Wednesday, September 19, 2012

School Lunch Commotion

Have you all read the article at www.jsonline.com about the students who are boycotting school lunches?

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/students-strike-against-new-federal-school-lunch-rules-t96t7sp-170124676.html

I tend to agree with some of the regulations on school lunches and making them healthier.  HOWEVER-- telling a student how many calories they can take in at one meal seems extreme.  No doubt, childhood obesity is a problem in our country.  BUT, I think the solution lies at home and in programs like Play60 where parents should make sure that their kids get in at least 60 minutes of active play a day.  Now that seems like an idea.

Granted, no cookie-cutter solution works for everyone.  If it did, we would have no need for personal trainers and nutritionists to make "get healthy" plans customized for each of their clients.  I'd be willing to bet those professions are still booming even in these tough economic times because people are always striving to be skinnier, healthier, more... something.

Please keep in mind that I am not yet a parent although I hope to be one someday.  When the time comes, I  think that it should be my choice as to how many calories my kids can have.  Absolutely,  there should be more healthy options available.  Certainly, there should be a limit to the amount of junk food offered to school children in a school cafeteria.  At some point, don't we have to trust our kids to start making healthier choices on their own?

By the way, no one is forcing these kids to eat school lunches.  They are merely an OPTION.  These kids can bring lunch from home every day. And that is exactly what they are doing in this boycott.  I think that this is actually the best outcome we could have hoped for.  Now their parents can see and help choose what they get to eat for lunch.

My suggestion to fix all of this conflict surrounding a school lunch is this:  do what they did when I went to school.  Each student gets a calendar showing the "Hot School Lunch" option for each day.  If they don't like it- they have to take a lunch.  Period.  That may mean some kids with food allergies have to take their lunch to school every day- but wouldn't that be safer anyway?

Kids are spoiled.  I miss the days of "eat what's on your plate, or go hungry."  Don't you?

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