Students Fed Up With Michelle Obama’s School Lunch Overhaul
- Thread starter GURPS
- Start date
fair enough ....
but how many people have to say something about an 'issue' until it becomes a story to you?
does OWS have to Occupy HSC
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Feds to Ban Junk Food in Schools
The government is putting its (big) foot down. No more junk food in schools. As Danica Lo of Epicurious writes:
Rules, as we all know, exist to be both enforced and broken and it will be interesting to see how far the Feds will go to make sure the rules are obeyed. Will it be a zero tolerance regime? First time offenders getting thrown in the jug for carrying concealed candy bars.
And, also, will the kids be more resourceful than the food cops?
This could be the start of a War on Food.
The government is putting its (big) foot down. No more junk food in schools. As Danica Lo of Epicurious writes:
New rules for school food kick in this July -- and for kids going back to school in the fall, it's sad sad news (okay, not really sad, but healthy healthy news). According to new regulations being instituted by the USDA, junk food is now totally verboten -- in school vending machines, stores, and lunchrooms. That means that fruits, veggies, whole grains, and dairy are good to go -- high-sodium, high-sugar, and high-fat foods are not.
Rules, as we all know, exist to be both enforced and broken and it will be interesting to see how far the Feds will go to make sure the rules are obeyed. Will it be a zero tolerance regime? First time offenders getting thrown in the jug for carrying concealed candy bars.
And, also, will the kids be more resourceful than the food cops?
This could be the start of a War on Food.
twinoaks207
Having Fun!
Oh, I have so much to say on this one...I don't know where to start...
Kids at a Calvert High school have been known to refer to their lunches as "prison food"...
Where I teach, we are a "Healthy School" - Bronze status, mainly because our cafeteria items are not totally compliant with the criteria. This year we sent home a "whole school" food policy. We limit parties with "snack foods" to 2 per year (teacher's choice). We ask for healthy snacks (baked chips, fresh fruit & veggies, etc.). We ask that parents not pack lunches that include sodas and large family size bags of chips. Some families are okay with that, some are not.
Our lunch menus were re-done to include more whole-grain breads, fruits & veggies. We also have a new program this year where each child is given a sample cup of a fruit or vegetable that goes to each classroom at the end of the day. There are many days that I see kids walking down the hallway at dismissal munching on a fresh apple. We also have a "Breakfast in the Classroom" program where kids grab a bag of breakfast & take it to their classroom to eat. This is offered to all at no cost to kids/staff & includes items like a milk, a juice/fruit & a breakfast entree (varies from chicken in biscuit, to slice of banana bread). Last Friday's lunch was the following:
82% of my school population is on Free or Reduced cost Meals program.
Yes, I see food thrown away. They're kids. They do that. Yes, I have kids that don't take the breakfast because they don't like what it is. We also provide a "weekend food bag" on Thursdays (items like canned soup, veggies, pasta, beans, cereal) courtesy of the local food bank.
We take our responsibility of feeding the children seriously. Personally, I wish we'd pay more attention to getting non-GMO foods & more organic but that's just me.
One last thought, to address those that have made comments about all the money that gets thrown at schools. As long as you expect your schools to deal with things like feeding the children 2 meals per day (Parent/Nutritionist/cook), making sure that they have decent clothes to wear (Parent/Social services), making sure that they're not being abused at home or elsewhere (Psychologist/Social Worker), making sure that we "deal" with any psychological issues or trauma they might be experiencing(Psychologist/Therapist), ensuring that special education kids first get noticed & then get what they need to learn (Doctor/Psychiatrist/Nurse/Occupational Therapist, etc.), to teach morals and character education (Parent/Church), to make sure that they know how to use technology but don't get exposed to Internet freaks (Tech Guru/Privacy Police), to make sure they stay in school long enough to learn (Truant Officer), to teach them trade skills (Business & Tradespeople), to teach how to exercise & stay physically fit (Personal Trainers), to teach them how to take tests (thank you Bill Gates and Pearson testing),keeping guns and knives and other weapons out of school and kids safe (Police Officers) and then, if we have time, and ONLY if we have time, to teach them things like reading, math, science, social studies, literature, how to use a library, etc., well THEN, THEN you better keep that money coming to pay for all of those extra people that you expect us to be. IF you just want the last piece, about teaching them reading, math, science, social studies, literature & how to use a library, well, THEN you make sure that all of that other stuff gets taken back OUT of our schools and put back where it belongs! THEN, and ONLY then, you can bitch about the money that goes to schools.
And yeah, I've tried to stay out of this but I am too damned tired of people who don't know diddley #### about schools (except that they actually attended one at some point) deciding what I need to do my job properly. Do you tell doctors they only need one scalpel and specify the brand and how much it can cost? NO! Do you tell a fighter pilot that he doesn't need 2 wheels to land his plane as he can do it with one? NO! Do you tell your auto mechanic that you only need 1 quart of oil instead of the 5 or 6 that are needed for an oil change? NO! So WHY, on God's green earth, do you people who are bitching think that you know what a teacher needs to do their job? Just once, just ONCE, I'd like to see someone ASK US!!!!
Kids at a Calvert High school have been known to refer to their lunches as "prison food"...
Where I teach, we are a "Healthy School" - Bronze status, mainly because our cafeteria items are not totally compliant with the criteria. This year we sent home a "whole school" food policy. We limit parties with "snack foods" to 2 per year (teacher's choice). We ask for healthy snacks (baked chips, fresh fruit & veggies, etc.). We ask that parents not pack lunches that include sodas and large family size bags of chips. Some families are okay with that, some are not.
Our lunch menus were re-done to include more whole-grain breads, fruits & veggies. We also have a new program this year where each child is given a sample cup of a fruit or vegetable that goes to each classroom at the end of the day. There are many days that I see kids walking down the hallway at dismissal munching on a fresh apple. We also have a "Breakfast in the Classroom" program where kids grab a bag of breakfast & take it to their classroom to eat. This is offered to all at no cost to kids/staff & includes items like a milk, a juice/fruit & a breakfast entree (varies from chicken in biscuit, to slice of banana bread). Last Friday's lunch was the following:
Entrée Choices (choice of one)
Cheese Quesadilla OR
Peanut Butter & Jelly
Sandwich & Cheese
Stick OR
Cheese & Veggie Salad
Platter & Saltine
Crackers
Sides (choice of 2)
Steamed Sweet Corn
Steamed Broccoli
Mandarin Oranges
Cheese Quesadilla OR
Peanut Butter & Jelly
Sandwich & Cheese
Stick OR
Cheese & Veggie Salad
Platter & Saltine
Crackers
Sides (choice of 2)
Steamed Sweet Corn
Steamed Broccoli
Mandarin Oranges
82% of my school population is on Free or Reduced cost Meals program.
Yes, I see food thrown away. They're kids. They do that. Yes, I have kids that don't take the breakfast because they don't like what it is. We also provide a "weekend food bag" on Thursdays (items like canned soup, veggies, pasta, beans, cereal) courtesy of the local food bank.
We take our responsibility of feeding the children seriously. Personally, I wish we'd pay more attention to getting non-GMO foods & more organic but that's just me.
One last thought, to address those that have made comments about all the money that gets thrown at schools. As long as you expect your schools to deal with things like feeding the children 2 meals per day (Parent/Nutritionist/cook), making sure that they have decent clothes to wear (Parent/Social services), making sure that they're not being abused at home or elsewhere (Psychologist/Social Worker), making sure that we "deal" with any psychological issues or trauma they might be experiencing(Psychologist/Therapist), ensuring that special education kids first get noticed & then get what they need to learn (Doctor/Psychiatrist/Nurse/Occupational Therapist, etc.), to teach morals and character education (Parent/Church), to make sure that they know how to use technology but don't get exposed to Internet freaks (Tech Guru/Privacy Police), to make sure they stay in school long enough to learn (Truant Officer), to teach them trade skills (Business & Tradespeople), to teach how to exercise & stay physically fit (Personal Trainers), to teach them how to take tests (thank you Bill Gates and Pearson testing),keeping guns and knives and other weapons out of school and kids safe (Police Officers) and then, if we have time, and ONLY if we have time, to teach them things like reading, math, science, social studies, literature, how to use a library, etc., well THEN, THEN you better keep that money coming to pay for all of those extra people that you expect us to be. IF you just want the last piece, about teaching them reading, math, science, social studies, literature & how to use a library, well, THEN you make sure that all of that other stuff gets taken back OUT of our schools and put back where it belongs! THEN, and ONLY then, you can bitch about the money that goes to schools.
And yeah, I've tried to stay out of this but I am too damned tired of people who don't know diddley #### about schools (except that they actually attended one at some point) deciding what I need to do my job properly. Do you tell doctors they only need one scalpel and specify the brand and how much it can cost? NO! Do you tell a fighter pilot that he doesn't need 2 wheels to land his plane as he can do it with one? NO! Do you tell your auto mechanic that you only need 1 quart of oil instead of the 5 or 6 that are needed for an oil change? NO! So WHY, on God's green earth, do you people who are bitching think that you know what a teacher needs to do their job? Just once, just ONCE, I'd like to see someone ASK US!!!!
I'd like to know what happen to parents raising their kids and not letting someone else do their job. Also, I'd like to know when it was the state's responsibility to feed kids and why my tax dollars are being used to feed someone elses kids? If you can't feed them, don't breed them.
I think parents should be able to send in whatever they want for their kids to eat and the government should stay out of feeding our kids.
I think parents should be able to send in whatever they want for their kids to eat and the government should stay out of feeding our kids.
my daughter gets a fine education at a school not burdened with the politics federal regulations and county / state bureaucracy
and my wife volunteers 3 days a week in the school kitchen assisting with the hot lunch program ... a lunch the children want to eat ... again not burdened with federal regulations ... because they are not taking federal money ... the parents pay for lunch out of pocket, any money left over stays with the school ....
Twin, I was hoping you'd jump in here. I'm more interested in what real people with first-hand knowledge have to say about this, rather then some blogger with an agenda.
twinoaks207
Having Fun!
How wonderful that you can afford to send your daughter to a private school. I'm sure that she will be wonderful at her job/career (whatever it is) when she's grown & out on her own. Of course, pulling your kid out of public schools is a wonderful way to fix the public schools --- NOT! Yes, it may be the best thing for your child, and of course that's your first priority. BUT, think about this...your child is not the only child in the world who will grow up and get a job somewhere. ALL kids (who survive), grow up and get jobs. They become your auto mechanics, your nurses, your doctors, your restaurant chefs, your accountants, your bankers, your car dealership workers, your nursing home care folks, etc., etc. It really is in your best interests to make sure that the public schools are there and a viable option. That doesn't happen if everyone cuts & runs. What happens then is that we get an education system that is divided by class. The rich people go to private schools & the poor people go to public schools. If you don't think this is happening now, look at the Charter school movement (which actually uses YOUR tax money). In particular, look at how it's being done in New York state. Look at all of the fraud involved and looks at the results of charters. Many of them are not performing as well as the public schools.
The only way to make local public schools better is get into them and take back local control. And yes, I said that. Get the Feds out of every nook & cranny as they have no clue what they are doing when it comes to "education", beginning at the top of the US Department of Education. People need to get involved, whether they have kids in school or not. Education is everyone's business!
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
The school lunch program came about after WW II, 1946. The reasons were to prop up commodity prices and because so many draftees (50%+) were suffering from malnutrition when they had their draft physicals early in the war.
School lunches actually started in the 1890s in Philadelphia and Boston.
Your "if you can't feed'em don't breed'em" is a cute sound bite but it doesn't happen that way and it never has. You know, I know it, Ray Charles could see it.
twinoaks207
Having Fun!
I can only say what I've observed at my school. My students are loving the exposure to new things that they might not have eaten before. I've had so many of them tell me that they tried something new and liked it. We also do an annual "Food special event" for our school community where we highlight some fresh foods & show ways to prepare them. One year the focus was on "green" food. Kids who had never seen or tasted sugar snap peas became devotees of them on the spot. We have kids from many different countries so when we get parents involved, everyone gets a taste of different cooking.
My students are starting to eat differently at home -- more fresh fruits & veggies, because of things they've tried at school. Things that maybe parents didn't buy because they weren't sure the kid would like it and couldn't afford to waste the money on something no one would eat. Poverty goes for cheap & familiar. Cookbooks are one of the fastest growing section in the school library & most of the time, they're all checked out by the kids. The kids are having fun, they're learning, they're eating more healthily, and their families are, by extension eating a bit more healthily, too.
Teaching with Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs & Ham is a whole new experience now!
I do, however, oppose the attempt to ban birthday cupcakes. Every kid should have the opportunity for birthday cupcakes! The new food motto that we teach the kids is "everything in moderation".
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Parents can't teach their kids what they themselves don't know. My mom was a canned veggie person - we might have had carrots, potatoes, and celery in the house, but that was it. My uncle married well, and she taught me to love fresh produce like asparagus, artichokes, beets, etc. If kids are never exposed to "healthy" foods because the parents never were, either, I completely okay with the schools filling that role. School is supposed to be about learning.
Pete
Repete
Back in our youth before the Mexican super highway opened and allowed a steady supply of fresh veggies, canned stuff was all there was on off season months.
Yes but...if I could get back all the many wasted hours spent very actively involved and trying to influence the direction of SMCPS, I would really like that. We/I worked closely with long-time teachers to fight for programs like PACE, STEM and various honors classes..to fight against the ever-growing trend toward achieving a nice lowest-common-denominator result for the majority of students...the squelching of excellence. Were we frustrated at every turn and all our efforts largely irrelevant? You betcha! Our frustration was shared by some of the very excellent teachers we worked with and whom shared our goals. Some years later...many of them are gone now.
awpitt
Main Streeter
Very well put. My Mother is a retired teacher so I've heard plenty about what teachers deal with. I've always made it a point to get to know my kids' teachers a little bit. Just to make sure they know that we're (parent/teacher) on the same side.
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awpitt
Main Streeter
Private schools aren't mandated to deal with all of the different types of kids that public schools are. So, it's not an acurate comparison.
Pete
Repete
For what it's worth, Boy is chronically complainign about quantity and quality. He is a football player in the fall and wrestling in the winter and during these 2 seasons he eats about 5K calories a day because he worksd out constantly. Quantity is geared toward sofa surfers and he ends up buying "extras". Not a problem except he was blowing through his lunch account like crazy. He said "everything pretty much sucks except for a couple items." Having the suspicion he was being a drama queen he started sending pictures of his lunch to me. I wouldn't eat it so I stopped griping about him blowing through his money so fast.
SMC should seriously look into who they have contracted to do this. Most of it gets tossed.
SMC should seriously look into who they have contracted to do this. Most of it gets tossed.
Hank
my war
So, basically nothing has changed since I was in school.... Any food made for mass consumption and basically given away for free is probably not going to be very tasty.
Yep. My kids packed their lunch when they were in school. They'd give me a grocery list of what they thought should be on hand for sandwiches, fruit, yogurt, carrot sticks, chips, etc, and that was the end of my school lunch responsibility. They ate well as far as I'm aware.