My liberal rag, the NY Times, ran a story on school lunches and the efforts of some school districts in the U.S. to change up the menus and offer food that’s actually healthy for kids and not packed with fat, salt, and sugar. But that’s not all! You know those bake sales that net cash for school programs? Looks like some districts are going to ban those in favor of selling items that don’t make your kids candidates for type II diabetes.
Sure selling cheap processed sugar and flour with chocolate flavored fat is a good way to raise money for whatever pet program you’re trying to fund at a school, but it comes at a health cost, and it seems some districts are looking beyond the short-term raising of cash to the health of its students. Of course, as said districts try and wean the kids off the junk food (and with varying degrees of success), it’s the parents who are raising holy hell over the fact that their child can’t get their Ho Ho’s fix everyday at lunch.
Maya’s old elementary school tried to regulate the kind of foods that kids could have for lunch by stipulating that no “sugar drinks” or candy snacks could be included in the children’s food for the day (i.e. lunch and snacks). They sent out lists with suggestions for more healthy alternatives, but it was met with a good deal of resistance. The more the administrator tried to remind the parents that these things weren’t allowed (and explained the health reasons behind it), the more the parents basically said “screw you” and sent the kids with crap food to school.
I’m not going to get all preachy and say “We need to save the CHILDREN!” But I am going to take issue with parents using food at weapons to lob at school administrators — and have the kids in the middle. Certainly kids have their own agenda and, if given the choice, will probably choose the crap over the healthy stuff. At Maya’s new school, even though they have a potpourri of things to choose from when it comes to snacks, and she said that most of the kids seemed to be eating chips, Cheetos, or cookies. Her school does offer healthy choices like fresh fruit for snacks, and they do make sure there’s plenty of greens at lunch. However, simply offering these things does not mean the kids are going to take it.
Need some proof to put a fine point on it? Just think about the eating habits of your co-workers. And as you’re thinking of that, imagine them back in elementary or grade school. Got the image in your mind? Me too. In fact, where I work, my co-workers have an insatiable appetite for junk. You put year-old stale Halloween candy out on the break table at 8am, it will be gone by Noon. If cookies, cake, or pie is brought in, you better grab some when it’s set down at the table, because if you wait, you’re not going to get any. So, if you have adults grabbing the sugar stuff like they were junkies looking for a fix, then is it any wonder why school districts trying to offer healthier options for their students are being met with such resistance?
–PK
ML
September 5, 2007 at 6:30 amBut of course! Parents are an example to kids, so if they’re eating crap…
I’ve noticed the eating habits of the people I work with (among other habits that I wish I didn’t know) and I guess they eat based on convenience.
Py Korry
September 5, 2007 at 6:39 amWell, considering the, um, bathroom (or lack thereof) habits of your co-workers, perhaps thinking of their eating habits isn’t as disgusting.
If need something to make you gag, check out Ml’s post:
http://zeesspace.blogspot.com/2007/08/happenings.html
J
September 5, 2007 at 6:50 amAt pretty much every office I’ve ever worked at, you could take the sludge from the bottom of a garbage can, put it on a plate, put it in the breakroon, and by the end of the day, it would be gone. People eat things at work that they would NEVER touch at home. I agree, it’s convenience.
I do really like that Maya’s school has a salad and fruit bar, though. Pretty groovy to balance out the pizza and hot dogs.
J
September 5, 2007 at 6:51 amOh, I was going to say, I don’t know how many kids will choose a salad bar over pizza or a hot dog, but I do know kids who would eat salad bar in addition to pizza or a hot dog, which is what Maya does. 🙂
lalapunci
September 5, 2007 at 7:57 amIf you look at the Type II Diabetes epidemic at an economic point of view, it is going to cost this society a chunk of change. Money that would go to worth while programs will be funneled into medicare and medical to pay for the treatment. The drug companies are going to make a fortune on this disease. It may mean less benefits to the parents when they retire. If people won’t listen to health benefits of eating good foods maybe they will listen to what it will do to their pocket books.
Beenzzz
September 5, 2007 at 8:04 amI for one think its a good idea to keep junk food out of schools. Zoe’s school offers very healthy lunches and there are no vending machines to be found in the building. So, no candy or pop for them during the school day. I try to keep that stuff out of my house, but on occasion, we will treat ourselves to something sinful. 🙂
laluna
September 5, 2007 at 8:27 amFood is always an issue, unfortuneately… Teach your child while they are young about healthy eats and they will continue eating right the rest of their lives. Right??? We all hope so.
MsMamma
September 5, 2007 at 8:43 amExcellent post. I took J’s way and ordered a Bento Box for Snowflake. When I make up his little lunches(I have to say they look damn good, but I’m only on Day 2) I feel so happy that he is getting healthy fresh food, and not bagged salty crap.
Cherry
September 5, 2007 at 12:24 pmI ate tons of processed crap as a kid, and as an adult, if its free, I’ll eat it. Thankfully at my current job we have to pay for the vending machine, but at my last job even the vending machine was subsidized and rigged up to be free, so it was hard to resist.
As a baker, I love that I can always be sure to get rid of my creations from the kitchen by taking them to the office. I get to have the fun of baking, and get a bite to try it, but then I can get it out of my kitchen quickly.
As soon as I got home from the hospital I wanted comfort food, which meant buying all of the surgery processed crap I usually keep out of the house, like oreos, ritz crackers, and a box of mac & cheese.
Isn’t it terrible that processed food is considered comforting?
Gina
September 5, 2007 at 2:35 pmWell, my mom made me eat uber-healthy when I was a kid, and I totally rebelled when I could choose what I wanted for myself!
I think balance is the key.
And, I think that high-fructose corn syrup should be banned from every food substance. Period. I truly believe it is the root of much evil.
John B
September 11, 2007 at 12:08 amCheck out what Jamie Oliver’s doing/trying to do in the UK
http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/J/jamies_school_dinners/index.html
John B
September 11, 2007 at 12:21 am@ Gina
“I think that high-fructose corn syrup should be banned from every food substance.”
It won’t be. Ever. Because agricultural subsidies ($10bn in 2005) drive the price down to levels so cheap that it beats every other competitor.