Teach the children well
Recently I participated in a conference call with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. By participated I mean that I told him a thing or two about feeding our nation’s children and doing right by our schools. Either that, or I listened quietly and jotted down a note or two. It’s kind of hard to remember.
The call centered around Michelle Obama’s campaign to end childhood obesity and the possible role that the FDA might play, particularly with regard to school lunches. If you don’t have kids in public school you may not know that current lunches are almost as nutritious as chocolate coated bike tires.
We’re gearing up for a change. But it’s going to cost money. And it’s going to ruffle feathers.
I know this because our district got a jump start on this by hiring Renegade Lunch Lady Ann Cooper to remake the face of lunch in Boulder County Schools. She is clearing out the high fructose corn syrup and the chemically constructed chicken nuggets. She is offering fresh fruits and vegetables and locally sourced hormone-free milk.
Inconceivably, it’s got some folks really upset. Grown-up folks.
It’s mind boggling to me, because surely they love their kids. And I know that they want what’s best. And yet they are stomping their feet because someone took away their chocolate milk?
We want our kids to be healthy. To grow strong. To have every opportunity to learn. So why are we sitting back and watching as their brain cells are taxed with highly processed foods? How can we challenge teachers to feed their minds when we’re not doing our best to nourish their bodies?
Why are we okay with this? Other countries aren’t. Other countries have stepped up and said no to things like hormones and antibiotics in their food. They aren’t thinking about chocolate milk. They are planning for the future.
It’s high time we take some steps towards ours.
I’m glad the schools are putting the brakes on shoveling bad stuff into our kids. Now we need to start figuring out our food. What’s in that snack we throw into their backpacks each morning? We need to know, because then we can help our kids make smart choices.
We’re the grown-ups here; if we don’t sell it there’s no way the kids are buying.
16 Replies to “Teach the children well”
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Great post – Boulder County is the LAST place I’d expect people to not like a healthier lunch! My sister and brother in law have kids there and they surely would love this if their children were in public school. Was it only about chocolate milk or other stuff? Did the parents think the kids would come home not having eaten? Isn’t no lunch better than the govt crap?
I completely agree. I’m not a big health nut but just try to follow some common sense when it comes to feeding my kids. My 4 1/2 year old son had chocolate milk for the first time in his life a few weeks ago at a friend’s house. I was there and didn’t want to make a big deal about it so I went ahead and let him have it. Now it’s a new treat introduced into our house which I’m not happy about.
My son’s preschool is so healthy and strict, it puts me to shame but I’m so grateful for their hard line on healthy foods.
I do worry a little bit about him going to public school next year into a world filled with unhealthy fats and sugars.
Hurray for Ann Cooper and the BVSD Nutrition Services Staff. Great post!
Great post! School lunch is a great place for people to start to change!
So – I’m not sure I even understand what the argument is from the parents?! Why on earth would this even be debated? How could it not be a good thing?
Great post. Leave it to the Greener Biener to keep us all watching out for our kids!
Now that you mentioned chocolate coated bike tires, I’m totally craving them.
School lunches are so gross. Glad this is on the Obama agenda.
I was one of those parents in support of the chocolate milk. I even encouraged Ethan to run for student council on a platform of “Bring back chocolate milk!” Then I read an article that stated that if a child drinks chocolate milk instead of regular every school day, it would contribute to a weight gain of 5-10 pounds per year! My kids don’t eat school lunch every day, so I considered chocolate milk an ok treat. But, many of my kids’ friends do eat hot lunch every day. And, I realized that it’s best if school lunches give the absolute best nutrition possible. Leave it to parents to give out the treats.
One other point of contention that many have with our wunder-nutritionist Ann Cooper: she is considering requesting eliminating birthday celebrations, holiday parties and bake sales as unnecessary sources of high-calorie extras. I do think that goes a bit too far.
For the record, I’m a fan of chocolate milk. Just not when it’s loaded up with high fructose corn syrup. I’m anti-chemicals and anti-overly processed chocolate milk.
what other countries, I have never seen such bad eating habits as the Australians and I though US was bad. BTW I agree with all except the chocolate milk, can you keep the chocolate milk if it is organic. I can’t get georgia to drink white milk and sometimes I feel organic chocolate milk is better than no milk at all (a Dr actually told me that(
This has been a pet peeve of mine for years. Even though the girls’ daycare offered lunch every day, I would send my own b/c I didn’t want them eating Domino’s pizza, frozen chicken nuggets, etc. I was the “lunatic” for suggesting wheat bread for sandwiches. When I questioned the director, she said parents actually don’t want change. She tried and they protested. We send lunch in for kindergarten but I am dreading what 1st grade lunches will offer next year. Anyway, great post! But I will admit that for an occasional treat, I will add chocolate syrup to Allie’s milk (albeit skim).
It amazes me how much parents protest good stuff with the arguement that they won’t like it or eat it. Isn’t getting them to like good stuff our jobs?!
Sooo, no more 35 cent ice cream samiches?
You should see the lunch offerings here: Yogurt, er pudding. Croissant (with chocolate or cheese). Egg salad on fine fine white bread. (that one’s not bad). And the topper: Belgian Waffles with Chocolate sauce.