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RYE, N.Y. -- Vicki Edmonds joined her son Joshua in the Osborn Elementary School cafeteria Thursday and walked alongside him in line as he picked up his lunch.
"It's really valuable, to make sure they're having a healthy meal," said Edmunds, who serves on Osborn's PTO executive board.
Osborn School invited parents of the kindergarten classes to come have lunch with their kids and learn more about what they're eating. This month, the school will hold several "Take Your Parent To Lunch" days for all the different grades, which it does once a year. Parents met with John Rubbo, Rye City School District's director of food services, and were briefed about the options their kids have for lunch and how they can help them eat a balanced meal. Rubbo felt it was important to allow children to choose what kind of fruit or vegetables they wanted to eat or whether they wanted juice or milk, rather than just take a set meal every time. "At this age, it might be a little confusing for the children," said Rubbo. "But if parents look over the menu and help them plan, they increase the chances that their kids are going to get a balanced meal they will finish."
Lunches are purchased through an online debit account with children given pin numbers that cafeteria staff keeps track of. Parents can also view online what their children are choosing to eat for lunch.
Joshua had a meal of popcorn chicken, corn, salad, carrot sticks, an apple and a box of apple juice. When asked how he liked it, he nodded his head enthusiastically as he chewed a piece of chicken. "That's saying a lot," said Edmunds. "He's kind of a fussy eater."
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