Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project

[TheQueen]

Would you volunteer to eat school lunch every day to prove a point? This teacher did.

http://fedupwithschoollunch.blogspot.com/

I will be honest -- I do not love making my son's lunch. Every evening at about midnight, I do it. It's one more task to tick off my list before I fall into bed. I know that it would be easy and less expensive to have him eat the school lunches. For those reasons, I do not judge the parents who choose -- or have to, out of financial or other necessity -- to ensure that that their kids eat a midday meal by arranging for them to have the school lunch. As much as little cups of organic apple sauce cost and no matter how many soy butter and jam sandwiches I make, I just cannot bring myself to let my kid eat what the school is serving.

This is a privileged perspective, I know. Many families rely on school lunches and I am aware that these meals are sometimes the only ones or the healthiest ones some children eat. For that, I am grateful the system allows kids to eat one or several meals before and during school hours.

Still, the question of how to make this system work better, particularly during a time when obesity threatens so many children, stands. How can we feed our children healthfully and economically? And what in the world are we teaching our children when we put food in front of them that has little nutritional value or is high in fat and sodium or that we would not dare eat ourselves?

A teacher in Illinois is illustrating those concerns candidly on her own anonymous blog. I like to think of her as an undercover activist for the cause of feeding our children well -- or at least better. She is spending 2010 eating school lunch every day, documenting photos of the (let's be honest, sad-looking) food on her tray, providing some nutritional information, commenting on the taste, and detailing the not-so-pretty bellyaches she's had since beginning the project. It's all chronicled on her blog "Fed Up With Lunch" and through Tweets.

Mrs. Q, as she dubs herself on the site, writes that the timing of her project is critical because, "The Child Nutrition Act is being debated in Congress. It's important that people realize that funding for school lunches is vital to children's success in school and in life."

Why is she speaking out pretty loudly but still keeping her identity mum?

"I'm blogging anonymously because I like my job and getting a paycheck. But I'm still putting my livelihood on the line by speaking up. Why? Because I want to raise awareness about school lunch. It may not be what every child in this country eats, but I believe the meal that I am showing represents what most children eat at lunch in the US," she posted in February, just over a month after she launched the lunch project.

Continue reading: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/would-you-volunteer-to-eat-school-lunch-every-day-to-prove-a-point-this-teacher-did-1157394/

[Christy]

I think our lunches are... fair :lol Organic is obviously out of the question, and there are all those pesky allergies to work around. We've had a salad bar added for the kids, and fruits and/or vegetables are served with every meal.

Let's be honest, we all know her kid is trading his organic soybutter sandwich (:sick) for a hoho at lunchtime anyway. :goofy Yeah, like anybody will give the hoho for the soybutter sandwich! He's doing someone's homework to get their tater tots. :

[tigsmom]

School lunches here are decent and at the HS level there is a salad bar and a grill & sandwich bar. The only problem I would have (and my kids did/do as well) is eating lunch at 10:15 in the morning :lol

[pinkrose]

While they do serve some items that are good here, the kids don't eat them. My kids will get in the car and my son will say " I ate 2 hot dogs, a rice kirsipy treat, and a fruit roll-up". Ashley would mention a few items, but none of them healthy (usually ice cream). After spending $90 for junk between the 2 of them for two weeks of lunches (Nicholas, like most of the boys, was buying 2 lunches because one isn't enough), they are now back to taking their lunch.

[Christy]

Well, even if I pack lunch, I'm not so sure it's the healthiest food around :lol :blush I would rather they eat SOMETHING than throw it all away, so I give what they will eat, within reason. Regular peanut butter, or turkey sandwiches, apples, etc. But it's not organic, I can't afford to buy much organic :lol And it's not all fruits and whole grains.

Edit: and 10:15 is ridiculous. There is NO other time during the day? :lol

[TheQueen]

Some of the photos of the food are just NASTY!! The tater tots look like they were cooked in bulk two weeks ago. Throw some ketchup on it. It'll make it fresher. I don't think that kid's foods need to be "fancy" but they don't have to be awful either. Reading the teacher's blog was interesting.

[tigsmom]

Well, even if I pack lunch, I'm not so sure it's the healthiest food around :lol :blush I would rather they eat SOMETHING than throw it all away, so I give what they will eat, within reason. Regular peanut butter, or turkey sandwiches, apples, etc. But it's not organic, I can't afford to buy much organic :lol And it's not all fruits and whole grains.

Edit: and 10:15 is ridiculous. There is NO other time during the day? :lol

School starts at 7:05 (ends at 2:05) and with about 2,000 kids in the HS (and 2 cafeterias) they have to split the lunch periods (30 minutes a piece) and mine almost always seemed to get first lunch.

[Christy]

Some of the photos of the food are just NASTY!! The tater tots look like they were cooked in bulk two weeks ago. Throw some ketchup on it. It'll make it fresher. I don't think that kid's foods need to be "fancy" but they don't have to be awful either. Reading the teacher's blog was interesting.

It did look awful. I only have experience with our small schools, and the kids have never complained about lunch at the current school :rotfl but I can't say how great it is. The old school I worked in the cafeteria once or twice a week. I would eat lunch myself there very often, as did the teachers :dunno

[TheQueen]

I remember reading somewhere that part of the problem is that schools have eliminated nutritionist from the staff. So now all you have are just people reheating frozen food products for the kids instead of someone with some sort of food or health background planning out meals for the kids.

[figmentmom]

Let's be honest, we all know her kid is trading his organic soybutter sandwich (:sick) for a hoho at lunchtime anyway. :goofy Yeah, like anybody will give the hoho for the soybutter sandwich! He's doing someone's homework to get their tater tots. :

I knocked myself out for years packing my kids' lunches with healthy, nutritious and, oh yeah, EXPENSIVE food when they were in elementary school. I'm not kidding myself that they ATE all of it. :goofy In middle and high school, they either packed their own, or bought lunch. Our district always had a big salad bar, and offered sandwiches every day in addition to the regular menu.


Some of the photos of the food are just NASTY!! The tater tots look like they were cooked in bulk two weeks ago. Throw some ketchup on it. It'll make it fresher. I don't think that kid's foods need to be "fancy" but they don't have to be awful either. Reading the teacher's blog was interesting.

School lunches in the schools where I taught (NOT where my own kids went to school) were heavy on the starch (pizza, rice and corn, all served on the same tray). Breakfast choices were loaded with sugar (waffles sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with syrup, or glazed donuts). The school lunch director defended her menus by pointing out that the kids refused to take anything nutritious when it was a menu choice. But, let's face it, offered a choice between junk food and something healthy, most kids will go for the junk, so why offer it at all?

[pinkrose]

Our county makes the lunch (and breakfast menu), so only a few days out of the month are planned by the school staff. Here's our menu for this month... http://www.shelbyed.k12.al.us/cnp/doclibrary/menu-Mar10.pdf There are some healthy choices on there (which my kids won't touch :rollseyes ). There have been times when they got in the car "I didn't eat my lunch today. I didn't like anything we had". When I pack their lunch, I know they'll at least eat something in there ( It's usually a sandwitch or soup, carrots and dip, a fruit, chips, and a dessert).

I just noticed that the 31st has a Star Wars theme. Wookie Cookies :rotfl

[BeeJay]

Before clicking on this thread, I had never in my life heard of (or considered the possible existence of) a "bagel dog."

[tigsmom]

Before clicking on this thread, I had never in my life heard of (or considered the possible existence of) a "bagel dog."


Bagel dogs are quite yummy, thank you very much! :lol

[Christy]

I remember reading somewhere that part of the problem is that schools have eliminated nutritionist from the staff. So now all you have are just people reheating frozen food products for the kids instead of someone with some sort of food or health background planning out meals for the kids.

Well, also, I can't imagine having to plan to provide fresh fruits and vegetables for ALL those kids every day. As far as I have read/heard, frozen is an acceptable substitute, but it's what's going along with that (that you know is ALL the kids are eating!) that is a concern. Like Mary said, lots of starch, little nutrition.

Part of me thinks, well, one meal a day, if it isn't the greatest, they will make it up later, but you know that is not the case. They aren't eating much better at home for the most part.

[Christy]

Going along with this :lol Monday the school is having out "Day in Haiti" and, as I said, only in a catholic school, lunch offered is rice, beans, and a banana. So guess whose kids want to pack that day :goofy

Leah, though, being the sweetest person I've ever met, said she wanted to buy. I said "Oh Leah, are you sure? The only thing any of your sisters would eat is the banana, and you hate bananas" She said "MOM! Those people there have to eat that EVERY. DAY. Just think of it! I could do it for one."

Cut to 20 minutes later when she brings me a little chef boyardee can and asks if I can save it for her lunch on Haiti day :rotfl

From the school website:

http://standrewschool.com/files/Parents/3-18HaitiDay.pdf

What are the chances I will remember to send in the tuition :blush :goofy

[TheQueen]

By the way, take a look at Jaime Oliver's new show tonight on ABC. He's going to America's fattest city and is trying to get people there to change their eating habits. There's a scene where he gets into it with the people that serve the meals at the school because they think nothing of serving "meat" products that aren't even meat.

Here's a sneak peek when he shows up at a classroom. These poor kids don't even know what a tomato is!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Xto3KsY10

[TheQueen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzGCEv7xqpc

[Christy]

Conflabbit, what happened to my post? :shrug

As I said before (I think? :blink) is the scariest thing is the intentional blindness of the adults.

[TheQueen]

Conflabbit, what happened to my post? :shrug

As I said before (I think? :blink) is the scariest thing is the intentional blindness of the adults.

Yeah, that worker with the dyke haircut is SOOOO incredulous that anyone would question what she serves is food.

[Christy]

I do have to say that I am not opposed to pizza for breakfast :lookaroun The pizza itself could be healthier I am sure, but I have never thought that certain foods can only be eaten certain times of the day. :lol

[TheQueen]

I do have to say that I am not opposed to pizza for breakfast :lookaroun The pizza itself could be healthier I am sure, but I have never thought that certain foods can only be eaten certain times of the day. :lol

Jeeze Louise. Are you kidding? Left to my own devices I could have cold pizza for breakfast as well. But seriously. That woman's fridge was COMPLETELY full of pizza!! Gee. I wonder why your teenage son weighs over 300 pounds.

[Computer Magic]

I do have to say that I am not opposed to pizza for breakfast :lookaroun The pizza itself could be healthier I am sure, but I have never thought that certain foods can only be eaten certain times of the day. :lolevery college student has eaten cold pizza for breakfast...

[Katie4075]

every college student has eaten cold pizza for breakfast...

And thats on a GOOD day!

[Christy]

Pizza > cereal, IMO :shrug :lol I've always thought something is better than nothing in the mornings, and I've read many times that studies seem to agree.

But for the rest of the day, let's not act like we're all "too busy" to eat well. That really gets me when people say they are too busy to eat well, because it takes so much longer to bring an apple and some almonds as opposed to getting a candy bar from a vending machine :lol We do love our excuses though don't we :goofy

Also, (:lookaroun ) I really think until people start cooking again this is never going to be fixed. These kids need to learn to be comfortable in a kitchen themselves and understand, as he's trying to teach them, what food really is. It doesn't always come in a resealable bag. But I guess this is a bigger picture, outside of what happens in school. Unfortunately schools have time and money constraints limiting what they can offer.

[TheQueen]

I watched the show. Dear God. Why don't they just shovel fat and sugar down the kids throats? I kid you not. They have pizza for breakfast and the fake chicken nuggets for lunch. And then the next day they switch it. It seemed as though that was the only two meals they knew how to prepare. The milk they served was loaded with sugar and coloring. The crazy thing? You should have seen the EQUIPMENT in the kitchen!! I mean they had ovens and stoves and mixers and all kinds of stuff just sitting there NOT being used. The group of women called themselves "cooks" and I'm like Honey, please. You just warm up crap in the microwave and oven. There ain't no cooking going on.

And you're right Christy. There's a part of the show where the overweight mom acknowledges her kids are overweight because she's not cooking properly for them. Eh, pop in a frozen pizza and eat that. And Jaime had a good point. It's one thing for you to eat pizza every day, but it isn't even GOOD pizza. It's just crap.

[Katie4075]

But for the rest of the day, let's not act like we're all "too busy" to eat well. That really gets me when people say they are too busy to eat well, because it takes so much longer to bring an apple and some almonds as opposed to getting a candy bar from a vending machine :lol We do love our excuses though don't we :goofy



I'm not about to disagree that its not hard to eat better, but I can see where people might be "too busy". I brought my lunch a lot this past summer, but honestly there were times where I just didnt have the time to actually make myself something before having to roll out in the morning. There were a lot of nights that I came back at 1 or 2 in the morning and had to leave by 7 or 8. Seasons 1 and 3, I worked a 2nd job too, so my time was REALLY spread thin and I survived on stadium food and snackwraps. Season 2, I was pulling insane hours too, but thank god, only at one place. There were so many times that if I was going to eat, it was something crappy and fried from the stadium, or chinese, pizza or something from the deli by the stadium. Its no excuse, but I could totally see how, if even just with my workload as an intern, that a real person may play the "too busy" card.

[Christy]

I'm not about to disagree that its not hard to eat better, but I can see where people might be "too busy". I brought my lunch a lot this past summer, but honestly there were times where I just didnt have the time to actually make myself something before having to roll out in the morning. There were a lot of nights that I came back at 1 or 2 in the morning and had to leave by 7 or 8. Seasons 1 and 3, I worked a 2nd job too, so my time was REALLY spread thin and I survived on stadium food and snackwraps. Season 2, I was pulling insane hours too, but thank god, only at one place. There were so many times that if I was going to eat, it was something crappy and fried from the stadium, or chinese, pizza or something from the deli by the stadium. Its no excuse, but I could totally see how, if even just with my workload as an intern, that a real person may play the "too busy" card.

Sure, every once in a while. I am not going to act like I cook for my kids no matter what :lol We've used the drive thru in a busy pinch, and even not so busy :lookaroun But people are a product of their habits, so even on those days where you can't pack a lunch or cook for yourself, nearly every take out or drive thru has a healthier option available.

[pinkrose]

I watched the show the other night. I felt so bad for the poor guy. Alice needs an attitude adjustment. Ashey was watching it with me and when they showed the chicken nugget part, she was so loud in her EWWWWWing that Nicholas had to come see. :lol I'd love to be a fly on the wall the next time they serve chicken nuggets at school (mine take their lunch).

[TheQueen]

I watched the show the other night. I felt so bad for the poor guy. Alice needs an attitude adjustment. Ashey was watching it with me and when they showed the chicken nugget part, she was so loud in her EWWWWWing that Nicholas had to come see. :lol I'd love to be a fly on the wall the next time they serve chicken nuggets at school (mine take their lunch).

Notice how the kids still chose the chicken nuggets? That Alice person is a complete pill. I mean really.

[pinkrose]

Notice how the kids still chose the chicken nuggets? That Alice person is a complete pill. I mean really.

I didi! I kinda wondered if it were staged. Either way, :sick