‘Healthier’ school lunch at what cost?

[bill5]

Under regulations proposed this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture would have the final say on what students eat. Educators fear the guidelines, trumpeted by first lady Michelle Obama and others as a key to curbing childhood obesity,

Prepare for a huge shock: Michelle Obama is an idiot. Apparently she doesn't realize kids can pack their own lunch consisting of pretty much anything they want.

 

[chanel]

Some schools are considering banning bagged lunches. If the kids on free/reduced lunch have to eat that slop, so will all. It's about "fairness" and "feelings", which now drives most educational decisions.

 

[Flopper]

Under regulations proposed this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture would have the final say on what students eat. Educators fear the guidelines, trumpeted by first lady Michelle Obama and others as a key to curbing childhood obesity, will take a huge bite out of school budgets while resulting in “healthier” meals that make youngsters turn up their noses.

“Under the proposed rule, school meals would become so restrictive they would be unpalatable to many students,” said Karen Castaneda, director of food service at Pennridge School District in Perkasie, Pa.

For example, Ms. Castaneda said, the proposed sodium restrictions for student lunches resemble diets previously reserved for those battling serious illnesses such as kidney disease.

The American Association of School Administrators has called the plan a “direct unfunded mandate” imposed on school districts. The National School Boards Association on Friday released a statement saying it is “gravely concerned about the financial impact the law could have on school districts at a time when many are in dire economic straits.”

“Two years after implementation, the cost of a school breakfast may increase by more than 25 cents. The cost of a school lunch will have increased by more than 7 cents,” said Rep. Duncan Hunter, the California Republican who chairs the House subcommittee focusing on primary and secondary education issues. “The total compliance costs will reach $6.8 billion by 2016, costs that will fall heavily on states and schools.”

'Healthier' school lunch at what cost? - Washington Times

This may actually help the obesity epidemic. Kids will refrain from eating all day and get real skinny. Of course their brains will shrink as well... Hey - Maybe that's the real agenda.

I'm familiar with two district's food service. Both operate at a profit or break-even. I believe any additional cost due to the guidelines will be passed on to students. If the districts don't like the guidelines, they should turn down the federal funding and serve whatever they want.

I haven't eaten in a school in about 8 years. The last time I did, the only thing that tasted good were the french fries. I saw a lot of kids with double orders of fries and coke. That was lunch. When I ask the lunchroom manager about it, she said the kids love it and the district made money off it and that's why they served it. The balanced meal that schools were required to serve were turn down by most of the students. Unless the districts come up with good receipts for the food, the kids won't eat it.

 

[Flopper]

Under regulations proposed this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture would have the final say on what students eat.

Who has the final say now? Who makes the decision on what gets served now?

“Under the proposed rule, school meals would become so restrictive they would be unpalatable to many students,” said Karen Castaneda, director of food service at Pennridge School District in Perkasie, Pa.

Healthier does not have to mean bland. I prepare dinner every night without adding tons of salt and processed crap and it tastes and is good. If I made the recipe to feed 5 or 500 it would still taste good and be good for you.

Instead of increasing the servings of fruits/veggies (which the kids dont' seem to touch), why don't they keep those servings the same and have the schools just eliminate all the crap? That'd be a good start.

The regulations would also require schools to spend more money for fresh fruits and vegetables. Many districts now serve cheaper canned fruits or frozen vegetables.

Nonsense. Instead of requiring fresh, change the cooking method to ensure better nutrition. ex., steam the frozen veggies rather than boil. Prepackaged fries are crap; fresh sliced spuds sprinkled with some evvo and seasonings and baked in the oven are good tasting and good for you. Nothing is wrong with canned fruit, just don't buy the 'heavy syrup' kind, have the 'in it's own juice' kind. Simple, common sense changes. Yeah I know . . .won't never happen.

Most schools offer a well balanced meal. The problem is the kids don't eat it because they are offered junk food or less nutrition food. Offer a kid a lunch with a salad, main course, fruit, and milk or a hot dog, fries, and sweet soda. You know what they will choose.

 

[Stephanie]

Under regulations proposed this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture would have the final say on what students eat. Educators fear the guidelines, trumpeted by first lady Michelle Obama and others as a key to curbing childhood obesity, will take a huge bite out of school budgets while resulting in “healthier” meals that make youngsters turn up their noses.

“Under the proposed rule, school meals would become so restrictive they would be unpalatable to many students,” said Karen Castaneda, director of food service at Pennridge School District in Perkasie, Pa.

For example, Ms. Castaneda said, the proposed sodium restrictions for student lunches resemble diets previously reserved for those battling serious illnesses such as kidney disease.

The American Association of School Administrators has called the plan a “direct unfunded mandate” imposed on school districts. The National School Boards Association on Friday released a statement saying it is “gravely concerned about the financial impact the law could have on school districts at a time when many are in dire economic straits.”

“Two years after implementation, the cost of a school breakfast may increase by more than 25 cents. The cost of a school lunch will have increased by more than 7 cents,” said Rep. Duncan Hunter, the California Republican who chairs the House subcommittee focusing on primary and secondary education issues. “The total compliance costs will reach $6.8 billion by 2016, costs that will fall heavily on states and schools.”

'Healthier' school lunch at what cost? - Washington Times

This may actually help the obesity epidemic. Kids will refrain from eating all day and get real skinny. Of course their brains will shrink as well... Hey - Maybe that's the real agenda.

I guess you could call me the lunch lady and let me tell you. We are already seeing the effects of this. It would make you SICK to see the AMOUNT of food the children are FORCED (at least in the lower grades) to take which they are NOT GOING TO EAT because it is food they do not like and then all they do is THROW IT AWAY.

What I find hypocritical of Michelle Obama, is she has her hand in all this, then they send their children to PRIVATE SCHOOL..

 

[chanel]

Oh yes. Check this out. Phila. schools have a "universal feeding program" which provides free breakfasts to all.

In an unprecedented move, the School District of Philadelphia will hold principals accountable for the number of students eating breakfast in their schools. Breakfast participation will be part of a report card that rates principals each year, along with categories such as attendance and math and reading performance.

All 165,000 students in Philadelphia public schools, regardless of income, are eligible for free breakfast. But just 54,000 ate breakfast last year, district figures show.

The new system, which begins this year, is expected to increase the number of students eating breakfast, said Jonathan Stein, a lawyer with Community Legal Services whose efforts - along with those of Public Citizens for Children and Youth - helped bring about the change.

http://clsphila.org/NewsItem.aspx?id=179

So the principal and the school staff encourage the students to get breakfast at school even if they had it at home. They can just throw it in the trash.

 

[bill5]

What I find hypocritical of Michelle Obama, is she has her hand in all this, then they send their children to PRIVATE SCHOOL..

Careful, the race card nazis might be watching.

Bottom line: you can't force kids to eat healthy in schools, so IMO it's ridiculous to try. I agree they should stop serving fast food, or at least do it much less (eg once a week) - kids will still pack lunches, but then at least the parent has some control and responsibility over it.

 

[California Girl]

When I was at school, you ate what you were told to eat. Guess what? It did not kill me, nor was I an obese kid. My parents were the law in my life. Not a morsel touched my lips without parental consent. Once a month we were allowed 'fast food'. Even now, I don't do fast food very often.... because I was raised right. It's not the schools. It's the parents.

I remember a particular conversation with my Mom, when I dared to say 'I don't like carrots'. She said 'I don't remember asking whether you liked them, I told you to eat them'. I ate them. I still eat carrots. LOL

 

[Dabs]

My children never ate school lunches. They never really complained they didn't get enough pudding or cookies or anything like that, they just said the food was nasty.
The granddaughter now- as we fast forward 20 years + - on her lunch tray at school, are carrots with ranch dressing for dipping. And apple slices. And she has told me they serve good mashed potatoes and salisbury steaks. I let her take her lunch when she knows she won't like the lunch the school is serving.

 

[Flopper]

Oh yes. Check this out. Phila. schools have a "universal feeding program" which provides free breakfasts to all.

In an unprecedented move, the School District of Philadelphia will hold principals accountable for the number of students eating breakfast in their schools. Breakfast participation will be part of a report card that rates principals each year, along with categories such as attendance and math and reading performance.

All 165,000 students in Philadelphia public schools, regardless of income, are eligible for free breakfast. But just 54,000 ate breakfast last year, district figures show.

The new system, which begins this year, is expected to increase the number of students eating breakfast, said Jonathan Stein, a lawyer with Community Legal Services whose efforts - along with those of Public Citizens for Children and Youth - helped bring about the change.

Community Legal Services of Philadelphia / Breakfast at school now is on the principal

So the principal and the school staff encourage the students to get breakfast at school even if they had it at home. They can just throw it in the trash.

From the article it sounds like each school will have a target number of breakfasts that should be served based on the poverty level of the school's district. This seems unnecessary to me. Kids that come to school hungry are going to eat. Those that fill up on junk food at home aren't going to be hungry.

 

[Tank]

Prepare for a huge shock: Michelle Obama is an idiot. Apparently she doesn't realize kids can pack their own lunch consisting of pretty much anything they want.

Not the poor kids.

 

[Mr.Nick]

I love how these schools believe they own your children and you - the parent - are nothing more than babysitters.

 

[chanel]

Untrue Mr Nick. NO educator I know wants to parent your child. Unfortunately, it's the other way around for a good percentage of parents. Flash mobs occur in the summer because the teachers are not supervising "those kids". I see a day when schools are open 24/7 12 months a year, so the kids have three meals a day and someone else to keep safe.

 

[Immanuel]

In slightly different news I saw a report on this item on Baynews9 the other day:

Health Buzz: Sack Lunches Often Reach Unsafe Temperatures - US News and World Report

The lunches parents send their kids to school with almost always reach unsafe temperatures. So suggests a new study by Texas researchers, who tested 705 lunches and found that 90 percent were warm enough to foment the growth of bacteria—potentially leading to food poisoning. Even lunches cooled by ice packs were typically warm enough to be dangerous, according to findings published today in Pediatrics. "This study should be an eye-opener for the public," study author Fawaz Almansour, a researcher in the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Texas—Austin, told Time. "We don't always know what got us sick. You can't easily point a finger at a particular food, but sack lunches could easily be the culprit." Parents can minimize the risk by choosing vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, while avoiding spoil-prone foods, such as meat and dairy products. The study authors also suggest skipping the mayonnaise, since it contains eggs and tends to go bad quickly. And while refrigerating a packed lunch is ideal, parents should teach kids to first remove food from insulated lunch boxes, which can prevent food from staying cool in the refrigerator.

and I have to say that I thought back to when I was in school. I don't remember food poisoning being that big of an issue back then, and our lunch boxes sat on a shelf over the coat rack.

So, do all those people who still have kids in school stop sending their kids with bag lunches so that they can eat "healthier" school lunches at higher prices or what?

Immie

 

[bill5]

Not the poor kids.

Yeah pretty much them too.

I love how these schools believe they own your children and you - the parent - are nothing more than babysitters.

What country is this true in? Certainly sounds novel.

and I have to say that I thought back to when I was in school. I don't remember food poisoning being that big of an issue back then, and our lunch boxes sat on a shelf over the coat rack.

Same here. Sounds like paranoid BS to me.

 

[Flopper]

The kids that need the school breakfast the most are those that are not going to get. Why? Because parents of these kids send them to school after breakfast is over.

 

[konradv]

Show us the science Mrs. Obama. People may be willing to pay an extra couple a billion dollars if grossing kids out is proven to solve this health issue. Thank you in advance.

1. There is no data showing that school lunches make kids fat. Many of them start Kindergarten that way.
2. There is sketchy data on whether sodium is unhealthy in young people.
3. There will be serious unintended consequences. Namely - hungry kids.
4. Billions may be wasted.
5, Fat kids can still bring in their own lunches (except in Chicago)
6. Fat kids will be held responsible for the new regs, resulting in more bullying. "Hey chubbie. It's your fault this food sucks! You've ruined it for everyone!"

Not every problem can be solved by the govt. And the schools have enough problems right now.

Grossing out kids? Have we heard from any kids? What sort of "gross" foods are they serving, anywaY? Sounds like a parent problem, not a kid problem.

 

[Flopper]

Show us the science Mrs. Obama. People may be willing to pay an extra couple a billion dollars if grossing kids out is proven to solve this health issue. Thank you in advance.

1. There is no data showing that school lunches make kids fat. Many of them start Kindergarten that way.
2. There is sketchy data on whether sodium is unhealthy in young people.
3. There will be serious unintended consequences. Namely - hungry kids.
4. Billions may be wasted.
5, Fat kids can still bring in their own lunches (except in Chicago)
6. Fat kids will be held responsible for the new regs, resulting in more bullying. "Hey chubbie. It's your fault this food sucks! You've ruined it for everyone!"

Not every problem can be solved by the govt. And the schools have enough problems right now.

Yes, there have been studies that show that school lunches contribute to childhood obesity. School lunches are just one factor that promotes childhood obesity. However, you don't need a lot studies to tell you that kids that are being served french fries, ice cream and soda for lunch are eating wrong kind of food.

Is School Lunch Making Your Kids Fat? – TIME Healthland

 

[chanel]

Did you see the photo? I work in a school in NJ with very strict guidelines. The fat content in the cheeses is so low it doesn't melt. The kids won't even eat pizza or grilled cheese anymore. Have you ever eaten soup without salt? Ick! We have a salad and deli bar that has tasty nutritious food but I have a feeling it won't pass the new regs. Good thing the teachers can leave for lunch. For now at least.

 

[Flopper]

Did you see the photo? I work in a school in NJ with very strict guidelines. The fat content in the cheeses is so low it doesn't melt. The kids won't even eat pizza or grilled cheese anymore. Have you ever eaten soup without salt? Ick! We have a salad and deli bar that has tasty nutritious food but I have a feeling it won't pass the new regs. Good thing the teachers can leave for lunch. For now at least.

The quality of food varies a lot between districts. In fact it vary a lot between schools. When I worked for a school district and had to visit the schools, I always picked which school to visit near lunch. Some schools had really good meals. Others were absolutely terrible and they were all within the same district.