With schools open for the year, we can expect many changes, not the least of which will be with school lunches. We'd like to hear from parents, caregivers and educators -- have you noticed changes in cafeteria menus and/or vending machine choices?
In Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, she talks about school nutrition. There is a website called The National Farm to School network at www.farmtoschool.org. The purpose is to establsih a relationship between schools and local growers and concentrate on educating students about good nutrition. Take a look - it looks like an interesting concept.
I have been in schools for over 20 years. The problem is bigger than just what is served on the school lunch menu. As I watched children go through the lunch line, they would by-pass all of the healthy selections. Even though the cooks would try to make them take a little of everything some of the children would leave the line with a slice of bread and a carton of milk. The children who did take their advise and select the healthy choice would then toss it in the garbage uneaten. Providing good food is essential but getting kids to eat it is the next challenge. How far can lunchroom staff and teachers go in "making" kids eat healthy?
As a mother who has put two kids through school spaced years apart I find the way school lunches have changed somewhat alarming. There use to be a time when this was the lunch and there wasn't choices to or just a couple and both were nutritious. It seems now-a-days with the concern for everyone to have choices and things not forced on them we tend to go overboard in the opposite extreme. At my childs school not only do they now have vending machines which tend to have the junk food we all love. They also provide those options to the children at the paid lunch counter. If schools are to be institutions of learning shouldn't they be teaching nutrition also? If you want the junk food you need to bring in extra money for it. Don't make it an option at the lunch counter. I've never seen my kids starve themselves. If they aren't hungry they won't eat it but if they are truly hungry and the only option is something nutritious they will eat it.
I have noticed school lunches changing, for the better, but at a snails pace, along with fast food restaurants for that matter. I find it hard to comprehend going to MCDonalds for a fruit salad or apple juice. Truly times do change. Although healthy foods are available, I find that most children tend to go for the junk food because they don't get to eat much of it and it is a choice they can make without anyone looking over their shoulder and telling them no, particularly in the high schools where food is ala carte. Just because it's there, doesn't mean it's the food they'll choose. I also have to beleive that most children choose foods in school that most reflect what they are used to. Schools should put a more awakeningapproach to health awareness and the "real" consequenses people suffer by eating poorly and making the wrong choices. Is there a way to make healthy food look appetizing to a kid?
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In Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, she talks about school nutrition. There is a website called The National Farm to School network at www.farmtoschool.org. The purpose is to establsih a relationship between schools and local growers and concentrate on educating students about good nutrition. Take a look - it looks like an interesting concept.
I have been in schools for over 20 years. The problem is bigger than just what is served on the school lunch menu. As I watched children go through the lunch line, they would by-pass all of the healthy selections. Even though the cooks would try to make them take a little of everything some of the children would leave the line with a slice of bread and a carton of milk. The children who did take their advise and select the healthy choice would then toss it in the garbage uneaten. Providing good food is essential but getting kids to eat it is the next challenge. How far can lunchroom staff and teachers go in "making" kids eat healthy?
As a mother who has put two kids through school spaced years apart I find the way school lunches have changed somewhat alarming. There use to be a time when this was the lunch and there wasn't choices to or just a couple and both were nutritious. It seems now-a-days with the concern for everyone to have choices and things not forced on them we tend to go overboard in the opposite extreme. At my childs school not only do they now have vending machines which tend to have the junk food we all love. They also provide those options to the children at the paid lunch counter. If schools are to be institutions of learning shouldn't they be teaching nutrition also? If you want the junk food you need to bring in extra money for it. Don't make it an option at the lunch counter. I've never seen my kids starve themselves. If they aren't hungry they won't eat it but if they are truly hungry and the only option is something nutritious they will eat it.
I have noticed school lunches changing, for the better, but at a snails pace, along with fast food restaurants for that matter. I find it hard to comprehend going to MCDonalds for a fruit salad or apple juice. Truly times do change. Although healthy foods are available, I find that most children tend to go for the junk food because they don't get to eat much of it and it is a choice they can make without anyone looking over their shoulder and telling them no, particularly in the high schools where food is ala carte. Just because it's there, doesn't mean it's the food they'll choose. I also have to beleive that most children choose foods in school that most reflect what they are used to. Schools should put a more awakeningapproach to health awareness and the "real" consequenses people suffer by eating poorly and making the wrong choices. Is there a way to make healthy food look appetizing to a kid?
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