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

[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.).

[leighe]

Ah. Thanks for the grammar tip. I grew up in the backwoods where people drive cars and camp and don't go out for sushi alone at 2am until they are at least 18 or 19. Thank goodness for the enlightening power of the Dis.

[denisenh]

i have a hungry daughter who is also on the thin side. i am grateful that we do not qualify for free or reduced lunch (about 3/4 of the sudents at her high school do) but she is often hungry even after having a school lunch.
she takes a couple of snacks and a beverage for herself or to offer to any other hungry kid.

(it sure is interesting to see how folks in charge improve on our lives, isn't it? just amazing)

[tweety38]

At my son's school they increased the price of lunch but reduced how much they get. He gets out at 1:30 and by 1:40 has his head in the fridge. He is 6 foot 6 inches and is a stick. It's too bad when well meaning people feel they know what is best for everyone.

[kacaju]

We are 3 months into the new school lunches. I am a lunch lady and I will say I have seen some positive changes. I had to increase the amount of cucumbers in my salad bar. I have some kids who are really piling them on..I tell them as long as they are eating them that is OK. We also try to keep the small bags of carrots in the salad bar for them to take.
We have smaller apples..but I think the kids like the smaller ones better, they seem to be taking them much more then when we had the bigger ones.
they go to the salad bar first...then to their entree..by the time they reach my register if there are no fruits or veggies on the tray then they have to take the canned fruit that i keep by my register.
So they have had the chance to take fresh...they dont..then they take canned. At least I dont feel as bad about them throwing away that if they refuse to eat it.

I do have some kids who ask if they can have 2 of the cupped fruit and again the answer is if you are going to eat it then yes.

I still have kids who try to get away without taking the fruits or veggies and I am sad to say many of them are the free or reduced kids.
I do not know how much of the fruits or veggies end up inthe garbage, I do have a few who will take a cup of fruit only to leave it on the table when they grab a napkin.

As I have said before in these type threads, I can force your kid to take the food..I cannot force them to eat it.

[donaldlovesdaisy]

Originally Posted by leighe

Ah. Thanks for the grammar tip. I grew up in the backwoods where people drive cars and camp and don't go out for sushi alone at 2am until they are at least 18 or 19. Thank goodness for the enlightening power of the Dis.

You probably also shop at "evil Wal-Mart".

[Bonniec]

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

This is how it is at my kid's school too. He usually brings his lunch though so it doesn't matter to us too much. What amazes me is that there is only one other kid in his class that brings lunch (1st rgade).


What makes me sad, is that in Brevard county, the kids get free breakfast because they may not get one otherwise.