Are America's children hungry or obese?

[indimom]

I think pretty much everyone refers to the largest city nearest to them as "the city." Here it is Philadelphia. The difference is that not everyone is presumptuous or pretentious enough to capitalize it. (Which, BTW, is grammatically incorrect) The only time it would be grammatically correct to capitalize "city" would be if it were part of the proper name, as in typing out "New York City." While, locally, Philadelphia is known as "the city" I would never presume to think that the rest of the nation considers it "the City." Capitalizing it without grammatical need to do so lends an air of importance that doesn't exist.

As for the school lunches, I think it is important to offer nutritious, filling meals. Actually my kids never found any of the meals, pre or post changes, to be particularly tasty. It is my understanding that the lunches do offer an adequate amount of calories (750) the school can't be held responsible if the child chooses not to eat it. I guess choices are also dependent on the budget of the district. My kids' schools offer several choices daily, but in a district that can't afford this I guess they have to figure they can't please everyone. I don't think they should serve the kids junk just because "that is what they will eat." In all honesty, my kids, although they eat a good variety of things, will choose the junky stuff if it's available.

I think most kids will choose the pizza or ice cream over salad and fruit. At this point it is just a learning curve. Students need tonget used to the newer menu. As more kids enter school and see this as the norm I think the food will be better accepted.

Same here, except its Cincinnati.

 

[LisaR]

I usually pack DD's lunch. Last week one day I was just too busy and there was nothing in the house, so I gave her $10 to buy lunch. She came home starving (and with money left over). She had bought a bag of goldfish and 2 bags of gummy bears. She also had a bottle of Gatorade. That was her lunch. No one cared what she was buying or said anything when she loaded up on junk. I am sure there nutritious choices available, but choosing them does not seem to be enforced...or maybe it's only enforced for kids on free lunch.

Would you really want the school telling your child what to eat with your money? Would you be happy if they forced her to put something back and take a healthier option and it ended up in the trash? There is no way the school can police all of those kids when it comes to eating and it shouldn't be part of their job anyway. They monitor the free lunch kids because they have to in order to receive funding. The rest of the kids need to learn to make healthy choices on their own.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I usually pack DD's lunch. Last week one day I was just too busy and there was nothing in the house, so I gave her $10 to buy lunch. She came home starving (and with money left over). She had bought a bag of goldfish and 2 bags of gummy bears. She also had a bottle of Gatorade. That was her lunch. No one cared what she was buying or said anything when she loaded up on junk. I am sure there nutritious choices available, but choosing them does not seem to be enforced...or maybe it's only enforced for kids on free lunch.

How old is your daughter? I ask because when I was in middle school, standard lunch for many of my friends and me was an order of fries and a coke. Sometimes we would order a hot dog, but often it was fries. Oh, and we would get a Starcrunch. We were in middle school and teachers figured that we were going to eat what we were going to eat.

 

[badblackpug]

I usually pack DD's lunch. Last week one day I was just too busy and there was nothing in the house, so I gave her $10 to buy lunch. She came home starving (and with money left over). She had bought a bag of goldfish and 2 bags of gummy bears. She also had a bottle of Gatorade. That was her lunch. No one cared what she was buying or said anything when she loaded up on junk. I am sure there nutritious choices available, but choosing them does not seem to be enforced...or maybe it's only enforced for kids on free lunch.

The difference in our schools is that that type of food is not available. The "treats" that are available are are things baked by the school like oatmeal raisin cookies, banana bread, and muffins.

I think the nutrition programs vary from state to state.

 

[LisaR]

The difference in our schools is that that type of food is not available. The "treats" that are available are are things baked by the school like oatmeal raisin cookies, banana bread, and muffins.

I think the nutrition programs vary from state to state.

This is what I don't understand. Are the new regulations (no butter or salt, whole wheat pasta and bread) only in regards to the free lunch program? Do they only apply to the full meals? Why is it one school has homemade cookies, banana bread, and muffins and another one has Goldfish and Gummy Bears? Why do some schools have full on salad bars and others only offer a cup of iceberg lettuce? Are these government regulations that vary by school or has each individual school (or district) decided what to do with regards to junk food?

 

[phorsenuf]

When I was a (high school) lunch lady (4 years ago), there were guidelines we had to follow if the kids were on the reduced or free lunch program. They had to take at least 3 of the required components whether they wanted them all or not. If they said they didn't want to, we'd have to tell them either pay full price or take the component. What they did with it once they left the area was up to them but they had to walk away with them.

We offered salads, bagels, 2 kinds of chicken sandwiches, pizza and one other hot entree every day as well as french fries, fruit and milk. We also had a sub station set up with made to order subs (like subway). We also offered juice, vitamin water, water, snacks and ice cream. Those all cost extra though.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

This is what I don't understand. Are the new regulations (no butter or salt, whole wheat pasta and bread) only in regards to the free lunch program? Do they only apply to the full meals? Why is it one school has homemade cookies, banana bread, and muffins and another one has Goldfish and Gummy Bears? Why do some schools have full on salad bars and others only offer a cup of iceberg lettuce? Are these government regulations that vary by school or has each individual school (or district) decided what to do with regards to junk food?

OK, first off, some kitchens are "seperate" from the schools. In fact most might be now. The school contracts out with a vendor to supply the food. The kitchen employees are sometimes paid by the vendor, even though you work for the school.

Second the regulations apply 100% to the "hot lunch" (full pay or free) and partially to the snacks & believe me THAT varies greatly, esp. in middle school/high school.

Third homemade cookies are usually frozen, although they are fresh and hot when the kids eat them.

As a kitchen manager you have to work with what vendor your school works with as far as "supply". Naturally this will differ across the states.

I cannot specifically speak on the part of how the regulations vary state to state but I suppose you can look into your state house of representatives.

People go around making laws in their communities and that may have something to do with how things are governed and who knows what else. I do know I had read about schools making changes to menu's based on parent/student effort in the past.

 

[badblackpug]

This is what I don't understand. Are the new regulations (no butter or salt, whole wheat pasta and bread) only in regards to the free lunch program? Do they only apply to the full meals? Why is it one school has homemade cookies, banana bread, and muffins and another one has Goldfish and Gummy Bears? Why do some schools have full on salad bars and others only offer a cup of iceberg lettuce? Are these government regulations that vary by school or has each individual school (or district) decided what to do with regards to junk food?

The regulations are in regards to hot meals. I think the ability to offer choices and the number of choices is based on the financial ability of the district. Here I think the baked goods are allowed because of how they are made. It has something to do with fat calories and sugar. It is possible to. make baked goods lower in fat and sugar by substituting things like applesauce and fruit for oil and sugar.

Our middle school gives you a choice of 2 hot entrees (one vegetarian) as well as a choice of 2 sandwiches (one meat one Pb&j) they usually have one vegetable with the meal, but there is a choice of fruit.

Our high school does have a salad bar as well as a choice of entrees or sandwiches. I'm not 100% sure of the state regulations, but again, I think that the food sold/offered has to be below a certain percentage of sugar/fat calories/sodium. The PP with the gummy bears is in Maryland, their regulations may differ, but here they aren't allowed to sell candy in school (even for fundraisers) and they aren't allowed to sell sugar sweetened beverages.

 

[crazyme5kids]

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.

If you live in NYC, or the surrounding areas, it is never capitalized. For example, if family or friends of mine email me about going in to see them, city is always lowercase, as in, "Hey when are you coming into the city?" Or, "The city is a mob scene today." Or, "I'm heading back to the city on the 8:30 train."

So, it is the city, not The City, or the City.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

The regulations are in regards to hot meals. I think the ability to offer choices and the number of choices is based on the financial ability of the district. Here I think the baked goods are allowed because of how they are made. It has something to do with fat calories and sugar. It is possible to. make baked goods lower in fat and sugar by substituting things like applesauce and fruit for oil and sugar.

Our middle school gives you a choice of 2 hot entrees (one vegetarian) as well as a choice of 2 sandwiches (one meat one Pb&j) they usually have one vegetable with the meal, but there is a choice of fruit.

Our high school does have a salad bar as well as a choice of entrees or sandwiches. I'm not 100% sure of the state regulations, but again, I think that the food sold/offered has to be below a certain percentage of sugar/fat calories/sodium. The PP with the gummy bears is in Maryland, their regulations may differ, but here they aren't allowed to sell candy in school (even for fundraisers) and they aren't allowed to sell sugar sweetened beverages.

How about this one?

The PTO at my dd's HS runs the "school store" which has plenty of junk and candy & other stuff. It makes enough throughout the year so the school DOES NOT have to do fundraisers.

The only soda that is sold for the kids during school in the soda machines is Mello Yello. Figure that one out, lol.

 

[badblackpug]

How about this one?

The PTO at my dd's HS runs the "school store" which has plenty of junk and candy & other stuff. It makes enough throughout the year so the school DOES NOT have to do fundraisers.

The only soda that is sold for the kids during school in the soda machines is Mello Yello. Figure that one out, lol.

They used to do this when I was in school, too. The school store was manned by seniors and the proceeds went to the senior class. It payed for the prom and the senior trip. Now the school store only sells school supplies. It's not nearly as profitable.