AJC.com > Blogs > Get Schooled > Archives > 2008 > November > 05 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USConcerns about school nutrition
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With all the focus on the election, I almost missed that Clayton County could lose $14.8 million in federal money unless the district’s schools get rid of junk food.
The USDA threatened to withhold the money when officials discovered Chick-fil-A sandwiches being sold during lunch at two high schools.
The National School Lunch Program has strict rules. Meals must include a meat (or substitute), milk, grain and two vegetables or fruits.
Clayton is now saying that sports teams and band boosters can’t sell Chick-fil-A sandwiches or pizza during school. Candy fund-raisers between classes also are out.
In the past few years there has been more focus on kids’ health in schools. Schools have been encouraged to offer more fruits and vegetables and fewer high calorie drinks as part of efforts to curb childhood obesity.
Some schools have tried to reduce their reliance on frozen items by buying their food from local or regional farmers.
How worried are you about the food kids eat in schools? Should there be limits on what schools and students can sell and buy?
Comments
By Magenta
November 5, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this
Soda - no way it should be allowed in schools.
Chik-Fil-a? Why not. It’s reasonably nutritious — the vendor could be restricted to just grilled sandwiches and no waffle fries, since the chain does offer a lot of different side items. They’ve cut back on portion sizes, too.
But overall, I agree that school lunch food should be nutritious, even if it isn’t glamorous.
By Sam
November 5, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this
More importantly, schools should cease serving food and beverages, including juices, that contain High-Fructose Corn Syrup, aka HFCS.
Check out “What’s worse than sugar?”…
http://gothinkblog.com/?p=304
By catlady
November 5, 2008 5:39 PM | Link to this
Here is what bothers the teachers at our school: kids who have no pencils, paper, are on free lunch, owe school picture money, etc, are allowed to buy snacks (junk food) from the school snack store at recess.
This year, FOR THE FIRST TIME, kids with over 10 charges are given a modest sandwich lunch instead of allowing them to keep on accumulating charges. Our lunch room alone was losing tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid charges each year! That is money SOMEONE is making up! Miraculously, it is my impression that almost none of the children are going over the 10 day limit, at least for long! Their parents pay or get off their duff and apply for free lunch. We were told for years that the school COULD NOT do anything about the charges, and that “those poor children” would starve, but it turns out that it isn’t true.
Our school lunches have devolved into a salty, overprocessed, prepackaged mess, IMHO.
By catlady
November 5, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this
LOL about the fresh local food.We should be so lucky!
Years ago (about 26, I think) each class was allowed to plan one menu per year. I taught at a small school way up in the mountains. I was soliciting ideas from my kindergarteners (their tastes did not run to chicken nuggests back then) and one of my future good ole boys suggested “dar meat” (venison). I protested that it would be hard to get enough to feed the whole school (275 kids) and he replied, “Naw, it won’t be hard at all. My dad and I can bring in 6 or 7 all by ourselves with no trouble at all!”
By Tony
November 6, 2008 6:52 AM | Link to this
The school lunch program has gotten a little better in the last couple of years. Our program is offering more fresh fruits and vegetables for students. Last year, I cut the extra sweet flavored milks. (There’s still some strange rule that we have to offer chocolate milk w/ 28g of sugar per serving.) And they are cooking more meals from scratch. We still have pizza on the menu occasionally, but not as often.
To me, the federal lunch program is overregulated and the threats the feds are imposing on Clayton is a good example of the power that is too far-reaching. While Clayton may need to clean up some of the junk food sales to students, there is no good reason that the competitive foods should be eliminated. But there is the key word - competitive.
The school lunch program is part of the huge farm subsidy program and they do not like competition! It’s not all about nutrition. Decisions about other foods offered to students that are nutritious should be left to local school boards and schools. Big brother needs to worry about fixing some other problems in our country instead of focusing energy on Chik-fil-a sandwiches and Cokes.
By V for Vendetta
November 6, 2008 8:36 PM | Link to this
Bottom Line: Who gives a rat’s arse about what kind of food is in schools? If kids went outside more, got more exercise, and played more sports, maybe they wouldn’t be so ridiculously fat, lazy, and unhealthy. Just a thought. I’ve been eating whatever I want for years, but I have to work out like a crazy person to do so.
When will this stupid country learn that you can’t have one without the other?
By MrLiberty
November 11, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this
Homeschooled kids eat exactly what you want them to eat. Problem solved!
They learn exactly what you want them to learn, become socialized by dealing with others the way you want them to learn, and overall have a greater respect for you as the provider, and not the state.
Sounds like the perfect system.
Good job homeschoolers.