenated) is a great source of healthful fat and therefore calories. If you can make your own snacks like granola or power bars with it, that would be good. Coconut milk could be used in a shake/smoothie. It is yummy, I can attest. Cow's milk is not all that great, so if your son does not like it I would not worry. There are better ways to get minerals.

Wow, only 20 minutes?! That isn't enough time for any child to get their nourishment and play time is it? Anyway, my suggestions for some fast and healthy eats would be cheese sticks, turkey roll ups (just a slice or two of good deli turkey rolled up for easy eating...maybe a slice of cheese tucked inside.) Sliced apples - put a little lemon juice on them to keep from browning. 1/2 banana. Make some of your own granola bites with good granola, raisins, dried fruit pieces mix with a bit of honey I think to make it stick together? (You probably can find a great recipe on
foodnetwork.com or something. I just thought of it and really don't know how to make it stick together:)
I'm always thinking of healthy unprocessed food for my kids too. They have a longer lunch and recess time, but playing is always more fun than eating so often they don't finish all of their lunch. I would like to see what other moms are doing in this situation as well.
Another suggestion I have is to talk to your son about using his lunch/recess time wisely. I don't know how old he is but in order to eat enough to be full and healthy AND to have some time to play he will have to learn how to eat faster - even if it's just for lunch at school. (I'm wondering if they allow another recess for the kids so he will have more time to play another time so he won't have to be so concerned about it at lunch time?) Maybe his own cool watch in his luchbox to help him keep track of time?
2 of my kids were struggling with eating enough and having time to play. Not because of lack of time, but because they would talk too much during lunch, not finish eating and want to go play with their friends. So by the end of the day they were really hungry, had a headache, and were simply grouchy!
We talked about ways for them to get enough to eat AND have enough time to play. Mostly it was about focusing on what they needed to do and being responsible for their own actions so they wouldn't be famished by the end of the school day. They eventually figured it out...I'm guessing your son will too, but I understand you are concerned about his weight for his age. But again, if he is a healthy eater and is healthy in general he most likely is just fine and evenutally will grow into his own. Perhaps you can make sure he gets a filling and healthy breakfast to help out a bit as well in case lunch time is difficult at first.
Kids are resourceful and learn quickly when they are given the responsibilty for their own bodies:)

Good luck

A.
mom of 4

I'm not an expert at all but maybe try fun snacks with a ham and cheese sandwhich like goldfish and see how many fishies he can eat. Maybe if you try games at home it will help him eat a little faster at school. Great snacks are also the small canned fruit (in juice not syrup since thats added sugar). Not sure if these are things you've already tried but its just an alternative to peanut butter and jelly and chips!

My daughter can eat really slow sometimes too. She is also very small for her age. Once she started going to lunch at her school last year, she learned very quickly that she had to pay attention to eating lunch rather than other things. After a few days of not being able to finish her lunch she caught on quickly. I usually put a cold pack in her lunch with string cheese or rolled up lunch meat, fruit, and some sort of grain. Not a huge lunch, but enough for her to finish. I told her to put everything back in her lunch box and not throw anything away to make sure she didn't throw away the cold pack. I found an advantage in doing this because I was able to see what she ate and what she didn't eat. On the days she was able to eat all of her lunch, I would reward her with a sweet snack after school, such as a juice pop or a fruit leather. On the days she didn't finish her lunch, I made sure she got a more substantial snack, such as more string cheese and fruit. I hope this helps.

That is just insane!!! Even as adults most of us get at least a half hour lunch break from work. I agree w/ what I have seen other people say about organizing some sort of protest. Nutrition and creative play are the two most important things for children... they will do much better in life with those two things, as opposed to an extra 5 minutes of each of their subjects.

That is CRAZY! I have worked in schools for over ten years and all the research shows that this is harmful to students success; especially their academic success. I recommend advocating with other parents for a longer lunch time. Our kids need a break to get their energy back via nutrition and exert some energy on the playground.

Remember you have choices and hold a lot of power as a parent.

What school will he be going to. I am a cafeteria manager at a Gilbert school. Talk to his teacher...if he is in KG the aide will normally stay with your child. Trust me..those kids want to get out and play. If he meets some friends you might find him eating faster. Hope that helps.

How frustrating. I homeschool but my kids went to school for 1 year and only got 30 minutes and they couldn't finish their food. But they learned to eat quicker or else they went hungry. UGH! How long is he at school? Maybe you could put snacky type foods. It seems like 20 minutes isn't very long. What about snack time at school? Maybe if he were able to eat a little snack before or after lunch. My daughter would sneak in her lunch and snack during free time because she was hungry and didn't have time to finish her lunch. Her teacher never said anything and neither did I. How about Grapes, sunflower seeds with raisins or other trail mix, yogurt, applesauce. Good luck!

I dont have any ideas but, I wanted to say that is awful that he only has 20 mins for lunch and recess.

What about ensure mixed with pudding? That way, he'd get additional nutrients and since he likes chocolate, it could put put into chocolate pudding?

In addition, you could talk to his teacher about having an extra snack break during the day. Make sure he takes a daily multi-vitamin too.

At home, try adding cheese to more foods and other 'extras,' like sour cream on baked potatoes, gravy on meats, butter on vegetables, mayonnaise on sandwiches, cream cheese on fruits, etc. make a breading for more foods you prepare using bread crumbs make a high calorie smoothie with NESTLÉ CARNATION Instant Nonfat Dry Milk milk, bananas, orange juice, ice cream and some water add 1/3 cup of NESTLÉ Carnation Instant Nonfat Dry Milk to 1 cup of whole milk (adds 80 calories)
add a packet of NESTLÉ Carnation Instant Breakfast Mix to 1 cup of whole milk (adds 130 calories)

Here's another link I found:
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/nutrition/348-271/348-271.pdf

Best,
C.

My son only has 15 min to eat and then 10-15 min for play as well. He is a very picky eater and it has been very difficult for him to eat as well. They do have a snack recess in the am so I send grapes or cut up apples for that time so he gets his fruit in and then I send a lunchable (again very picky eater) with a snack like graham crackers(he can take the crackers out to recess with him). I usually have a healthy snack in the car as well for when I pick him up. My son's school is a charter school with a very small cafeteria. In order to get all the kids fed before they go home, this is the only amount of time they can allot for the students. I agree it is not enough time but in our case it can't be changed. The parents have suggested an afternoon snack time for the younger students but so far have not been able to get that to happen. Good luck.

It sounds like he may qualify for a 504. A 504 is something the school and you work through and put in writing to meet his needs. If eating slow is an issue and he's under weight now, talk to his doctor and let them know what the problem is have info from the doctor that they support a 504. If your son isn't done eating by the time the bell rings, the school needs to accomadate (once this is in order) to make sure he's getting enough time to eat lunch, for instance they can have an aid sit with him for 10 more minutes if needed. More than anything your main concern is his health and while he's at school the school should be just as concerned. A child needs his/her nourishment., however because he's having a challange with the speed of eating, hopefully the school will accomadate your son's needs. See his counselor or anyone you feel comfortable at that school to talk to.

My second grader is also a slow eater. When he started kindergarten, I always felt like he wasn't eating enough at lunch, and it made me CRAZY! After awhile, I realized that if he was hungry, he would eat. He wasn't a big lunch eater in the first place(more of a grazer), so he would survive the school day on what he ate. School can be very stimulating, and with all the stuff going on, it was hard for the kids to actually pay attention to their lunch. Sometimes I think he was just too distracted, or having too much fun.
Anyway, I started giving him choices of what he would like in his lunch-turkey or ham, cheddar or mozzerella. I always keep the portions small and easy to eat(and open). Cheese and crackers with sliced apples is a good one. Lemon juice on sliced apples keeps them from turning brown(one of his faves).
Now I give him a substantial snack the minute he gets out of school, or have him finish his lunch. He seems to be pretty hungry right after school, so it's a good time to get some decent food into him :)
20 minutes seems awfully short for recess and lunch combined. I would check that out, like some other people have suggested.
Bottom line- your son will eventually adjust his eating habits, and won't starve at school, so try not to sweat it too much. Happy school year!
S. H

My kids are in the Chandler Dist and they have 20 minutes for lunch and then 20 minutes for recess, but they always pack themselves a sandwich, some sort of fruit, crackers and a small treat. Sometimes my younger one talks too much at lunch and doesn't get through it all but they seem to be able to get through most of it in the short amount of time they have. I would verify with the teacher the amount of time they have because we have been in 3 different schools in the Chandler dist and it has always been 20 and 20.

My mom used to pack me a cheese sandwich and chicken soup which I absolutely loved. Spaghetti with meat sauce would be hearty-- not sure if he'll eat tomato sauce though. I remember my mom just warmed the foods up extra hot before they went into the thermos so they'd still be warm by lunchtime. If you want to go with cold food, maybe try a turkey and cheese wrap with ranch dressing or a slice of cold pizza. I know your son doesn't like peanut butter, but he might like Nutella or apple butter on wheat bread and some fresh fruit. Sides could be string cheese, carrots with dip, or an occasional cookie or chips. I'm not sure these are very creative ideas, but I hope it helps! :)