Hot Lunch to the Rescue 吃冷飯的日子

School has started for two weeks now. I am fighting school germs and busy taking care of the little ones at the same time. Although it might be hard for my mommy friends in Taiwan to understand, one of my most difficult tasks every day is prepping the kids' lunch. 

Why don't you just buy from the school lunch program? Well, I would love to do so just to save some energy. However, here is the reality of the "healthy" elementary school lunch. For $2.75, you can get a main item, a carton of milk, and voluntary pickings at the salad bar. The main item varies daily - pizza, bean burrito, nuggets, all reheated in bulk from frozen plastic packages. Once in a while, you will have the spaghetti "special" - pulpy, mushy and canned-food looking. Would any adults enjoy lunch like this on a daily basis? I highly doubt it. 

Why don't you just pack some left-overs from last night's dinner? Well, I would love to do so just to save my sanity. However, here is the reality of the "no heating provided" school policy. You packed the once steaming and delicious fried rice, saute vegetables and a pork chop in a lunch box. You put it in the fridge and the kid takes it to school at 8 am in the morning. By noon, it's still fried rice, veggies and pork chop. But it's cold (lukewarm in summer), reeking grease, and difficult to swallow. Would any adults enjoy lunch like this on a daily basis? I definitely don't.

And my little girl's preschool has a "no lunch program, no heating provided" policy. Yes, you might say I am too picky about food. Lunch is not a big deal. Bring a bagged sandwich, chips, and a drink. Kids will adapt. They will be just fine. 

I know that. But I am Asian. I am a F.O.B.BY Chinese mom. I want my kids to eat well. In my family, I make freshly cooked hot food plus soup for lunch and dinner. I remember when I was little, every kid in the elementary school had the same stainless lunch box with a name tag. All the lunch boxes would be heated in an industrial size steamer at the school kitchen. Two student helpers from each class would carry them back to the classroom by noon for lunch time. It was always a fun surprise as I opened the lid to reveal what's inside. If I found one thing that was not left-over from dinner last night, a smile would come on my face that my mom or my grandma made the extra effort, just for me. Peeping into my friends' lunch boxes was also very exciting. I couldn't help but being jealous of who had a big piece of chicken leg or a yummy stewed egg.

To me, food is a representation of culture. It's part of who we are no matter where we are. So far, my little ones had endured a variety of bagged sandwiches and snack bars for lunch for two weeks. I am running out of ideas. Maybe it's time to buy the lunch jar that keeps food warm for up to 3 hours. Would any adult like to try lunch like this on a daily basis?

開學快兩周了, 我忙進忙出的接送打雜, 學校的病菌也很快的入侵了家裡。在台灣的媽媽朋友們應該很難想像吧, 每天讓我很煩惱的主婦事務之一, 居然是幫孩子準備午餐便當。

為什們不買小學營養午餐就好了呢? 為了省事, 其實我也很想。$2.75可以有一份主食, 一罐牛奶,和自取的沙拉吧 (是有哪個小學生會主動拿生菜來吃? )。主食每天更換 - 比薩 ,豆泥捲餅, 或是雞塊, 全部都是冷凍食品, 在塑膠包裝裡加熱的。有時候會有義大利麵「特餐」 - 很濕, 很軟, 很像寵物罐頭倒出來。有哪位成年人想天天吃小學「營養」午餐嗎?

為什麼不帶昨天晚餐剩的就好了呢? 為了少點白頭髮, 其實我也很想。但是學校不幫忙加熱便當。晚餐時把香噴噴熱騰騰的炒飯, 蔬菜和排骨裝進便當放冰箱, 早上8點孩子帶去學校, 中午拿出來吃的時候還是炒飯, 蔬菜和排骨, 只是變的又冷, 又硬, 還泛油 (夏天暑熱可能還會莫名其妙的微溫)。有哪位成年人想天天吃冰過又沒熱的便當嗎?

3歲女兒上的preschool更妙, 不提供營養午餐, 也不幫忙加熱午餐。我承認, 我對食物很挑剔。大部分家長會覺得午餐沒大不了的, 三明治加餅乾和飲料就解決一餐。孩子適應力很強, 會習慣的。

這道理我也懂。可我是個台灣媽 , 可能在美國一輩子都還像個新移民的媽媽。我想要我的孩子吃好睡飽, 在家裡吃飯都有熱的飯菜和湯可以享用。記得小時候在台北上學的時候, 所有的小學生都有個不銹鋼便當加名牌, 早上兩個值日生抬著全班的便當去學校廚房蒸熱, 中午再抬回來大家在教室一起吃。每天把便當蓋掀開時都是一份期待, 要是發現了一樣昨天晚餐沒有的東西, 我就會得意的趕緊吃掉, 開心想著是媽媽, 還是奶奶幫我特別加菜了呢! 偷看同學的便當裡有什麼也是每天午餐時的樂趣, 誰帶了隻大雞腿, 誰有個好吃的滷蛋, 羨慕讚嘆的聲音此起彼落。

對我來說,不管身在何處, 食物都是我的一部分, 是文化的表徵。孩子們吃冷飯的日子持續了兩周, 三明治我也實在變不出什麼花樣了, 也許是時候來買個保溫便當盒, 據說可以保溫3小時。有哪位成年人想試試天天吃保溫便當飯嗎?