You dope , I proved CONCLUSIVELY that you could serve 8 ounces of macaroni and cheese with 5.5 ounces of tuna , a salad , and a milk and fall within the guidelines.
Oh God... might as well just never bother eating again if I need a scale and a calculator to make my lunch.
We're talking about school provided lunches here.
Pack your kid a fatty mcfatty double with extra bacon, extra cheese and a side of lard if you wish. I don't believe that is any of the school or government's business.
Maybe you're right. Portion control and calorie counting should be a priority for poor kids who don't get enough food and need subsidized lunches.
I tried explaining this last night.
If you go look at the standards, yes the kids get less calories per meal, but they are now getting TWO meals and a snack, rather than all the calories coming in one meal. The total calorie count for the day is actually up.
ANY decent nutritionist will tell you that 2 smaller meals and a snack in between is healthier than one large meal.