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gfrancieThis article about a proposed ban on junkfood in public schools was interesting.
Really this discussion goes beyond the whole topic of worries about obesity and touches on something really significant. There are people who think that this shouldn't be done because often the sale of candy bars, sodas and so on help fund school programs, activities and sports. The fact of the matter is that education is so underfunded and under-valued in this country by the government (and really tax-payers as well) that parents and educators are often having to risk the long-term health of their children to provide something for their kids.
Yes people have free-will and can choose to avoid eating this stuff but when a child's authority figures (like their educators) are selling them this stuff and encouraging them to buy; how exactly are some going to learn to make educated choices about nutrition? Some kids learn it at home but not everyone does.
Also it is a well-known fact that what public schools have to spend when it comes to providing lunch is not a lot. Again we under-fund the future of all of our kids. The government can't/won't spend the money to provide healthful food. They don't have to eat organic salads picked by Alice Waters but typically many schools buy what is cheap and often that means some so-so meat, a lot of starch/filler and some vegetables. If people are truly concerned and want to do something about the long-term health of kids, it means putting forth the cash.
There was something else that was intriguing at the end of the article. The school cafeteria manager mentioned how kids didn't like the whole wheat pizza at first but after awhile they accepted it. THIS is very very important in the whole conversation about getting kids to eat healthy. Nearly any parent who knows a thing or two about getting kids to eat know that if you just say, "this is what we are eating" it usually takes a kid about five or six tries for them to accept what is being given (if they aren't so keen on it at first.) There are always critics who say, "oh they won't eat it, they will only have this." Yes there are picky eaters (and really that is a whole other conversation) but when it comes to getting a good portion of the population to eat -you just serve what is truly the best thing for them and if they balk you say, "well that's tough." People shouldn't let kids dictate the situation to that degree. Of course I believe in letting kids have imput and helping at home when it comes to the creation of a meal but I am also not going to let Senor Onion live on a diet of waffles and jaffa cakes every day just because he likes it.
Pardon... my soapbox is getting a little shiny.
Really this discussion goes beyond the whole topic of worries about obesity and touches on something really significant. There are people who think that this shouldn't be done because often the sale of candy bars, sodas and so on help fund school programs, activities and sports. The fact of the matter is that education is so underfunded and under-valued in this country by the government (and really tax-payers as well) that parents and educators are often having to risk the long-term health of their children to provide something for their kids.
Yes people have free-will and can choose to avoid eating this stuff but when a child's authority figures (like their educators) are selling them this stuff and encouraging them to buy; how exactly are some going to learn to make educated choices about nutrition? Some kids learn it at home but not everyone does.
Also it is a well-known fact that what public schools have to spend when it comes to providing lunch is not a lot. Again we under-fund the future of all of our kids. The government can't/won't spend the money to provide healthful food. They don't have to eat organic salads picked by Alice Waters but typically many schools buy what is cheap and often that means some so-so meat, a lot of starch/filler and some vegetables. If people are truly concerned and want to do something about the long-term health of kids, it means putting forth the cash.
There was something else that was intriguing at the end of the article. The school cafeteria manager mentioned how kids didn't like the whole wheat pizza at first but after awhile they accepted it. THIS is very very important in the whole conversation about getting kids to eat healthy. Nearly any parent who knows a thing or two about getting kids to eat know that if you just say, "this is what we are eating" it usually takes a kid about five or six tries for them to accept what is being given (if they aren't so keen on it at first.) There are always critics who say, "oh they won't eat it, they will only have this." Yes there are picky eaters (and really that is a whole other conversation) but when it comes to getting a good portion of the population to eat -you just serve what is truly the best thing for them and if they balk you say, "well that's tough." People shouldn't let kids dictate the situation to that degree. Of course I believe in letting kids have imput and helping at home when it comes to the creation of a meal but I am also not going to let Senor Onion live on a diet of waffles and jaffa cakes every day just because he likes it.
Pardon... my soapbox is getting a little shiny.
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no subject
Date: 2010-02-10 06:02 pm (UTC)I do agree that school food programs do need to change -- for many kids, this is the only meals they get in a day and it should have more nutrition than mystery frozen whatever bits. But also as parents, we do have to show kids what to eat. Little Tybalt will not die if you force him to eat a couple carrots, or if he goes on a hunger strike for a day or two.
Like everything, it's a complicated issue where proposed solutions end up pissing off someone somewhere.