My Favorite Lunch

Lunch today – Spaghetti and Meatballs, Fettuccini Alfredo, Salad, Italian Bread, Texas Sheet Cake, Lemonade and Water – My favorite lunch of the year. No, I did not eat this for lunch today, just some of the salad and a bite of cake. This is what I served to Carter’s advisory at hot lunch.

Since Carter’s school does not have a cafeteria they have a tradition of different families taking one day during the school year and serving a hot lunch to their advisory group. So one day each month the kids eat as a group and don’t have to brown bag it. Since this starts in Middle school it is basically the only sanctioned time a parent can hang out with the kids and see real school world interaction. It has always been one of my favorite days of the year, today being no different.

Hot lunch is the choice of the child whose parents are bringing it in. If I were Carter I would request me to cook something like ‘somebody died? Fried chicken,” but no she wanted something I almost never allow, lunch from Maggiano’s. I learned long ago not to make hot lunch a battle; it is supposed to be a treat. So I let Carter pick out the menu and I surprised her by baking her favorite Texas Sheet Cake.

I have to say that Carter has the nicest group of kids in her advisory. They were thankful, helpful, kind and fun to have lunch with. I was not treated as a dreaded parent. One of Carter’s good friends Zibby even noticed that I was the thinnest she has ever seen me and asked how I was doing it, which prompted a group discussion about my 20,000 daily steps and my treadmill desk.

Being welcomed one day a year makes hot lunch fun. I’m sure if I were to show up every month the kids would quickly tire of me, or I might get kicked off the board of trustees for telling inappropriate stories to students. One time a year is all I am allowed. The saddest part is that now I only have three more hot lunch events and then Carter will be off to college where I won’t have the same opportunity to get to know her friends. Maybe I can start College hot lunch.