Boxed Lunch Or Hot Lunch?

IT'S THE AGE OLD QUESTION THAT COMES UP EVERY SCHOOL YEAR.
So how often do you pack your child's lunch compared to how often they eat hot lunch? I never had hot lunch growing up. My mom packed my lunch every single day. Now that I am a parent, all I can say is, "Go Mom!" I don't think I could do that every day unless I had to. I try to get my son to eat cold lunch at least once a week because the hot lunch is not very healthy. Am I totally stacking on this one?
FROM NBC: DO I SEND MY KIDS OFF TO SCHOOL WITH A BOXED LUNCH ...OR DO I LET THEM BUY WHAT THEY WANT IN THE SCHOOL CAFETERIA? CLAIRE SIMMS REPORTS ON HOW TO CHOSE THE BEST ANSWER FOR YOUR FAMILY.
PARENTS CAN OFTEN FEEL SANDWICHED BETWEEN WHETHER TO MAKE THEIR CHILD'S LUNCH OR BUY IT FROM THE SCHOOL CAFETERIA---BUT REGISTERED DIETITIAN MISHA BIDEN SAYS THE ANSWER MIGHT BE BOTH!
Misha Biden/ Registered Dietitian "School lunches are really coming around and really trying to focus on the nutrition, so maybe if you're too busy or if the parent works a lot, school lunches are perfectly fine too."
BIDEN SAYS PARENTS CAN BETTER WATCH WHAT THEIR CHILDREN EAT BY PACKING THEIR MEAL THEMSELVES-BUT SCHOOL LUNCHES CAN ALSO BE A GOOD OPTION. THE SELECTIONS ARE REGULATED BY THE USDA AND STUDENTS PAY JUST A DOLLAR 60 TO 2-50 DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY GO TO SCHOOL AND WHAT GRADE THEY'RE IN.
Elizabeth Binninger/ Dir. of Food Services, St, Johns County, Florida "The value for the dollar that they pay is tremendous."
ELIZABETH BINNINGER IS THE DIRECTOR OF FOOD SERVICES FOR THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY SCHOOLS. SHE MAKES SURE EVERY MEAL CONTAINS THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CALORIES, PROTEIN AND OTHER NUTRIENTS TO FIT NATIONAL STANDARDS. BINNINGER BELIEVES PARENTS CAN MAKE HEALTHY MEALS THEMSELVES, BUT SHE SAYS OFTEN, CALCIUM IS MISSING BECAUSE FAMILIES ARE AFRAID TO PACK DAIRY PRODUCTS IN A LUNCHBOX.
Elizabeth Binninger/ Dir. of Food Services, St, Johns County, Florida "We do sell milk to students so if they can't pack to insure that the milk stays cold, they can go through the line and get a carton of milk from us."
BOTH BINNINGER AND BIDEN AGREE PARENTS CAN FEED THEIR CHILDREN THE RIGHT FOODS WITHOUT SPENDING A LOT-THIS LUNCH COST US JUST 2 DOLLARS AND 4 CENTS.
Misha Biden/ Registered Dietitian "I think you can eat healthy on a limited budget. You don't always have to do the more convenient option."
DIETITIANS SAY IF YOU DO PACK YOUR CHILD'S LUNCH, YOU SHOULDN'T USE PRE-PACKAGED MEALS BECAUSE THEY OFTEN CONTAIN A LOT OF ADDED FAT, SUGAR OR SALT. INSTEAD BUY EACH INGREDIENT AND PUT THE MEAL TOGETHER YOURSELF.
-NewsAnchorMom Jen