school tells mom that childs lunch is unhealthy and send bil

phinners

I don't know if this has been said, but lunch inspections are commonplace in the UK. That's what we get for spawning Jamie Oliver

I love Jamie Oliver, reeeeeespek to him for his efforts, even though they fell on deaf ears in some quarters. It's sad to think of those dumb mothers pushing doughnuts through the fence for their children. My children are at school in Ireland and they're only allowed brown bread. Chocolate spread is only allowed on fridays! no croissants, no brioche doree, no crisps, no biscuits, no chocolate................... thems the roooolz. It's good news and it means children aren't nagging you for junk becase their little chums have it. Jamie Oliver's "effect" has rippled out to Ireland (although we have our own initiatives as well).

Jamie Oliver is a god!

I felt so sorry for his when he went to the States and they were shoving so much **** down the kids necks, it was disgusting. How backwards were they? haha.

I'm so glad he's ours!

Lovfed his new series too 'Jamie's Great Britain' really yummy grub!

ericcumbee

i find the whole concept of lunch inspectors to be a gross overreach of government authority. and both my public school teacher parents have the same opinion.

phinners

i find the whole concept of lunch inspectors to be a gross overreach of government authority. and both my public school teacher parents have the same opinion.

I find it to be a good idea. A lot of kitchens need to be inspected for hygiene and cleanliness levels and also ensuring our kids are not being filled with donuts and chips and coke can't be a bad thing can it? Whats wrong with filling our kids full of fruit and veg and good wholesome grub? And actually having an outide body ensure this happens? I'm glad for it in this country.

bcattoes

There is nothing in the article to suggest what the inspector did was school policy. It sounds to me like someone at the school was getting a little overzealous in their job.

ericcumbee

Because the job of education institutions is to teach children, not to enforce an arbitrary set of dietary standards.

not to mention the fact that the federal government 15 trillion dollars in debt, states and local governments are facing a shrinking tax base. And School systems are furloughing teachers but expecting them to do the same amount of work, just not to get paid for it. yet they have money for school lunch inspectors?

and dont even get me started on the fact that its another example of the government usurping parental authority( and just because it is good or healthy dosnt make it the right thing to do).

mickipedia

good idea checking up on the meals as some parents don't care.. but i've seen so much worse. when i was in school some people would have like salad cream sandwiches that they'd put crisps in and a bar or chocolate.. or they'd just be given money and they'll go to the shop before school and eat sweets or something.

Its all fine really lol

phinners

Because the job of education institutions is to teach children, not to enforce an arbitrary set of dietary standards.

not to mention the fact that the federal government 15 trillion dollars in debt, states and local governments are facing a shrinking tax base. And School systems are furloughing teachers but expecting them to do the same amount of work, just not to get paid for it. yet they have money for school lunch inspectors?

and dont even get me started on the fact that its another example of the government usurping parental authority( and just because it is good or healthy dosnt make it the right thing to do).

Yes to teach our children, of course. But its not the job of the schools kitchen to teach our children, they're there to feed them, but they are teaching them about nutrition and they do that by providing good wholesome food. What do you want children to be fed on? If many parents lack the knowledge of diet and nutrition then the schools step in to help there.


And surely diet and nutrition is part of the teaching curriculum anyway isnt it? It certianly is here, right from very young children learn about food groups and what they ought to be eating and drinking. They even get given toothbrushes and toothpaste in class so they can clean their teeth after lunch.

I'm not going to comment on federal this that and the other because I'm not in the States and I have no understanding of it at all.

But if we'd have some sort of schools kitchen inspectors when we were at school and we were told what was good and not good to eat and strict guidlines were in place - would we be obese now and on this website trying to lose weight?

A lot of kids these days dont go home to a home cooked meal, they go home to crap. So for many of them the only hot meal they will get all day is the one at school - so that should be a good one.

And whatever the countries debts are, it shouldnt be the children who are punished for it via their school grub.

ericcumbee

These inspectors are not inspecting the school lunch, they are inspecting the lunch brought from home. did you even read the article?

cabaray

What a load of crap! I've never heard of anything like this where I live. Where does Government intervention end? School food is horrendous. My daughter just started middle school this year. They do serve salad, but my daughter said it's gross. This girl would eat salad every day for lunch if it were palatable. Not to mention, the school has vending machines available with soda, candy bars and chips. I thought they did away with that years ago! My youngest daughter is still in elementary. The lunches there are a little better, but not great. I gave birth to those girls, I pay to support those girls, the school better never tell me a turkey sandwich and banana are unacceptable. It won't be the media I go to, it will be straight to the Superintedants office.

sobriquet84

Even the fruits and vegetables on school lunch menus are processed. Sorry, but I don't count canned and sweetened fruit as a serving of fruit. Its a serving of "hey let me make your child fat while we be cheap and save money and cover our *kitten*. We really don't give a damn." Tater tots are not a vegetable. Students shouldn't be given the choice of chocolate milk vs. non-sweetened, and there is WAY too much bread and starch and fat and processed ****! And heaven forbid they encourage drinking water! And for crying out loud, take the damn vending machines out of the schools!


My husband and I don't have kids yet, but it is already something that scares us. Unless there is a HUGE change in school lunches, our kids are going to school with a packed lunch. But it is still frightening. Education and parental example is going to be KEY.

natalieg0307

i find the whole concept of lunch inspectors to be a gross overreach of government authority. and both my public school teacher parents have the same opinion.

I find it to be a good idea. A lot of kitchens need to be inspected for hygiene and cleanliness levels and also ensuring our kids are not being filled with donuts and chips and coke can't be a bad thing can it? Whats wrong with filling our kids full of fruit and veg and good wholesome grub? And actually having an outide body ensure this happens? I'm glad for it in this country.

The school's kitchen and food wasn't inspected (in this article) it was the brought from home lunch that was deemed inadequate. WHAT?!?! I thought the kid’s lunch was perfect! Healthy and some chips for a bit of junk food yumminess that most kids love.

I've got 3 kids and substitute teach. In KS, kids are only required to take 3 things as they go through the line.......this could be a milk, bun, and hotdog.....or milk, bun, and the veggie. These lunches don't meet the requirements stated in the article. And especially in the younger grades.....most of the food ends up in the garbage.

I think the inspector needs to inspect the nutritional value of the school lunches......hmmmmmm.......tutor tot casserole, fried drum stick, burrito drowning in some sort of cheese goo, cinnamon roll the size of a cantaloupe.....healthy? I don't think so.

BuceesNana

None of the teachers eat it cause they know they will get fat eating it too!!

^^
We tell all new teachers that the quickest way to gain 10 pounds is to eat in the cafeteria for 2 weeks. We call the food at our cafeteria, "concession stand food". If you can get it at the concession stand of sporting events, you can get it any day of the week at our HS cafeteria. Sad, but true. I rarely eat in the cafeteria unless I am desperate, then I eat the leanest protein they have and salad.

ericcumbee

Hey i like my hashbrown/ tatertot casserole, and its not actually as bad if you watch portions as you think.

and dear lord, the lunch room ladies when i was in school knew how to make a cinnamon roll.


im not sure what making school lunches 100% healthy is going to accomplish in the long run. as kids arent going to learn moderation.

Jolenebib

I believe the USDA recommendation is 1 protein, 1 grain and 2 veg/fruit...guess potato chips don't count as a vegetable? But this was RIDICULOUS. They shouldn't be taking kids home made lunches away. I am completely okay with them regulating school lunches (since a lot of them are subsidized by tax payers). They should be healthy. But leave the brown bags alone!

PinkEarthMama

My children's school is absolutely VERY VERY STRICT on what can come to school.

Kindergarten is peanut free. It is also meat free, since the school keeps kosher.

No chips, pudding, candy, or other crap can go to school.

Snacks must be healthy.

My kids take :

Tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread
Apple sauce
Whole grain tortilla chips
Granola Bar
Juice Box
Chocolate Milk

See the lack of fruits and veggies? They get plenty at home ( baby corn, carrots, cucumbers, etc etc )

xonikitashafferxo

Because the job of education institutions is to teach children, not to enforce an arbitrary set of dietary standards.

not to mention the fact that the federal government 15 trillion dollars in debt, states and local governments are facing a shrinking tax base. And School systems are furloughing teachers but expecting them to do the same amount of work, just not to get paid for it. yet they have money for school lunch inspectors?

and dont even get me started on the fact that its another example of the government usurping parental authority( and just because it is good or healthy dosnt make it the right thing to do).

what he said!!

TeaBea

Does the school have rules regarding lunch?

My child went to a school that did. And we followed the rules. That's what rules are.

I seriously doubt this was a public school (the one we went to was private), and the article doesn't specify the school or whether or not it had published rules.

Until I have more facts, I will hold my judgement.

^^^^ this!

My girls attend a school that has guidelines with respect to what we are permitted to send in their lunch. At the beginning of the school year we receive a letter. We are clearly not permitted to send candy of any sorts (little dora candy in a bag that the manufacturers call real fruit are an absolute NO), no chips, no chocolate and nothing with nuts. We have to send 3 snacks a day, a lunch, 1 juice and 1 bottle of water... At the beginning, I felt this was like sending my kids to a school under dictatorship.... but after 2 years of this... I think it's brilliant! My kids barely eat any crap, they eat their vegetables and they drink water... why? Becauce every kid in the class does it!

Excellent! The schools can't educate the kids on what "healthy" foods are UNTIL some parents learn it. The school CAN be forced to provide healthy lunches, but the kids won't eat it when the kid next to him is eating junk food he brought from home.

Cmh1211

u know right off the bat this story angers me but if u sit and think about it... being a proud father myself, i think it isnt a bad thing the childrens foods are being inspected. when u come from where i came from, u wouldnt be so quick to judge. i had friends in school that would show up with a cookie and a soda.

how ever, the childs lunch was completely acceptable to me. then again who am i to judge. my daughter has pancakes for dinner sometimes... i think a childs health should be determined by his/her pediatrician not a school lunch inspector. they should continue to inspect but only making sure the child has food to eat. not just chips.

as a parent, that would be my argument in a meeting with the principal of said school.

lungry1980

My son ate breakfast at home today. My daughter (who has no weight issues and is in every sport) ate breakfast at school. Wanna know what she ate??? Glazed Donught, juice, apple. Hmmmm, sound healthy??

sobriquet84

At the beginning, I felt this was like sending my kids to a school under dictatorship.... but after 2 years of this... I think it's brilliant! My kids barely eat any crap, they eat their vegetables and they drink water... why? Becauce every kid in the class does it!

No offense but if that is a public school... You are already on the path of indoctrination to a dictatorship. Making rules what parents can send with their kids for food? Seriously. Every hope for this country slips away when suddenly we find this acceptable. The state or other public institutions taking the responsibility to raise our children is one step closer to an authoritarian government and the saddest thing is people do not even notice it... It is one of those things that you do not even realize is happening but it is.

Yeah, I also hate it that kids have to be sent to school with clothes on. This evil sneaky dictatorship must be stopped!

christine24t

Sounds like an okay meal to me. It would've been an issue if it hadn't have been healthy.

idauria

Here's the rest of the story:

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10731857/

Clearly some miscommunication going on there.

LaurasClimb

Here's the rest of the story:

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10731857/

Clearly some miscommunication going on there.

Thank you, that does clear things up in my mind.

techigirl78

Really, this is why I pay taxes? For cafeteria police and providing free food to kids if their lunch doesn't make the cut? Even the explanation from the school doesn't make sense.

starkitty78

What's frightening is that the school will "police" lunches brought from home, but they don't "police" bullies.