Would you want this freak working with your Girl Scouts? Sometimes I get so bored at these things, I have to spice it up a bit. On this night the girls were decorating paper bags. Now that's fun for second graders, I'm pretty sure. I, on the other hand, have decorated way too many brown bags in my life. After all, before these fancy insulated lunch bags that have special cubicles for everything from carrot sticks to sushi, I used to bring my lunch to school in one
of these non-descript brown bags. It was either that or my hard plaid lunchbox. It never occurred to me or my mom or anyone of that generation that it might be a good idea to put an ice pack in with that egg salad sandwich that sat out all night. I'm not sure if all of those childhood stomach bugs were viruses or from the bacteria found in my egg salad sandwich. The bacteria that was allowed to grow after hours of no refrigeration.
of these non-descript brown bags. It was either that or my hard plaid lunchbox. It never occurred to me or my mom or anyone of that generation that it might be a good idea to put an ice pack in with that egg salad sandwich that sat out all night. I'm not sure if all of those childhood stomach bugs were viruses or from the bacteria found in my egg salad sandwich. The bacteria that was allowed to grow after hours of no refrigeration. Anyway, have you noticed that kid lunches have gotten pretty fancy these days? And I'm not talking just taking your lunch. But buying your lunch. In my day - if you bought lunch you got what they were serving and that was IT. Rectangle pizza day? Here's your slice. Sloppy Joe Wednesday? Take it or leave it.
Nowadays, if you don't like the pizzata or surf burger (the school's rendition of Filet 'o Fish) then you can opt for a Smuckers PB&J. And it's ROUND with NO CRUST! A child's dream. Also, if you're not interested in the chocolate or strawberry milk (cause no one goes for the white milk anymore), then feel free to spend an extra dollar or two and get in Inta' Juice smoothie that has been delivered from the smoothie shop that day at noon. And pizza Wednesdays? Don't even get me started!! No more rectangular cheese pizza. Dominoes comes in and delivers now.
As far as taking lunch to school, damn - every other article in Family Circle or Family Fun magazine is about how to make your child's lunches more innovative and FUN! Hey parents! Try taking a cheese stick, pulling it apart into strings, wrapping those around a cucumber, taking a decorative toothpick and attaching a piece of tofu? Your child will think this is interesting and neat and won't even consider that it might be healthy too! For another option, boil some cauliflower the night before, use food coloring to die it pink, sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese and voila! You've got a tasty and nutritious treat!
I'm thinking we got slighted as kids. Either that, or we were blessed by living in a much simpler time.
