Schools Ditching Healthy Lunches

[Clodfobble]

CNN story here, very sorry but it's video only.

The gist of it is, some schools are abandoning their new healthy lunch initiatives that encourage less fat, less sodium, and (*gasp*) fresh fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria. The story focuses on the idea that it's because the kids don't like the meals, and aren't eating them, but they sort of slide past why this is actually a problem for administrators.

It's because the schools make money off their cafeterias. Put good food in the cafeteria, and some kids are going to start bringing their shit from home instead, and that translates to a loss of money for the school. It's why schools love their junk food vending machines, and their Taco Bell kiosks in the cafeteria, and generally won't remove them until legislation requires it. Because that's what sells, and thus ensures they have textbooks for another year.

Fund the schools well enough, and they wouldn't be whoring themselves out to the lowest common denominator.



Ironically, I've always been hurriedly encouraged to send my own kids' lunches from home. Because legally, all I need is a doctor's note and I could actually demand that the school feed my children on their medically-necessary diet in the cafeteria. I never would of course, because duh. But every once in awhile a staff member will start upselling the great cafeteria food to me, before their coworkers start giving them dirty looks and shaking their heads no.

[Sundae]

When Jamie Oliver kick-started a health-kick in British school lunches he was villified by the press. But then it's the British press. Kick is their mantra.
They gloried in printing op-eds on the Nanny State, on how healthy eating in schools wasn't working and could never work, on triumphant mothers passing through bags from the local chippy to their starving kinder.

It settled down a little.
It made the impact it was intended to make, even if it didn't change the whole lunchtime culture.

When I was working in a school it was with a mainly upper-to-middle-class catchment area (lawyers, doctors, consultants, managers)
The children came to school wanting salad, drinking water, enjoying veggie options occasionally. It was balanced and healthy, although children of course could make slightly less healthy choices. Like choosing to eat just potatoes.
The free school meal children got the same choice; and I'd say the same % chose salads, water, fruit etc.

I was looked at askance for wondering why there were no condiments available. Apparently these provide empty calories (ahem - can't be charged for.)

I dunno. I believe people with moolah spend it on Nannies for a reason. Because they bring children up well, at least according to the mores and morals of the time.
I'm not so sure I hate the idea of a Nanny State.

OMG - my child can't have sausage roll and chips every day for lunch.
I have to buy my fags in plain packaging.
My tramp juice is more expensive.
Call the waaahmbulance.

[orthodoc]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Call the waaahmbulance.

I'm stealing that.

Jamie Oliver got a lot of push-back over his healthy school lunch initiative from the Los Angeles school districts too. It's going to take the same sort of multi-level government-backed push as it took to rein in the tobacco companies and change public attitudes toward smoking. That has to happen in the next ten years or our health system will totally collapse.

[Clodfobble]

Our old school was in a very weird balance, some upper middle class and some not so much, where they couldn't figure out whether they had more parents who would reject a healthy cafeteria, or a non-healthy cafeteria. So they started a program of multiple lunch choices, where the kids not only got to choose from two entrees and several sides, but how many sides. Of course everyone was paying the same price, so you have to assume that cost covered everyone getting all the sides, and they were banking the extra money every time a child admitted that there was no point in even putting broccoli on their plate. They also had a vegetarian option everyday (lots of Hindus in the neighborhood) so that no doubt brought in some who would otherwise have to brownbag it, and meatless would also again be cheaper for the school to provide.

It seemed to be working mostly okay. I saw kids eating the vegetables, at least when it wasn't "ice cream day." Our new school of course is a self-selected breed of parents, completely different ballgame. Only healthy choices, no desserts at all, and there's even a second catering vendor being tried out this year that offers Paleo sack lunches, as long as you order in advance. I love our new school so very much.

[Sundae]

"Paleo meaning old, lithic meaning stone" sez Dr Indiana Jones.

Broccoli is one of the few words my brain can simply not get.
I can spell better than 95% of the people I meet. Not boasting, it's true.
This does not apply to the Cellar.
Everyone hits the occasional typo, but now and then I am literally smacked in the face by the intelligence of the enclave I've happened upon here.

I will try to find a hook to hang broccoli on in my mind.
10cc maybe?
Or more Cherry than Laura (my ex-sister?)

Back to topic.
Sadly, it seems that the best way for institutions to provide healthy food is simply to limit choice. England apparently had its healthiest diet during rationing. Although I'm not sure how that was assessed with hundreds of thousands fighting overseas, cities being bombed and those left behind smoking fags like they were mimicking burning streets.

I grew up on a healthy diet because it was all the 'rents could afford.
I wasn't allowed free school meals because that would have been shaming.
But once I started weekend work at 14 I lived on sausage rolls and chips for lunch (see above) despite there being far more healthy options at home.
AND I drank fizzy pop.
Homemade food was because we were poor.
Ditto pasta and Italian style pizza, because Mum got the recipes from the Italian cleaners she worked with.
Proper food was not made at home and came wrapped in plastic or served over a counter.