Moms Talk: Banning the Brown-Bag Lunch

Once upon a time, school lunches were fodder for humor. Mystery meat, lunch ladies in cat's-eye glasses and hairnets, and gray green beans were a part of childhood lore.

Today, school lunches are serious business. In the war on childhood obesity, the lunchroom is the latest battleground.

Little Village Academy, a public school in Chicago, has forbidden students from bringing lunches from home unless they have a medical reason. Students instead must eat the lunch the school provides.

The principal said it was because many students were bringing junk food to school for lunch. Many parents resent what they see as an intrusion on their right to feed their kids as they see fit.

Let's talk lunch. Do you agree with the principal, the parents, or agree with parts of each side? Do you pack a nutritious lunch for your son and then find out he traded it for some Yu-Gi-Oh! cards? How would you describe the cafeteria lunches at your child's school? Where do you think schools need to improve in terms of nutrition as well as pleasing kids?

Share your own memories of school lunch, like seeing Tuesday's tacos become Wednesday's taco salad then become Thursday's taco turnovers. Did you beg your mom to let you buy lunch on sloppy joe day? Did the boys try to play hockey with the hamburgers?

Joining us on Moms Talk is our wonderful Moms Council:

 is our parenting columnist. Julie, a longtime reporter and communications professional, is a first-time mom of a son born in November.

 works in healthcare. She and husband Timothy have a daughter, Amara. Monina is also a member of the Disney Moms Panel, one of 15 moms selected nationwide, advising people online about planning Disney vacations.

 is a mom of three children ages 5 and under with her husband, Bill. She also works part-time.

 is a native of New Jersey. She is a marketing professional who has worked in advertising, market research, vending and equipment companies. She and her husband live in Avon with their two children.

 is a mom to a Girl Scout and lives in Avon.

So, as Linda Richman used to say on "Coffee Talk" ... Talk amongst yourselves.