When I was in high school, the student council owned a cookie baker that allowed student groups to make fresh-to-order Mega Chips (a ubiquitous term in my school district for over-sized chocolate chip cookies) and sell them after school in order to raise money. I also have fond memories of various cookie, cake, cupcake and candy sales during my elementary and middle school years, all designed to separate kids and their parents for cash in exchange for something sweet. In those days, it felt like everyone was winning, but in current times, as the obesity epidemic worsens, parents and school officials are bringing and end to the sale of sweet treats on school grounds.
In California, officials are now having to ensure than any food sold in conjunction with a school event comply with strict dietary standards. In Connecticut, classroom birthday parties are a thing of the past, as schools there no longer allow parents to bring celebratory sugary goods.
Our sister site ParentDish has ponder this same issue, wondering whether keeping kids away from high-calorie foods is really the best way to solve the obesity problem. Bethany asks, "Cupcakes exist, even if we like to pretend they don't. So is it better to hide them away from kids, or to teach them that a treat is an occasional indulgence?"
What do you think?
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