junk food at school?

[lbrowne]

Do your schools offer loads of junk food or better selections? Ours is terrible, from the pop machines, no nutritious foods at concession stands and tons of sugar, sugar, sugar stuff for fundraising.

A related article...
Health movement has school cafeterias in a food fight.

~ Linda

[not2late]

Re: junk food at school?

When I was a kid, at least in elementary school, the school lunches were pretty good: baked chicken (real chicken), vegetable soup, open faced turkey or roast beef sandwiches, chicken soup, fish sticks with mac and cheese, etc. Once a month, they would have hamburgers or hotdogs or pizza. These would be served with either a salad or a cooked veggie. Desserts had a selection of one dessert per day: jello, pudding, pie, cake, fruit salad. Ice cream was offered once every 2 months. The only drinks were milk and chocolate milk.

When I went to junior high and high school, they still offered the elementary-school type meals, but they had a daily "a la carte" selection: fries, pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream cones. There were soda machines. I guessed they figured that as a teenager, you would be responsible enough to eat healthy foods rather than to stuff yourself with junk. In a way, I can't blame them for that assumption: you can drive a car when you're 16, you can get married at 16 too (at least in my state you could at that time). I guess while I'm happy they want to take more control over the food choices in schools, I'm afraid that they are also taking away the autonomy/responsibility of these teens and encouraging them to stay irresponsible and unaccountable....

[womanpraised]

Re: junk food at school?

The school menu for my guys looks to be loaded with junk... as was the optional hot summer camp meals this summer... the hard thing for us is that my boys look at what the other kids are eating and want the "good stuff".. and they say that sometimes they get teased about their lunch. I am hoping that more kids will be bringing healthier lunches as the school is in a very high income area, but not holding my breath.

[womanpraised]

Re: junk food at school?

Argh,,, I just got the menu calendar from the school... chicken nuggets (breaded) with french frys, meatless tacos and rice, mini corn dogs and more french frys, pizza, and spagetti look to be the staples. A lot of meatless this or that, meatless hamburgers, tacos, etc... they do get 4 whole ounces of fruit/vegetable....

The breakfasts are even worse... Monday: Pancakes Tues:Waffles Weds: English Muffin Thurs (my favorite): low fat donut!!!!!!!!!! Friday: (second place) choice of Poptart... with a choice of juice or milk, choice of apple or banana. Thats it. No protein anywhere. I dont think I will be relying on this AT ALL. It would be way cheaper, cause we qualify for free meals... but I would be packing stuff for them anyway.

OH well. Still up at five packing lunches and freezing water.

[Peytonn]

Re: junk food at school?

in case it matters... here in georgia at least.. they still call them fries.. but nothing is fried.. it's not allowed.. they bake them in the oven.. they're only edible with a bunch of ketchup

[Peytonn]

Re: junk food at school?

breakfast is often cereal... sometimes a bacon biscuit...

at lunch there's always salad bar.... (i'm at a middle school)

[cleochatra]

Re: junk food at school?

Have you ever seen the movie "Supersize Me?"

If not, it is a must-watch for any parent. It delves into more than the McEmpire of chicken noogies. It also discusses school lunches! The extra features on the DVD are a must-see, so don't skip them.

Ironically, the schools have stopped serving sodas in machines, instead to sell fruit juices and chocolate milk-type liquids. And in lieu of frying foods they now bake them. And hellooooooo tater tots and MSG goodness!

I know schools have to keep meals cheap. And that's what they are--cheap!

[Labarum]

Re: junk food at school?

A British celebrity Chef has won a campain to improve the quality of food at schools in England.

See

http://www.channel4.com/life/microsi...chool_dinners/

"Jamie Oliver busts a gut persuading schools to ditch the processed, ready-made junk the students are used to eating, and replace it with fresh, tasty, nutritious food, prepared from scratch every day."

[cleochatra]

Re: junk food at school?

Amen to Mr Oliver, labarum! To see mashed potatoes come from real potatoes in the school kitchen is far better than canned or from a powder. We should be able to see from where the finished product originated!

[ladyinred]

Re: junk food at school?

I don't know what they serve at my ds's school. He never eats there, so I'm still packing him a healthy lunch (he's also too cheap to go buy lunch elsewhere - lol). My dd gets lunch from home because there are no lunch options at school. Just last night my ds said (as we were watching a commercial for McD's) "I have no desire to go there ever again. That stuff just grosses me out." ??!! He's seen Supersize Me and he thought it was great. I haven't seen it yet, but want to. I've been turned off of fast food places for a while, actually - more because of the lack of care they take towards their customers - it looked like they were frizbeeing the buns and burgers into the box from across the room. I used to make a big fuss and told the kids we don't need to eat crap like that. Of course, now I don't eat it anyway cuz of Dr. A. What was the question? LOL

[Ailinn]

Re: junk food at school?

I remember in elementary school, one of our cooks favorite dishes to serve was this horrible concoction of a slice of bologna with a scoop of mashed potatoes and gravy on top, topped off with a slice of processed cheese, and on the side 2 rolls, and a cookie.


And my pediatrician wondered why I was an overweight kid.

[ladyinred]

Re: junk food at school?

[QUOTE=Ailinn]I remember in elementary school, one of our cooks favorite dishes to serve was this horrible concoction of a slice of bologna with a scoop of mashed potatoes and gravy on top, topped off with a slice of processed cheese, and on the side 2 rolls, and a cookie.


Eeeewwww! Did anyone eat it??? I'm guessing this was long before people became aware of different types of child abuse. Someone should have reported him/her! You poor thing.

[Labarum]

Re: junk food at school?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4287712.stm

Junk food to be banned in schools


Foods high in fat, salt or sugar are to be banned from vending machines and meals in English schools within a year. The ban from next September is to be announced by Education Secretary Ruth Kelly at the Labour Party conference.

Ministers had said vending machines could be excluded from a crackdown, but they will now be banned from stocking sweets, crisps and high-sugar drinks.

The School Meals Review Panel is next week to announce nutritional standards that will be compulsory in schools.

Chef's campaign

Ms Kelly's speech in Brighton is also due to outline plans for more parental choice in schools.

The School Meals Review Panel was set up after a campaign to improve school meals by TV chef Jamie Oliver.

His television series revealing the low standards in school food sparked widespread concern.

In response, the government promised extra funding to bring the primary school meal budget up to 50p per pupil per day - and created the panel to set minimum nutritional standards for school meals.

These standards will be introduced from this term - and will become mandatory from September 2006.

Quick fix

In her speech to the Labour party conference, the education secretary is expected to promote the need for children to have a healthy diet at school.

She will say: "I am absolutely clear that the scandal of junk food served every day in school canteens must end."

"So today I can announce that we will ban poor quality processed bangers and burgers being served in schools from next September.


"And because children need healthy options throughout the school day I can also announce that from next September no school will be able to have vending machines selling crisps, chocolates, or sugary fizzy drinks."



Plans to raise the standard of school food will not benefit pupils in local authorities where there is no school meals service.

Joe Harvey, the director of the Health Education Trust, which has advised the government on healthy eating in schools, said it was time for schools to abandon their reliance on the quick fix of junk food.

On BBC Radio Five Live, he said: "Why is it that head teachers and governing bodies have been prepared to accept really quite high levels of profit from food and drink that they know very well is not good for the children that they're responsible for?

"They're not there to make a profit for the confectionary and soft drink industry. They're there to care for children."

Choice

Meanwhile, Ms Kelly is also expected to give more details of the priorities of her forthcoming White Paper on schools.

This could address plans to create more choice within the state school system - and a more individualised approach to learning.

"Choice and personalisation" have been identified as priorities by the education secretary, who will be examining ways to give greater access to high-quality schools to youngsters in deprived areas.

This could include more city academies, a wider range of school providers and improvements with school transport.

[Esther]

Re: junk food at school?

My son has just started attending school in Portugal, and frankly I was astonished!

First of all, as he doesn't live in the same village as the school, lunch is free!

A typical menu conists of vegetable soup, followed by rice, vegetables and cod, with fresh fruit to follow up. No junky snacks availabe - please send juice and sandwich for break-times.

Other main courses have been baked potatoes, pork chops and carrots; chicken drumsticks with cabbage and potatoes. Ok, so it's a bit too high carb for me, but overall it's not bad!

[xven]

Re: junk food at school?

Do your schools offer loads of junk food or better selections? Ours is terrible, from the pop machines, no nutritious foods at concession stands and tons of sugar, sugar, sugar stuff for fundraising.

A related article...
Health movement has school cafeterias in a food fight.

~ Linda

Yes, I have had the same problem with my school. There is absolutely no option to pick from. Vending machines/junk food is at large and anything actually prepared is greasy and utterly disturbing. There were times when I was on a strict diet that I remember actually straving myself as there was nothing even mildly acceptable. Way to help kids make their choices! Some education system we have running for us!