Chocolate milk or white?
I was reading an article from Newsweek this morning (not having a TV will do that) about these new school lunch cards. I didn't get to read the entire thing because one of the cats decided that she hated Newsweek and ripped the mag to shreds but from what I could decipher, certain foods - the non-nutritional kind - cost more than, say, corn. And if parents don't want their kids eating ice cream sandwiches instead of spaghetti, they can set it up so the card won't purchase it.
Am I way too adult? I don't think this idea is half bad. Granted, I've turned into a bit of a nutrition Nazi in my old age but I'm somewhat appalled when I think back on my pubescent eating habits. Kool Aid, fried bologna, sugar cereal daily. How did I make it through the day? (You did the best you could, mom.) Anything that will get kids eating better, I'm all for. On the other hand, remember the food in the caf? The green beans? The smell of oversalted, overcooked everything mixed with the scent of vomit, gym class and bleach? Gah. I'm packing my kids lunch, that's for damn sure. And screw trading - I'll just put stuff in that other kids won't eat. Edamame! Tofu dogs! All-natural almond butter! Pray my kid's not allergic to nuts like every other kid on the planet seems to be. What's up with that, anyway? NO kid was allergic to peanut butter when I was growing up. (Although one kid did suck his thumb until fourth grade...)
Anyway, school lunch card. Good Idea or Big Brother? (Or rather, Big Mother.)
114 heat index today, kids. Con-Ed is anticipating a black out. The thought makes me throw up in my mouth a little.
posted by Ali @ 9:24 AM
4 Comments:
Good idea IF the school's have healthy options available. But I do like the idea of a card anyway, which removes the whole "giving money to kids" problem.
If I had a kid, she or he would definitely being eating out of a lunchbox packed at home. Schools' ideas of healthy foods leave a lot to be desired.
I've often wondered myself why so many people (young and old) seem to be allergic to nuts these days. Either we just didn't hear about it because people didn't KNOW they were allergic, or the nut growers are doing something nasty to their crops and THAT's what people are allergic to. Who knows? I'm just glad I'm not one of the unfortunate ones with that problem.
Nut allergies - "they" (don't know who "they" are exactly) seem to think that the rise in nut allergies has to do with the newer innoculations (newer=later than the 1960's) they're giving to babies. Don't know if it's true, but it makes sense.
How about giving the kids enough time to actually eat?
My kids get 20 minutes if they take a lunch (which they do most of the time) and less than that if they choose to eat the school lunch.
Oh yeah and the entire time they are eating they are constantly badgered by people telling them to be quiet or they will go to the "recovery room." Even though this is one of their few opportunities during the day for free socializing.
I don't see a whole lot of difference between blocking unhealthy options on a lunch card, and not offering unhealthy options when you feed the children at home or pack their lunch for them. For a lot of kids it is asking a lot of them to be able to make a healthy choice when you have other seemingly tastier options in front of you, seeing as young children don't have the ability to think through the long term outcomes like we big people are supposed to be able to do.
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