Teenagers!
I admit I have no experience with teenagers. But my friend and faithful workout partner does, and has taught me a lot for that matter. Her 17 year old daughter has been going to Taco Amigo for lunch with her friends everyday. Whatever happened to closed campus’s for lunch. It encourage fast food in the worst way. Of course nothing you say will keep your teenager from going to lunch if their friends are going. My friend has tried many things to talk her out of eating out. Then she tried getting some Bento boxes. A link from a commenter Amanda led her to an online store to buy some. Here is what her teenager said:
Mom, I was skeptical, but I love this and my friends all think it is so cool and I haven’t been to Taco Amigo in a week’
and her 9 year old said all his friends love to look at his lunch and see what is in there — the toothpicks are a favorite.
Above is a picture of her two younger boys packing their own bento boxes. Then one of the boxes filled for lunch below.
One step forward… two steps back. My kids came home with gift certificates from school yesterday for reading during the month of September. Flip flopper earned a free kids meal to Del Taco, ketchup boy; a free mini personal pizza from Pizza Hut, and cereal boy got a free sherbert twist from Hogi Yogi. How can I compete with that? They of course are determined to go.
Be sure to check back tomorrow. Product Review PLUS GIVE-AWAY for 4 lucky winners!!! FOUR. That means like 25% of you should win!!!
Posted: October 2nd, 2008 under Ideas and Issues, Lunch.
Tags: bento, healthy, Lunch, teenagers
Comments
Comment from Janet
Time October 2, 2008 at 6:21 am
I think you should meet with your school and encourage them to stop these food rewards. I might even write a letter to the editor. What a terrible message! First of all, reading is it’s own reward. But, if they feel they MUST give rewards, how about extra recess time, or a dance party, or even Subway coupons?
Comment from Emily
Time October 2, 2008 at 7:14 am
That’s it! No more reading at our house!
(Sorry I didn’t write about your lasagna on my blog. But it really was SO good, not dried out at all. I bet if you steamed your spinach for a few seconds it wouldn’t be dry.)
And I still have another year before I need Bento. I think packing a lunch will be a whole new world to us!
Comment from Stacy
Time October 2, 2008 at 8:28 am
The whole food as a reward thing is driving me crazy too. Our school does the pizza certificates, it’s on every once in a while so that doesn’t bother me that much. What really bothers me is them giving the kids candy almost every day!
Comment from Emily
Time October 2, 2008 at 8:48 am
As a teacher I want you to know I feel your pain! I hate that the only programs for rewarding reading are food related! I never gave food or candy in my classroom. I wish they would come up with something else that would motivate them.
Comment from Susan Bankhead
Time October 2, 2008 at 9:14 am
I don’t get it. I mean, the bento boxes are really great for take away lunches, etc., but aside from the cute factor which I’m sure appeals to kids, can’t I just use a tupperware type container to achieve the same purpose or is there something special that makes the bento boxes work better?
Comment from Cortni
Time October 2, 2008 at 9:24 am
We have a bunch of those fast food certificates the kid’s got this summer at VBS. We LOVE bento’s. There are a few bento sites on the right sidebar of my blog that will give you some inspiration if you want to try out bento!
Comment from Amy
Time October 2, 2008 at 11:13 am
Janet, you are right. And I did start the Gold medal schools program at my school, so hopefully when we get to the “no food reward” part of the program, it will make a difference. Emily suggested trading the pizza coupon for a personal homemade pizza, and that’s what I think I’ll do. Stacy, this year my kids teachers haven’t given candy yet! They have come home with little balls and toys and stuff,so that’s good.
Emily, we definitely need more teachers like you.
Mom, cuteness is everything. Sure you can use tupperware, but HELLO!! not cute! Plus the Bento boxes are like $1.00 AND cute!
Thanks for the link Cortni, i’m headed to your blog right now!
Comment from Autumn
Time October 2, 2008 at 9:20 pm
K…I have never heard of these boxes! I’m out of the loop! They look cool, I’m sure my kids would love them! I hope I win…but I probably won’t since I NEVER do! 
Hey Amy where do you get them?
Comment from Amy
Time October 3, 2008 at 4:13 am
In Japan of course Autumn. But if you can’t make it, try this online store: http://www.ichibankanusa.com/
Comment from Whitney
Time October 3, 2008 at 6:06 am
We’ve already got Hogi Yogi and Del Taco certificates.
Pingback from Bento Box lunch for kids | Healthy Food Ideas for Super Healthy Kids
Time November 5, 2008 at 4:05 am
[...] Teenagers [...]
Pingback from Healthy Habit Goal #3, Pack a healthy school lunch | Healthy Food Ideas for Super Healthy Kids
Time August 19, 2009 at 4:23 am
[...] year I stopped sending lunch boxes to school (like the adorable Bento box pictured). After getting a lunch box with moldy bread and a rotting apple, two weeks (or [...]
Comment from Amy
Time October 2, 2008 at 4:29 am
BTW, the pizza hut pizza, they so lovingly gave to my 5 year old; 620 calories and 26 grams of fat. 11 grams of saturated fat, and 1370 grams of sodium.
Plus, the Bento store is still down, but here is a post from their blog with some cool boxes.
http://blog.ichibankanusa.com/2008/09/look-for-natural-lunch-and-clickety.html