Are America's children hungry or obese?

[Randi]

This is getting ridiculous the way the government is stepping in. School lunches now have to have smaller portions for everybody. For some kids I'm sure that is their main food for the entire day. What are they supposed to do?

The area I live in had an article in the paper that 70% of the children enrolled in the area schools qualify for a free or reduced price meal. So the head of the lunch program came up with an idea. Since all lunches must include a piece of fruit and quite a few kids were throwing it away, she started a return bin that they could put the fruit in so others could take it if they wanted. Any left over, was collected, washed and made available free for snacks in the afternoon breaks. Sounds like a win-win situation, since snacks have to be paid for as they are not substidised. Well one day after the article appeared, another edict came from the fed gov. This is not allowed as the law states that food cannot be recycled once it has gone on a tray.

So now all the fruit has to be destroyed & kids without the money to pay for a snack can go without. At least they won't become obese...

[themilesfamily]

I don't know how to comment on this without violating the DISboard rule about no political discussions.

So I'll just say UGH.

[low-key]

Im both

[Planogirl]

I understand that the city of New York has banned food donations to certain charities since they can't monitor the salt and fat and other levels of the donated food. I'm not trying to be political but this is ridiculous. I guess that it's better for someone to be hungry than to get a bit too much salt.

[Wishing on a star]

RE: Hungry - or - Obese
I just wanted to say that being poor or needy does not mean that one is not obese....

Quite the opposite.

The poor often eat lower quality foods, a much higher percentage of carbs, etc.
High quality fresh and nutritious foods can be very expensive!

And, like everyone else...
OMG, just no-comment about the school lunch programs, etc...

[nchulka]

At my kids school only the entree starts out on the tray when the child picks it up. Then there is an area with all the sides including several kinds of fruits and veggies. The kids can take whatever they want. That way kids who want several fruits can take them and kids who would just end up chucking the banana don't waste it

[MM27]

Originally Posted by nchulka

At my kids school only the entree starts out on the tray when the child picks it up. Then there is an area with all the sides including several kinds of fruits and veggies. The kids can take whatever they want. That way kids who want several fruits can take them and kids who would just end up chucking the banana don't waste it

That's what my school does too. They keep crates of those presliced apple bags, bags of carrots, bananas, etc. and the kids can go up and get whatever they want. I have quite a few kids that take some to take home with them. It is allowed because they usually have a ton of it left after school and they keep it there for the aftercare kids as well.

[Stitchfans]

Originally Posted by Wishing on a star

RE: Hungry - or - Obese
I just wanted to say that being poor or needy does not mean that one is not obese....

Quite the opposite.

The poor often eat lower quality foods, a much higher percentage of carbs, etc.
High quality fresh and nutritious foods can be very expensive!

And, like everyone else...
OMG, just no-comment about the school lunch programs, etc...

Exactly. The subject of wasted food has always been a big issue with me. Instead of places being able to donate whatever they hadn't sold at the end of the day, they have to pitch it?? So wrong. So messed up.

[cornflake]

Originally Posted by Planogirl

I understand that the city of New York has banned food donations to certain charities since they can't monitor the salt and fat and other levels of the donated food. I'm not trying to be political but this is ridiculous. I guess that it's better for someone to be hungry than to get a bit too much salt.

Just FYI, no one has or really can ban donations to charities and that's not what really happened even excepting the charity part.

The City has had a rule about non-packaged food not being allowed to be accepted for donation by City-run homeless shelters, for a whole host of reasons including food safety, unknown ingredients, nutrition, etc. They do accept donation of packaged, labelled food.

Private shelters, charities, churches, etc., can accept whatever they choose.

This has been a rule for a while but it only got press during the aftermath of Sandy, when a lot of people tried to donate stuff and got turned away by the City's Department of Homeless Services, which makes and enforces these rules for City shelters.

[leighe]

Just curious, Cornflake, but you do realize there are other cities on Earth other than NYC? I was worried maybe you didn't since you always type the City like its the only one.

Meh, I dunno, just an observation...

[cornflake]

Originally Posted by leighe

Just curious, Cornflake, but you do realize there are other cities on Earth other than NYC? I was worried maybe you didn't since you always type the City like its the only one.

Meh, I dunno, just an observation...

When referring to New York City, I capitalize City, as it's a proper noun (name of a person, place, etc.).

[scbelleatheart]

Originally Posted by leighe

Just curious, Cornflake, but you do realize there are other cities on Earth other than NYC? I was worried maybe you didn't since you always type the City like its the only one.

Meh, I dunno, just an observation...

[FlightlessDuck]

Originally Posted by leighe

Just curious, Cornflake, but you do realize there are other cities on Earth other than NYC? I was worried maybe you didn't since you always type the City like its the only one.

I just needed to point out that basically everyone I know within 200 miles of NYC call it "The City". I realize people outside that metro area don't get it, but basically if you live within driving distance, New York City is "The City".

See also: The Valley. A common nickname for The Lehigh Valley (the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton-Phillipsburgh metro area) is "The Valley" with a capital V. We are aware it's not the only valley in the world. It's just a nickname.

[Planogirl]

Originally Posted by cornflake

Just FYI, no one has or really can ban donations to charities and that's not what really happened even excepting the charity part.

The City has had a rule about non-packaged food not being allowed to be accepted for donation by City-run homeless shelters, for a whole host of reasons including food safety, unknown ingredients, nutrition, etc. They do accept donation of packaged, labelled food.

Private shelters, charities, churches, etc., can accept whatever they choose.

This has been a rule for a while but it only got press during the aftermath of Sandy, when a lot of people tried to donate stuff and got turned away by the City's Department of Homeless Services, which makes and enforces these rules for City shelters.

This is the article I was particularly referring to: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/03/...-the-homeless/

It did seem a bit slanted and from what you're saying now inaccurate too. That's a relief.

As for school lunches, how does making them more healthy help anyone if the kids won't eat them?

[The Mystery Machine]

Originally Posted by Randi

This is getting ridiculous the way the government is stepping in. School lunches now have to have smaller portions for everybody. For some kids I'm sure that is their main food for the entire day. What are they supposed to do?

The area I live in had an article in the paper that 70% of the children enrolled in the area schools qualify for a free or reduced price meal. So the head of the lunch program came up with an idea. Since all lunches must include a piece of fruit and quite a few kids were throwing it away, she started a return bin that they could put the fruit in so others could take it if they wanted. Any left over, was collected, washed and made available free for snacks in the afternoon breaks. Sounds like a win-win situation, since snacks have to be paid for as they are not substidised. Well one day after the article appeared, another edict came from the fed gov. This is not allowed as the law states that food cannot be recycled once it has gone on a tray.

So now all the fruit has to be destroyed & kids without the money to pay for a snack can go without. At least they won't become obese...

As a former lunchroom worker, the staff knew this was in violation of the "laws". So, I take umbrage in the fact that they are riling people up for this.