From FoodFitnessFreshAir on Sat, June 19, 2010

Ugh, this is terrible, but not surprising.  We had a whole a la carte line in my high school that was always the “speedy” line, but filled with junk…chips, cinammon rolls, nachos, ice cream, etc….Let’s get something done about school lunches soon before we ruin the children of this country!

From Susan Rubin on Sun, June 20, 2010

Sadly, the flaming hot Cheetoes are not the only atrocities in school cafeterias.  The photo above is one of many good reasons for parents to visit the cafeteria on a regular basis, and bring their cameras to document, just like Mrs.Q has been doing in her school. Her blog, Fed Up with Lunch: The School Lunch Project (http://fedupwithschoollunch.blogspot.com) has become a riveting photo montage of school lunch.

From Frosted on Mon, June 21, 2010

Well…this is a far cry from the french fries dripped in a vanilla shake we had when I was in high school.

Please remind me WHY we are paying to the school lunch program?

Thankfully we have alternative schooling options out there.

From Susan Rubin on Mon, June 21, 2010

Dear Frosted,
While you are fortunate to have alternative schooling options where you are, many kids are not so lucky and have to rely on school lunch as an important meal in their day. 

Poor quality school food indoctrinates millions of kids every year into the fast food culture and often times undermines parental food values. This issue affects ALL of us, even your kids and mine who are fortunate enough not to be eating the hot cheesy cheetoes. This is why its essential for everyone to get involved with school lunch reform.

These kids are our future. They’re the ones who will take care of us when we grow old. It’s up to all of us to make sure they are well nourished in school.

From heather b on Mon, June 21, 2010

Yes, that food is absolutely disgusting and has no business being served in school, but… it really bothers me that the kid quoted seems so offended by the prospect of bringing his own lunch for the rest of high school life.  I have news for him- if you want healthy food quickly and on a budget, you’re going to be brown bagging it for the next fifty years.  There is no possible way that a school, on a budget, can provide hot, healthy food to the entire student body quickly.  The issue of lines for lunch being too long- how are we to judge that?  If a student really can’t leave class, get in line, get lunch, eat it, and get back to class, then there is a problem- but what if the “problem” is that they also don’t have time to just hang with their friends?  While whoever made the decision to offer such food should be ashamed of themselves, no one is forcing the kids to buy it.  I’m concerned that the kids need a reality check- they don’t want to wait, they don’t want to bring their own food- what if the school is also offering fruit in this convenience line but no one is buying? What is the school supposed to do?  While there’s no doubt we need to clean up school lunches, we also need to make sure we’re not asking the impossible of them.

From Kate Bogli on Tue, June 22, 2010

I think part of the problem is that we also no longer place any value on taking TIME TO EAT.  The fact that these students are so pressed for time that they feel this is the only option is as much a problem as the food itself.

From Liam O'Malley on Wed, June 23, 2010

Wow.. hurts my stomach just thinking about it.

From Buy Cheese Online on Fri, June 25, 2010

I agree with both Susan and Heather on this one.  Heather; I agree, we should all as parents get involved in school lunch reform, and Susan, I agree who knows what the real root of the problem is…

My action toward school lunch reform is taken care of because my children are home schooled.  When I was growing up the school sent us home for lunch and my Mother was always health conscious, but that doesn’t help these kids.  The easiest way for parents to get involved in school lunch reform is to pack their kids lunches.  I agree though with Heather that “if you want healthy food quickly and on a budget, you’re going to be brown bagging it for the next fifty years.”

I still do this for myself as a parent, pack my own lunch and snacks for work.  I’m willing to do it for my kids if necessary to ensure they have a healthy lunch.

Thanks for the link Susan, I’m going to check out that blog now..

From Cindy on Sat, June 26, 2010

Thanks for the info- this is simply awful!  Please keep the spotlight on this issue. Parents simply do not understand how bad the school lunches are.

From Jennifer Worrell on Mon, June 28, 2010

I remember this, only in my school it was Fritos with cheese.  And that was only 13 years ago.

From Lisa on Mon, June 28, 2010

As disgusting as this ‘food’ really is, why are their lunch periods so short that they don’t have time to get food from the other lines? That is one issue that definitely needs to be addressed.

From iK8 on Mon, June 28, 2010

I am appalled by this.  My school is working to improve the situation.  We have several choices and although there are the always popular hamburger/cheeseburger and pizza choices, there are also international fare and healthy bite with real food and much better nutrition.  I wish we could eliminate hamburgers/cheeseburgers and pizza as a daily choice, but I think that parents would complain.  The whole community needs to be behind the change and that is difficult.  I really am glad that there are many people at my school who care and are working to improve the meals that our students receive.  We recycle and compost.  Our Horticulture teacher is working toward a farm to school program that would really improve the selection.  Currently price is a problem, but I think as these programs become more popular and ubiquitous, the price will go down.

From Emily on Mon, June 28, 2010

Wow, and to think that I innocently thought the KFC Double Down was the nastiest fast food item out there….

From Cassidy Wilber on Mon, June 28, 2010

How are cheetos and cheese sauce even considered food?

From lunchlady2 on Mon, June 28, 2010

As a parent, I agree completely - I want the healthiest meal choices for my children.  As a professional in the food service industry who is responsible for serving children breakfast and lunch, I understand that it isn’t as easy as just “serving healthier food.”  It is expensive and even though there are exceptions like Rameen, the majority of students WON’T eat the healthier choice.  They want fast food: pizza, burgers, fries.  When given the choice of a fresh salad, chicken stir-fry or lean turkey sandwich, most (not all) will choose chips from the vending machine. 
I encourage you, as parents, to not assume that your school foodservice doesn’t WANT to serve the healthiest options, but that in some situations, it is financially an extremely difficult thing to do without enormous support from the school district and the state. 
While the people who are interested in Slow Food certainly understand the importance of teaching healthy eating habits, the majority of American parents do NOT.  Especially in inner city or urban communities.  Please, please call and TALK to your foodservice professionals before you attack them - we, like you, want the best for our students!

From Victoria on Mon, June 28, 2010

There is a store across the street from the Elm School I work at here in Oakland, Ca that sales this disgusting item to students. The first time I saw it I was sickened and appalled! If only there was an instant solution to this growing problem!

From Elisabeth on Mon, June 28, 2010

Oh!  This is a version of the Frito Pie that I had every day of my senior year in high school (circa 1980). Yes, a Frito Pie and a Diet Dr. Pepper.  The Frito Pie had beef chili on it, though.
Those days are over! My child takes homemade food to school in a brown paper bag.  He doesn’t complain.

From Lara Kadillak on Mon, June 28, 2010

I cannot believe this, whoever ok’d this better have his head examined. My school had this problem too where there was only 20 minutes for lunch so my friends always had peanut butter M&M’s or prepackaged muffins for lunch on the way to class, yuck. I remember trying to get an apple because I saw that they started serving them but were startled to hear a student ask for them, she said they threw them away every week because no one asks for them. Its sad from both sides of the spectrum, we’ve trained children to eat it and make it available to them. I think the education has to start with the students family on making smart choices.

From Betsy on Mon, June 28, 2010

Is that really even cheese?

From Emily on Mon, June 28, 2010

Good point, Betsy.  I believe the proper spelling of that it “cheez.”

From Betty Thompson on Mon, June 28, 2010

I’m not surprised by the horrible offerings in school cafeterias because I have been hearing about them from my grandchildren.  My grandson ate pizza with french fries and thought it was great.  My granddaughter refuses to eat ‘that gross stuff’ and chooses to carry her lunch.  She has forgotten to pick up her ‘brown bag’ a few times and calls her mom to bring it to her because she ‘absolutely will not eat garbage.’  (Quotes are her remarks.)

From Karyl on Mon, June 28, 2010

As an Elementary School Foodservice Manager, I am being increasingly pressured by administration to sell “a la carte” snacks to the students. This is how schools make money, I’m told.  We are not subsidized and our food sales must pay for foodservice wages and benefits. It’s an almost impossible task, and deficits are inevitable. Yet, I strive to keep our food system healthy and fresh and as local as possible.
I would think about selling ala carte healthy snacks that parents would endorse, but again, they can’t be labor intensive.
Kids are exposed to so much fast food marketing outside of schools, and that is where they develope an appetite for it.
Schools should use the cafeteria as a consumer education and nutrition classroom, not as a business to make money.
Kudos to the schools like ours trying to fight the good fight and keep this crap out of our kids hands.

From Barbara on Mon, June 28, 2010

I wanted to respond to a couple of previous posts. First, for a lot of poor kids, school lunch is their main meal of the day, and they get it free due to their family’s economic status. So telling them to pack a lunch isn’t going to do any good.

Second, I think it’s very important that we remember that telling people to “make healthier choices” only points to individual responsibility to solve a problem that has systemic, social structural causes. Of course individual choice plays a role in behavior, but the reason the U.S. has such high obesity rates even among children cannot be adequately explained by saying that Americans make bad choices. The social structural sources of high rates of obesity have much to do with the availability of really good tasting really unhealthy food. In school, it shouldn’t be available to kids, who as we know don’t have the best judgement.

Social problems cannot be explained or solved by pointing only to individual behavior.

From Beau on Mon, June 28, 2010

So, what school district in California is this? Naming names could lead to things being investigated and then changed.

From carla on Mon, June 28, 2010

I think one thing that could be done is making lunch longer..?  maybe they could actually enjoy their lunch and take a break and digest their food… Just a thought.  I realize it would add time to the school day, but it might just be a trade off that is worth it.  Try the Slow Food Approach

From iK8 on Mon, June 28, 2010

I agree that only offering healthy food is a good suggestion.  However schools are hesitant to remove items that parents want their children to have available to them.  And unfortunately we have MANY enabling parents out there who want their little darlings to be able to eat whatever they want.  If hamburgers, cheeseburgers and pizza aren’t available these are the parents who will complain and then my district will roll over in fear that they won’t pass their next school levy which pays for about 1/4 of our overall budget.  Many staff members complained when the soda machines were returned to our school to make money and to make kids happy.  We did not like to see the school making these concessions. 

I really enjoyed the Food Revolution show on TV that indicated that whole communities need to re-evaluate what they eat and as a group support eating healthy.  I wish that Slow Food could sponsor a simialar weekly program that followed a school district converting to a farm to school program so that mainstream America could see what that looks like.  Maybe more parents would be excited about supporting something if they can see what it looks like.  I have seen the movie that was really informative, but unless it is on prime time and really hyped, no one sees it.

From Lou on Mon, June 28, 2010

I would eat those…

From jaidee on Mon, June 28, 2010

Wow - since when did it become such a bad idea to bring a lunch from home?  Way back when, we all brought our lunches from home.  Most of us were normal weight and saw no crime in eating a simple sandwich, piece of fruit, and some kind of drink (not pop or rock soda).  Maybe it is time to cut out the ‘cafeteria’ which is outrageously expensive and lacks good food.  Quality food is expensive.  My daughter who graduated from High School in 2004 always brought her own lunch.  She still brings her own lunch to work.  As for smart choices - well that is difficult when everything is loaded with salt, high fructose corn syrup, corn, corn, and more corn.  Even fresh food in America is laced with poison.

From Betty Thompson on Mon, June 28, 2010

Whoops!  When I made the remarks about Grandson who ate junk at school and Granddaughter who brown bags it, I was not making a remark against brown bags.  I love them and am proud of her for doing so.  Back in my ‘working days outside home’ I often took my lunch which provided me an opportunity to ‘chill out’ in the park with my lunch and get out of ‘power lunches’.  Today when I travel I always pack a lunch.  I also don’t eat airport food because of choices and price.  Besides - mine is better.

From Rob on Mon, June 28, 2010

Wow.  That is horrid.  I thought my High School “food” that started life as a burrito on Monday, reached pizza by Wednesday and was a gravy-smothered unidentifiable grease sponge by Friday was horrid.

My biggest question: why is the line so long and the lunch period so short that the kids can’t eat lunch?  That’s another Administration problem.  If the schools are so strapped for cash that they are cutting their workdays, then give the teachers a longer lunch so the kids can eat too!

Just more reasons we MUST get involved in our childrens’ schools.

From Ann Hall Every on Mon, June 28, 2010

Cheetos with cheese?  Gross yes - but necessary? NO.

What ever happened to taking your own lunch to school?  Are high school teens too “cool” to take their own lunch?  Small insulated bags with an ice pack can keep a healthy lunch cool until needed and no long lines in the lunch room to wait for the awful school foods being served in way too many schools.

From Zannie on Mon, June 28, 2010

I’m not sure what is so bad about packing a lunch for the “rest of [your] high school life.”  When did a brown bag lunch become such a stigma?  If children brought a lunch to school, they wouldn’t have to wait in long lines to buy something.  And when did eating out become the norm instead of a treat?

From sandra on Mon, June 28, 2010

I see how this is bad, I understand how this should NOT be lunch, I totally agree. BUT, gross? Don’t think so, to each its own, I guess.

I don’t think the taste of this is the problem, the problem is us not feeding our kids healthy foods. How can they eat the food they should if it’s not available in their schools?

From karla on Mon, June 28, 2010

and we thought the meatloaf was bad - the school lunch problem, Jamie Oliver aside, is huge - With so many parents eating this way why is anyone surpeised that the kids eat this way - Im not at all surprised at this “quick meal” the percentage of families that dont eat well far outway the ones that do. Slow food is a luxury, a necesary one I think, but at this point still a luxury.

From Julie on Mon, June 28, 2010

As disgusting as this is (and it’s sad, sad, sad that it passes as “food”), I’m not sure all blamed can be placed on the school lunch itself and no blame going to the students. Several times a week, I pass a local high school at lunchtime in a very affluent community in CA. It’s a good public school with a large percentage of the parents who have advanced college degrees.

And the lunchtime line (school is open-campus) at the 7-11 across the street is appalling. It runs out the door and wraps all the way around the parking lot. Teen after teen coming out of there with a Big Gulp and a bag of chips.  Their parents probably gave them $10 for lunch thinking they’ll buy something healthy with it, but instead they’re spending it on $4 of junk food, and pocketing the change for their own entertainment.

If cheesy cheetos or other junk foods are the only quick thing offered, then we’ve got a very, very big problem. But I think we also have to own up to the fact that many of these kids are making the choice to eat poorly.

From Tina on Mon, June 28, 2010

One of the things we must learn and teach our children is that they are responsible for their own well being and can’t depend on someone else to take care of them. I am a teacher and got caught up in the whole grab and go eating routine and I knew better! I watched my weight creep up to 226 pounds on a 5’ 8” frame. I see my fellow teachers in the same cycle. I finally decided to get my act together and stop using the excuse of not wanting to cook just for myself. I finally woke up to the fact that it was up to me to take care of me. I now cook pretty much everything I eat. It took some getting used to and I took it a step at a time, but in a year’s time I have dropped 76 pounds. I don’t cook anything that is complicated most of the time. I always fix enough for the next days lunch. This saves time and you will eat what you have. You don’t have to think about it.  I have finally convinced my husband to take supper left overs for lunch too instead of packing sandwiches and junk. School lunches are not healthy and will pack the weight on. I now eat basic grassfed beef, pasture raised chicken, some wild caught fish and lots of vegetables. Preferably fresh or frozen when I have to. I found that I can stick some chicken in the oven and steam some vegetables quicker than I can sit at a drive through or go to a restaurant. I am trying to teach my 6th graders that they have control over their lives and to assume responsibility for their well being. There is no magic food product out there that will cure people except for true whole food. Stop worring about calories and fat. Eat real food.

From Luke on Mon, June 28, 2010

The problem is that children are watching adults. How many parents cook these days and how many opt for picking up McDonald’s on the way home or ordering pizza or Chinese. Children (and equally adults) in the United States are addicted to salt and sugar. There is no appreciation of flavor since salt totally ruins the palette.

From Emerson on Mon, June 28, 2010

That is pretty disgusting! However it sounds like this kid is more upset about bringing his own lunch to school, I just fund that wierd because we don’t have lunch programs in Australia as you do in the US. I had to bring my lunch to school, we do have canteens but we don’t expect that food to be excellent nutitionally and few can afford it every day. I think if as parents your paying for the schools to feed your kids you should all have an active role in what they’re being served. But the kids, sounds to me they need to suck it up, some people don’t have the choice of being served meals, hell some people don’t get a choice to eat at all, you can always wait a bit longer if you really WANT to! I would have gladly, we were on such a tight budget growing up we made our sandwiches in bulk and froze them. Same thing day after day, too bad If you didn’t like it after a couple of weeks that’s all you got!

From Lani on Tue, June 29, 2010

I heartily agree with Kate above.  There are now so many students, and I’m not sure the construction of larger lunch rooms/cafeterias has kept up with the demand.  Staggering lunch hours might help.  Time to eat is just as important as what students are being offered to eat.  I think we can do better, but over-population in the schools may be part of the problem.  I haven’t had kids in school for 35 years, so never had to face this dilemna.  We brown bagged it quite a bit.  Guaranteed to be healthy, more or less.  And yes, I remember dipping French fries into vanilla shakes on occasion, too!!!!

From Patrick on Tue, June 29, 2010

I had quite the similar situation at my own school. We had fritos with cheese and hamburger. Although, we did not have the luxury of having our cheese melted. Our foods consisted of massive amounts of melted cheese daily. It is a damn nightmare. I would give a personal tour if any local photographer was excited enough to do so.

From johnnyRocket on Tue, June 29, 2010

This whole “give the kids bad, cheap food” thing is only so the powers that be get minority children (poor) to eat prison chow ahead of time and get used to it.  this thing looks just like a ChiChi bag they make in county jail, hot cheese curls, instant soup mix and dehydrated rice etc they get from the Canteen program CHEAP.  This is how our leaders condition our future genrations to be dumb, fat, robots who stand in line for their “nutrition” while the parents work 80 hour weeks and depend on prisons/schools/bad “lazy parent” laws to raise their kids.  Parents need to be way more active in their kids life, know what they’re eating, who they’re friends with, and what they are into.  There is no other way to depend on an American business institution (schools) to make sure your kids are taken care of.  America cant take care of its veterans or working poor, your kids dont stand a chance!

From Amy on Tue, June 29, 2010

REALLY?  That’s why 6 cents is not enough!!  That is NOT food!

From shivie on Tue, June 29, 2010

This should absolutely not be served in schools. @Heather b-I think you are not taking into account the millions of kids who either hve parents too busy with making ends meet and too broke to buy and prep a brown bag lunch, yes it woud be ideal if every parent sent their kid to school with a healthy lunch-fact is many parents are clueless as to what healthy means.  Schools do have a responsibility to the health and wellness of their children-expensive-yes it is when they can buy big boxes of crap from USDA for $2-5 a box, anything would look expensive next to that.  And what price our childrens (and nations) health?  Children are suffering because we let everyone else make the decisions as to what they should eat. Meals should be fresh, without excception, vending machines should be taken out.
btw war is expenseive yet we still manage to fund that little project, if all the parents of all the children decided to stand up and say “no to junk food in schools” things would change.
it makes me so mad to see what we are doing to this generation nd makes me wonder what comes next if we dont stop this train.
Argghhhhhhhh

From Mary on Tue, June 29, 2010

One of the problems is even calling this “food”, which it is not. It was created in a laboratory with chemicals to create odor and mouth feel.  The body will not recognize this concoction as nourishment.  Because the body is starved for nourishment it will hold onto fat as long as it needs to until it starts receiving nutrients.  Let’s stop lying to ourselves by calling things like this “food”.

From mareya ibrahim on Tue, June 29, 2010

I can empathize with the comments around funding being an issue but it really is atrocious that these foods are being allowed.  Seems that we were on the right track getting rid of soda machines but if we’re ever going to hit the issue of childhood obesity head on, we need to make some fundamental decisions.  This mom will continue to pack my kid’s lunches and just like everything else in life, help them make the right food choices.  We need to dispel this myth that nutritious food should cost more…because at what price do we value our children’s health?

From Jacqueline on Tue, June 29, 2010

I make my 3 children’s lunches everyday for school and this year I’m going to have the kids help prepare their lunches.  I don’t think children who have always eaten well would ever choose that food. I wish I could make food for other children. Why can’t we outsource and have healthier options brought into public schools?

From Nancy Hatfield on Tue, June 29, 2010

When I was in highschool in the early 60’s in Southern California, our high school (of 3,500 students) had a cafeteria and a malt shop.  At the malt shop students could order burgers, fries, and milk shakes/malts.  The cafeteria was run by a kitchen staff of half a dozen ladies, who prepared fresh meals daily—full entrees of rice, mashed potatoes, spaghetti with meat sauce, meat loaf, fried chicken, an array of cooked fresh vegetagles, salads, and an assortment of deserts.  It was set up smorgasboard style at lunch time, where students moved through lines with trays and selected what they wanted—no waiting.  Lunches were staggered throughout the late morning to early afternoon.  I grew up poor and could not afford to buy lunch, so I worked in the cafeteria kitchen for one hour each day and got free lunches.  I helped prepare many of the meals served.  Every dish offered was freshly and daily prepared.  I am apalled at what passes for food in our schools across the nation in the past 25 years or more.  I believe a commitment to healthy “slow food” is key to healther children without obesity, hyperactivity-tension and deficit attention associated with what passes for food in our schools today.  Seems to me with all the federal government waste of taxpayer dollars that more emphasis and spending on healthy foods in our schools ought to be one of our high priorities—like it used to be once upon a time in America!

From Barry Falls on Tue, June 29, 2010

Honestly that does sound delicious. But I would never make a habit of eating it more than a few times a month. And I think the school should be a little more responsible and not let anyone sell something like that. But I’m sure there are several other things on the menu that are worse than that.

From Kelly Pavlik on Tue, June 29, 2010

My children never have enough time to eat the healthy lunches that we pack in the morning.  They have been reduced to half a sandwich a couple bites of fruit or veggies.  It is sad that in order to have recess they have reduced the lunch period to 20 minutes, 10 of which is getting settled into their lunch seats.

From Celia on Tue, June 29, 2010

No wonder my daughter tells me not to eat in the school cafeteria and she started making her lunch from home every day.

From tracyc on Tue, June 29, 2010

stop giving them a choice. when i was in school you got lunch. that was it. 1 meat, 1 veggie, 1 fruit, 1 slice of bread, maybe a cookie, maybe a potatoe or rice item. it was all overcooked and probably not up to today’s standards, but a far cry from the crap served today. in high school a radical idea was introduced: salad! so you could get the meal, OR a salad. i propose we go back to this. no choices of fast food. they get that after school and at home more that enough. i think part of the problem is the kickbacks the schools get from the soda and fast food companies that sell food in the cafeterias. kick them out!

From Kathy on Tue, June 29, 2010

Is it really the school’s job to feed every student? The school I attended as a child did not have a cafeteria nor did they serve lunch. I brought my lunch to school. As an adult I still continue to bring my own luch to work with me.

I agree with the others on the need for parents and students of a certain age to take responsibility for providing their own healthful food. It’s also typically less expensisve. My children brought their lunches to school and when old enough they made their own lunches with food from the house. Our household did this for two reasons: number one, healtful food and number two it was not in my budget to buy the school lunches.

I do understand that it may be extra work for some families to provide their own lunch and breakfast in a lot of instances and that these families may need monetary assistance…
but what’s really going on here? It sounds as though a fair amount of folks want someone else to take care of the them and provide for them? It would be wise to include integrated school gardens, where the children not only grow their own food, they harvest, prepare and eat quality food.Plug in the sciences,agriculture, botany, soil science, culinary arts, health and nutrition This is a life skill that could serve us all well. The ability to take responsibility for our health. Look to such programs as Alice Waters.
Just say no to bad food!- if you are able to. Parents take action.

From K Hedlick on Tue, June 29, 2010

I think it looks like a delicious snack.  Seriously, I am going to try it.  It looks yummy!

From ertplus on Tue, June 29, 2010

why do some kids have short lunch periods?  Maybe they should give the fat kids NO lunch period.  Just saying.

From Rev. E. Bounds on Wed, June 30, 2010

One of the things that makes “junk” food so dangerous is the addictive qualities of some of the heavily processed ingredients.  All those “flavorings” they use mask the otherwise cardboard taste of food that isn’t really food at all. 
To the question “should the school be responsible for feeding every kid?”  The answer has to be yes.  If they only fed the rich kids-the food would be better but a higher caste system would be created (already a problem in school) If they only fed the poor kids-same caste problem.  Every child deserves equitable treatment and opportunities, and not every child has parents who can (or will) send them with a lunch to school.  A school lunch is sometimes the only healthy meal-and in the worst cases the only meal at all that some kids get.  Proper nutrition isn’t optional-it’s the foundation of a life-physical and mental.  Depriving children of nutrients robs them of their chance to live normally.  And as for overweight kids.  Skipping meals doesn’t make you lose weight-it actually makes you gain it.  Those kids more than any other need us to insist that schools provide them with proper nutrients so that they have a fighting chance of winning their physical and emotional battles with food.  These are children we are talking about-they are still being educated by us, taught by us, to be good adults.  Why then do we fail to educate them about the truth of basic sustenance?

From Kathy Thompson on Wed, June 30, 2010

In my “neck of the woods”, lunch periods are 15 minutes.  That is because the schools don’t want to pay the teachers to supervise a lunch recess.
I have noticed that the bigger the school, the nastier the “food”!  In a school of 150 students, 3 ladies use their talents to turn the slop they get from USDA into tasty, healthier than cheetos w/cheez byproduct, food.  The kids love it.
These are mostly farm and ranch kids, who likely have at least tasted home cooked food.
On the other hand, in the nearest city, the USDA slop is heated and served as is, or the kids are served Dominos or McDonalds.  Most of their parents don’t cook, so they get more of the same at night.
I always cooked for my kids and there were a lot of so-called foods that I just plain wouldn’t buy.  As a single mom, I didn’t have the money for non-nutritive junk foods.  Didn’t have the time to cook either, but felt that I had a lot more time than I had money, so I did it anyway.
Many inner city families don’t have access to real food, and are forced to shop at convenience stores.
Many, not just one, problems at work here, and I don’t know any real solutions.

From Luke on Wed, June 30, 2010

Hire teachers that are actually capable of teaching, then maybe kids don’t need to spend all that time in the classroom. Serioulsy, I feel like I spent 5 years (moved to US in 3rd and took algebra in 8th) on basic arithmetic all of which I knew perfectly by the time I left 2nd grade in a European public school.

Staggered lunches don’t work either. The unlucky ones end up eating two hours after getting to school or after starving for 6 or 7.

When I was in high school they didn’t even let us bring bottled water. Why did nobody understand the value of proper hydration. I also think allowing kids to bring healthy snacks to maintain their energy level and eat during class would help a lot.

Seriously, health first, knowledge second. Healthy bodies means a greater capacity for learning.

From Theo on Wed, June 30, 2010

What is failed to be seen here is that no one made anyone take the Cheetos with melted cheese.  It was a choice made by someone and they paid for it.  AS working in school food service for the last nine years, I see that children choose NOT to take the vegetables, fresh fruit, etc.  The children take the carb items Pizza, Chicken Nuggets (same ones YOU serve at home).  I this day of political correctiveness society makes no one “take” anything.  Parents needs to teach their children how to make good choices in eating as well as good choices in character.  Everyone is in such a rush that many do not take the time to make a real balanced meal, sit down and talk at the table about the day, and really know what is going in the lives of their children.  Once we wake up as a society, we can make a change that will not only happen in the cafeteria, but in our homes.

From Angela on Wed, June 30, 2010

Just add me to the list of people who have been mad about this situation for years and remain disappointed.  Even though photos like this keep appearing (I have so many of my own), very little seems to be done that can help the children TODAY.  Hats off to First Lady Michelle Obama for all her efforts.  Finally!  But with the amount of time it takes for new regulations to work through the USDA down to the State Departments of Education down to the local districts these kids will have broken the other ankle.  Most of the new initiatives, while great and bringing attention to the problem, are voluntary.  The mandatory changes are slow to emerge and even slower to trickle down.  Unfortunately, there is little incentive or mandate yet for most districts to stop serving “food” like this.  My kids have never eaten a school lunch.  The oldest is in 7th grade.  I hope it never gets too “uncool” to take lunch from home.  Most school food vendors fail to realize they’d have more customers if they’d clean it up.  Any adult with any influence in a system that allows a “lunch” item to be cheetos with cheese on top is, in my opinion, not performing the job he/she was hired to do.  If we all performed in our various jobs with so little effort or concern, where would this nation be headed?

From Luke on Wed, June 30, 2010

To anyone that believes it is the kids and parents sole responsibility. The school takes on the role of parent and EDUCATOR for a very large portion of the day. They are responsible for teaching children. This includes proper nutrition education. True, nobody forces the children to eat the Cheetos but at that point in their lives they really do not know any better. Furthermore an apple or a HEALTHY salad is not enough. There really are not enough good tasting, healthy alternatives, that actually provide the children with enough calories.

From VoodooIdol on Wed, June 30, 2010

What the hell is wrong with packing a bag lunch?

From Luke on Wed, June 30, 2010

Not being able to afford to do so and having the state finance your lunches in which case you are forced to eat junk.

We expect that schools should be a safe environments conducive to the younger generations’ learning. Nutrition is a major part of that. What sort of examples are bing set for the children by serving them garbage?

Furthermore, tax money is used to subsidize these lunches. Not only is the food served nutrient-poor (wasteful as far as spending goes), but in the long run it causes higher health spending due to heart problems, weight problems, blood pressure, etc., etc., etc.

From Angela on Wed, June 30, 2010

Hey voodooldol, you’re right.  Those lazy 5 year olds should just get up a little earlier, ride their tricycles to the store, buy their healthy lunch items, make their lunch and not rely on the school.  They have so much control over their circumstances.

From Alyssa Boyle on Wed, June 30, 2010

Really? I remember when junk food meant chili and cheese served on top of an open bag of Fritos.  And we could only get those during football games and carnivals.  This is what happens when big business is in charge of the nation’s food supply.  No wonder kids are obese and have ADD!  Schools should just grow their own fruit and veggies.  And give kids an hour to eat and exercise.  This is just too sad. :(

From Luke on Thu, July 01, 2010

@Alyssa, now there’s an excellent idea. Why not teach kids how to grow their own garden. It’s a skill they can actually use for the rest of their lives, it’s cheap, good for the environment, and the kids health. Plus they get to move around a little while working in the garden instead of sitting in a desk for 8 hours of the day.

As for the exercise, it is sad that not all states have mandatory daily physical education for K-12.

From Mike on Thu, July 01, 2010

Recipe please

From maria on Thu, July 01, 2010

Thank our government. The emergency buyouts from Big Ag is what they are feeding our kids. Call and email your state and federal government and demand healthy, preferably local foods in your kids lunches.

From Gss on Thu, July 01, 2010

It’s not necessarily the food you eat.  It’s the fact that you guys eat and then come home and sit around all day until next school day.  Get some exercise you fat asses.  I used to eat crap like that when I was in school and I never gained weight because I EXERCISED.  Might want to try it instead of just placing the blame on everyone else like your school cafeteria.

From Luke on Thu, July 01, 2010

@Gss is right. You kids should really know that you should exercise and eat healthy without anyone like your parents or your teachers educating you about the importance of these things. Oh and all that salt that you’re being fed, well, just don’t worry about that. Who needs a kidney and low blood pressure anyhow. By the way, you should be able to figure out how to read and write and do calculus on your own too. And if you shoot yourself with a loaded gun that your daddy left sitting around, well, then that’s your fault too because you really should have known better. I mean come on, it’s pretty easy stuff.

From jacob on Thu, July 01, 2010

it looks like someone has already eaten two-thirds of that stuff in the bag…

From Mary Dorian on Fri, July 02, 2010

When offering children choices in any situation, you do not include bad options in the list. There are plenty of healthy foods that can be made and eaten quickly if time is the issue. Children are in school so that they can prepare for a successful life. Why are they being presented with options that can slowly kill them? It’s like offering them the chance to drive 100 mph in driver ed.

From Daniel Brownstein on Fri, July 02, 2010

As Kate Bogli suggested, a central problem here is the severe time limits that are regularly placed on eating in learning institutions, partly due to space constraints (not enough room for all students in the lunchroom) and to overcrowded lunch lines (inability to accommodate to student numbers).  The sense that eating time can be compressed contributes in no small part to the need to microwave meals in bulk, and to the poor quality of ingredients in these meals, and the huge amount of salt in them—an ingredient perversely guaranteed to make appealing and rapidly consumed.  This is a systemic problem, which can only be addressed by increasing the time allotted to meals to enable slow eating, and even understanding of meal ingredients.

From melissa on Tue, July 06, 2010

It is really sad in this country that our culture does not really value ingredients, meal content, mealtimes, etc.  Cooking is a lost art, and very few people actually make foods from scratch, including cafeterias.  I have eaten lunches at my childrens schools and have seen what children eat and what is served.
They have the junk foods right before where the meals are served.  A huge part of this problem is parents allowing this in there childs lunch , but I also know that the school lunch program makes extra money off of this crap.  My children no longer eat school lunches, I have read many of the ingredients in these HIGHLY processed foods, due to some allergies one of my children had and I was floored.  Suprisingly, our district has won awards for there “outstanding school lunch program” and I am scratching my head not understanding how this could be. REALLY!!!
Nothing will change until parents demand it.  Unfortunately most people just don’t get it.

From Jaye on Thu, July 08, 2010

I don’t think either of my sons ate lunch from the school cafeteria since middle school.  They were used to getting good food at home and didn’t have a taste for stuff like that.  They brought something to eat from home or waited until after school to eat.  It’s more a matter of taking the time to make something at home than of the cost.
If a child is on the free or reduced lunch program, he/she doesn’t have much of a choice.  The federal government subsidizes the “agricultural products” that go into that “food” and passes it off on our children.  It appears to save money in the short run, but we pay for it eventually in the health problems it causes.

From Luke on Thu, July 08, 2010

Here’s a nice chart that shows why in this country we eat like we eat. It does not make much sense to me:

http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/gm07autumn/health_pork.html