When I was a kid, I hated buying lunches at school. They were never particularly tasty, you had to waste valuable socializing time waiting in the lunch line and I liked the attention I got for being the kid who brought "weird" combinations to school (like yogurt and granola).
However, I know that for some of my classmates, those lunches that I turned my nose up at were the best thing they had to eat all day. In recent years, many school districts have worked hard at making their lunch offerings increasingly delicious and healthy, to the point where they probably would have tempted a snot like me. Now, with rising food costs, school cafeterias are having to find ways to cut back in order to keep serving up healthy meals, especially since government subsidies for school meals aren't covering the costs.
Some districts are cutting staff in order to make ends meet and others are foregoing pricey items like the ever-popular baby carrots and replacing fresh veggies with frozen. This July, the Congressional committee that determines the federal reimbursement rate to school lunch programs will meet to decide the amount that schools will get for the following year. Schools are hoping that they take rising prices into account and give them the 12% to 15% bump they need to maintain their level of service and nutrition.
[via CNN]
5-06-2008 @5:31PM Rob O. said... The part about this that bothers me intensely is that there's never a shortage of funds for sports in school. Seems like big-ticket items like renovating the gym or other replacing turf on the footbal field are never questioned, yet we'll resort to downgrading lunches to save a few bucks?
I don't even have a school-age child, but by all means, go ahead & jack my taxes up a couple bucks more if it means that kids can still have access to at least one high-quality meal of the day.
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5-06-2008 @10:16PM Karen said... What gets me is the amount of food these kids throw away. Rarely do I see ANY child finish all of their food even on pizza days.
There has to be a better way. For us, we pack a lunch that is nutritious and that I know they eat everything I pack.
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5-07-2008 @7:57AM dgreene said... same here but it kills me that schools also serve junk food to kids and with todays kids over weight that just should not be...get junk food as well as junk drinks out of the lunch lines...
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5-07-2008 @6:26AM Thanh T. said... Interesting article on the rising cost of food prices and the affect it has on school cafeterias lunch meals for students.
If school districts across the country begin to cut back on school funding and lunch food programs for students that would be disheartening news.
I would agree, I think parents do have a lot of concerns…
Most school districts around the country have registered Dietitians to create and prepare school lunch menus. I hope school districts will be able to keep their staff.
Perhaps, some parents may have to pack a light snack for their children to bring if schools if school budgets are limited.
Interesting article…
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5-07-2008 @11:13AM lizandrsn said... ..School Lunch Programs are a joke. Healthy? Maybe - but not significantly. Food costs would go down if they'd limit the number of meals the kids won't touch because they are *burnt* or green/grey.
..Have you seen a school Cafeteria lately? They don't actually *cook* anything. It's all warmed in "ovens" or large vats (cans of processed vegetables). Want a pancake? It comes from a cardboard box, wrapped in plastic. Not edible, and certainly not environmentally sound either.
..I'm sorry some kids don't have anything else to eat. Not my kid, not my fault, not my problem. The Lunch Program is just another stupid Government attempt (can you say Head Start?) to raise your kid for you, and look how well that's gone.
..Think I'm kidding? Head over to your local Public School and plunk down some cold hard cash. Then run to the drugstore for antacids and Pepto-bismal.
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5-07-2008 @11:26AM wintem01 said... A few things:
Rob, I don't know where you live but here in Ohio sports are being cut EVERYWHERE. I know of a couple high schools locally that have eliminated sports entirely.
Karen - just exactly how do you know what your kids do or do not throw away? Do you work in your kids' school cafeteria?
Dgreene - I agree there should be less junk food readily available, however kids will get it if they want it. I've read recently where kids are selling candy bars and such like drug dealers in schools that have eliminated those treats.
On a similar note - I just read last night in our local rag how the kids in the Harvard University dorms are in an uproar because there getting tomato wedges instead of cherry tomatoes and wheat bread instead of whole grain, etc.
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