Debates over school funding sources are not typical high school lunchroom conversations, but they can be when your dad is the business manager and then superintendent in the community where you attend school. Growing up between the two worlds of school district management and adolescent survival, the author had a unique insight into what his father hoped was taking place (kids enjoying a well-balanced meal each day) and the reality of what was taking place (kids do not like well-balanced meals). Listening to his father discuss his work, the author developed an appreciation for all of the working parts of a school district and how a superintendent attempts to organize those into a system that can receive federal reimbursement and still serve delicious lunches. Knowing how green beans are connected to the school's financial health is one advantage for the offspring of a superintendent, and learning to see the big picture is certainly great training for a future superintendent, which he has been since 2002.