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Saturday, March 23, 2013

Catered school lunch - What would you do?

This year the entire school in the Pennies for Patients  fund raiser from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for schools.  Each child had a little box to collect change, and over the course of a week each classroom counted their total collected funds.  Alena's class raised the most money and as a result - this was a surprise to all - won a catered lunch from Olive Garden. The entire class was so excited; catered lunch for the entire class for lunch in the classroom.  Yay, right?!  So here was the question the teacher asked me.  Will Alena be able to eat, or will she bring her own lunch as every day? That was the big question....What would you do?  There are two options, right?  One, have her be the only kid in class eating from her regular lunchbox and in ways single her completely out, or two, figure out a way to have Alena join the lunch.  So what do you think I did?

Yes, you are right.  I figured it out - our fantastic teacher was able to give me the contact information at the Olive Garden catering the lunch.  I called and found out that the kids were going to be served pasta with marinara sauce, salad, and breadsticks.  Now, did you know that the marinara sauce of the Olive Garden contains dairy, and that none of their dressings are "safe".  Yes, that is right! I was quite surprised to find out - well, I have not been to an Olive Garden since leaving the Mid West - and expected that they would not be able to accommodate for Alena.  Was I wrong!  The manager swiftly asked if she could eat pasta with olive oil, and whether salad with olive oil together with balsamico would work for her.  Next she asked how to spell her name and promised to have two extra containers just for Alena.  One with her pasta, and the other with her salad.  And you know what, that is exactly what happened.  The kids had lunch catered this last Thursday;  a huge dish of pasta with marinara sauce, a huge dish with salad along with "unsafe" dressings, and two dishes with Alena's name on it one containing pasta with olive oil and the other her salad along with olive oil and balsamico.  Let me just tell you that my child was just so thrilled to also eat the catered lunch.

Tell me, if you have children with dietary issues what would you have done?  I would love to hear from you...