How long did it take you to devour that Turkey dinner?

I don’t know about you, but when my family finally sat down to eat this Holiday weekend, it seemed super fast, given the lengthy prelude. Thanksgiving, for cooks, is much more about the time it takes to create the meal, than it is about savoring it (cleanup was pretty drawn out, too!) Did you hear that joke about the 8 hours it takes to get everything ready on Turkey day, and the 22 minutes it takes to devour the dinner?

Today, a school day, our kids are expected to eat their lunches in even less time. Since I spend a lot of time at various schools, watching kids eat, I am always amazed by lunch time rush. Kids want to talk. Kids want to race to the field. Kids want to expend that energy they’ve been building up sitting properly the previous 4 hours. What are the lessons and habits we are teaching during the short lunch periods? Are we preparing them for fast food? Are we teaching them that meals are meant to be savored or appreciated, but swallowed, at drive-through speed?

Some Choicelunch schools have recently introduced changes in their meal times. They have put recess first, before lunch. In some cases this was done for logistical reasons, perhaps they have limited playground capacity. The result at these schools, from my anecdotal experience, though, is that the kids seem to relish their lunches more. They have their wiggles and giggles out. They are more relaxed. They remember to get a spork and napkin. More kids seem to choose carrots and dip over one bite processed snacks. Lunch time may still be short, but the effect is noticeable. Kids sit and eat, almost as if they were eating Thanksgiving dinner.