Family Health

teetsel4

Our family health has been a process in our house. I used to keep junk in the house for the kids on the thought "why deprive them?". But then it donned on me. Why give them crap and set up bad habbits for them? Don't get me wrong, they are not weird granola eating kids, but they are very healthy eaters. And even with all my efforts, they still get sugar and processed foods everyday. There just seems to be no avoiding it. And to me that's ok, because I've cut out all the rest of the crap in our house, full well knowing they will get it from some place.

Like I said it's been a process. When the boys were little we ate out ALL the time, a ton of fast food. White bread, box mac-n-cheese, chips, cookies, etc... That's when I balloned up to 214 ! Thru the years, we have slowly cut all the crap out, we eat only whole grains, dessert is kept to special events or the weekends, we eat crackers instead of chips, granola bars instead of cookies (I guess they are weird granola kids!:laugh: ). They've seen Super Size Me and don't ever ask to go to any fast food with the exception of pizza lol. They know how to read nutritional labels and they know how much sugar is allowed in the cereal we buy.

What really fries me tho, is the CRAP they serve the kids at school. I allow the boys to buy once a week. I can not believe what they are allowed to call food! :mad: Super Duper processed, laced with fat and sugar, refined, and completely unnutritional! Yet they call it balanced. Since seeing Super Size Me, the boys want to go to the school board and change how they feed the kids. I need to get on that!

Anyhow, thanks for letting me share.

teetsel4

Our family health has been a process in our house. I used to keep junk in the house for the kids on the thought "why deprive them?". But then it donned on me. Why give them crap and set up bad habbits for them? Don't get me wrong, they are not weird granola eating kids, but they are very healthy eaters. And even with all my efforts, they still get sugar and processed foods everyday. There just seems to be no avoiding it. And to me that's ok, because I've cut out all the rest of the crap in our house, full well knowing they will get it from some place.

Like I said it's been a process. When the boys were little we ate out ALL the time, a ton of fast food. White bread, box mac-n-cheese, chips, cookies, etc... That's when I balloned up to 214 ! Thru the years, we have slowly cut all the crap out, we eat only whole grains, dessert is kept to special events or the weekends, we eat crackers instead of chips, granola bars instead of cookies (I guess they are weird granola kids!:laugh: ). They've seen Super Size Me and don't ever ask to go to any fast food with the exception of pizza lol. They know how to read nutritional labels and they know how much sugar is allowed in the cereal we buy.

What really fries me tho, is the CRAP they serve the kids at school. I allow the boys to buy once a week. I can not believe what they are allowed to call food! :mad: Super Duper processed, laced with fat and sugar, refined, and completely unnutritional! Yet they call it balanced. Since seeing Super Size Me, the boys want to go to the school board and change how they feed the kids. I need to get on that!

Anyhow, thanks for letting me share.

sportsmomof2

I completely agree....

:noway:

I was shocked to see the nutritional facts on school meals...The sodium is ridiculous! My son is starting to get over the fact that he will look nerdy if he takes his lunch...and my daughter in high school now packs water, crystal light, reduced fat wheat thins, apple slices, sliced turkey to school. You would be amazed at the number of high schools that have mcdonalds, pizza huts and etc. in the schools. I know ours are starting to cut out the pop machines for a healthier choice but heck they can get fast food at school.

Crazy!!!

may_marie

Do you know the cook Jamie Oliver, well, beside being the HOTTEST guy out there (dont let my f see that lol) he also set out a couple year ago to change the school dinner system in the uk, he did a tv show about it, it did change some things, the governement in the uk has got his foot in the thing and forces the schools to have healthier dinners, but it also showed how society is not ready for it, some mothers takes fast food to the school at lunch time to smuggle it to their kids, because they felt that their kids should have to suffer the healthy school dinners. sighhh,, its hopeless.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/schooldinners/
i quite like the initiative your kids want to take, its a great idea !! maybe they can change a couple things !!!

ho, some schools here have started to grow to own little gardens in the school yard, the whole thing is done with the kids, i though that was an awsome idea, gets the kids outside and learn about were their food comes from, maybe that could be an idea your sons bring up to the board !!!

may

teetsel4

Also on the movie Super Size Me, they showed a high school who changed their lunches. Everything is homemade! They save the school dist thousands of dollars and the kids take a class on how to prepare the food, so they are actually preparing it and serving it to the fellow students! Brilliant!

My mom used to be a lunch lady whn I was a kid, and she said it was all freshly made, from scratch.Now all the lunch ladies use to "cook" with are box openers!:sick:

I heard of Jamie's efforts, I will check it out, thanks to the reminder! And he is totally cute!

mickie

:huh: AS WE ALL KNOW, HEALTHY FOOD IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN JUNK FOOD. NOT SURE IF WE SHOULD BE BLAMING THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES. GOVERNMENT (STATE AND FEDERAL) NEEDS TO PROVIDE MUCH MORE MONEY TO OUR SCHOOLS!

teetsel4

:huh: AS WE ALL KNOW, HEALTHY FOOD IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN JUNK FOOD. NOT SURE IF WE SHOULD BE BLAMING THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES. GOVERNMENT (STATE AND FEDERAL) NEEDS TO PROVIDE MUCH MORE MONEY TO OUR SCHOOLS!

I am by no means and expert... But what I have read is that these programs actually save the district money. It's something to check out for sure, I mean if we can feed our kids healthy meals AND save money, then I'm all for it!

greysweatshirt

As a teacher, I completely agree with you! I have forgotten my lunch before and bought lunch and it's always something fried, with a tiny tiny cup of a "vegetable" (usually old, crunchy green beans) and a mixed bag of grapes and apples. I know that I felt sick after eating it. The saddest part is, these kids are so used to it that they don't feel that way anymore!

I really like how on Super Size Me, they showed that school that switched their menu and they said how the attitudes of the kids changed and how well behaved they were..and these kids were at an alternative school for students with behavior problems. I wonder if we would have a lot less behavior issues in our schools if we fed our kids properly! Hmm...

BlazinEmerald

I also know in some states (TN as an example because thats where I was raised) the school lunches ect. are based on wether the school is state funded or government funded. I went to a school that was government funded, and as Ive stated in a different post we had the same thing every week, every Monday come H*** or high water we had hamburgers ect. The school 10 miles down the road from mine , was state funded because it was named after a war hero. They had an amazing menu. I mean like shrimp , and salad and roast beef and you name it they had it , and it wasnt everyday same ole crap it was GOOD stuff and a variety. I dont know what the answer is but it sure isnt hamburgers, chicken burger,chilli,pizza,and beef stew with a cup of jello and runny instant potatoes. :sick:

icandoit

I totally agree with what you said too.
As for the school lunches-my son has not had a school lunch in 5 years
Here is what is being served according to the flier sent home Friday
corn chips with nacho sauce, carrot sticks, salsa packet, juice or milk

pizza, salad with ranch, fruit drink

mac n cheese, veggie stick and tater tots peaches

hamburger, lettuce tomato, fries, fruit cocktail drink

cheese sticks, veggie sticks, ranch dressing, cookie drink

spaghetti salad, dessert and fruit and drink


ALL CRAP!!!
Oh and for the breakfast they serve Fruit Loops, Frosted Flakes or Cheerios
It is sad.

jakspak

we eat pretty healthy here as my son cant have alot of stuff and now cant have fruit between meals (2 of his teeth came through with no enamel) so need to find some money for the mouse stuff to tuffin them up and we need to brush teeth 3 times a day now like i need more things to watch and think about with my son (he is special needs)

must say our schools have just bought in a healthy eating policy (not that their food was realy bad before they just made it better). although we dont have lunches like you guys do its more of just a canteen type thing with sammies and subway some pies (that a componey have redeveloped to make them healthier.

i think your boys should go for it what a great thing to want to do

teetsel4

As a teacher, I completely agree with you! I have forgotten my lunch before and bought lunch and it's always something fried, with a tiny tiny cup of a "vegetable" (usually old, crunchy green beans) and a mixed bag of grapes and apples. I know that I felt sick after eating it. The saddest part is, these kids are so used to it that they don't feel that way anymore!

I really like how on Super Size Me, they showed that school that switched their menu and they said how the attitudes of the kids changed and how well behaved they were..and these kids were at an alternative school for students with behavior problems. I wonder if we would have a lot less behavior issues in our schools if we fed our kids properly! Hmm...

I love that part of the movie! That is what I would love to research! My kids have been bugging me to do something about it since the movie came out. i have been so focused on other things, I think it is time to see what we can do. I will keep you posted.

As far as I see it, we have an obeseity epidemic in this country. We can spend the money being proactive and teach our kids the best way to eat. Or we can spend it on reacting and treating medical problems related to poor health and obeseity.

BlazinEmerald

I really like how on Super Size Me, they showed that school that switched their menu and they said how the attitudes of the kids changed and how well behaved they were..and these kids were at an alternative school for students with behavior problems. I wonder if we would have a lot less behavior issues in our schools if we fed our kids properly! Hmm...

This is so true , the behavioral aspect. Anyone who has a child with add/adhd knows there are certain foods that can be a trigger for behavioral outbursts. It's like a flashing strobe light triggering a seizure in an epileptic. It's not all NO Caffeine , no/low sugar , for some kids anything with red dye, grease,hotdogs, etc.. can trigger behavioral outbursts. My step son (14) has ADHD and ODD (oppositional deffiance disorder) and we havent found too many trigger foods for him. Obviously we TRY to keep a watch on the caffeine and sugar intake, but it doesn't help when his highschool serves resteraunt style greasy hamburgers and sugar loaded donuts as a lunch :grumble: There was a foster kid my inlaws had who's trigger foods were , as odd as it seems, hot dogs, ketchup, red dye, & caffeine. Those were food you HAD to make sure he didnt have or it could play out like a psychotic episode.