Chicago school bans home made lunches for kids

[Melena]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theloo...nal-food-fight

Students who attend Chicago's Little Village Academy public school get nothing but nutritional tough love during their lunch period each day. The students can either eat the cafeteria food--or go hungry. Only students with allergies are allowed to bring a homemade lunch to school, the Chicago Tribune reports.
"Nutrition wise, it is better for the children to eat at the school," principal Elsa Carmona told the paper. "It's about ... the excellent quality food that they are able to serve (in the lunchroom). It's milk versus a Coke."

But students said they would rather bring their own lunch to school in the time-honored tradition of the brown paper bag. "They're afraid that we'll all bring in greasy food instead of healthy food and it won't be as good as what they give us at school," student Yesenia Gutierrez told the paper. "It's really lame."
The story has attracted hundreds of comments so far. One commenter, who says her children attend a different Chicago public school, writes, "I can accept if they want to ban soda, but to tell me I can't send a lunch with my child. ARE YOU KIDDING ME????"

For parents whose kids do not qualify for free or reduced price school lunches, the $2.25 daily cafeteria price can also tally more than a homemade lunch. "We don't spend anywhere close to that on my son's daily intake of a sandwich (lovingly cut into the shape of a Star Wars ship), Goldfish crackers and milk," Northwestern education policy professor Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach told the paper in an email. She told The Lookout parents at her child's public school would be upset if they tried to ban homemade lunches.

"I think that lots of parents at least at my child's school do think that what they pack is more nutritious [than school lunches]," she said. A Chicago public school teacher started a blog to protest the low quality of the city's school lunches, and last year the schools tightened their nutrition standards for cafeteria-served school lunches. Every lunch must contain whole grains, only reduced-fat salad dressings and mayonnaise are offered as condiments, and the meals must feature a different vegetable each day. Meal providers also must reduce sodium content by 5 percent annually. About 86 percent of the district's students qualify for free or reduced price school lunches because their families live close to the poverty line.

Change in Chicago's school cafeterias feeds into a larger effort to combat the country's childhood obesity epidemic. About a third of America's kids are overweight or obese, and since children consume at least 30 percent of their calories while in school, making lunches healthier is seen as one way to counter that problem. Poorer kids are also more likely to be obese or overweight than middle class kids, and to consume a bigger proportion of their calories while at school. Forty-four percent of American kids living below the poverty line are obese or overweight, according to a 2010 study published in Health Affairs.
While we haven't been able to track down another school that bans homemade lunches outright, many smaller food battles have been playing out in cafeterias across the country. As principals try to counter obesity in their schools, healthy intentions can come across as overreach, occasionally sparking parent and student anger.

Alabama parents protested a school's rule that barred students from bringing any drinks from home, as ice water was provided at lunch. East Syracuse, New York schools have outlawed cupcakes and other desserts. And schools around the country have kicked out chocolate milk and soda vending machines. Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin even showed up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with dozens of cookies to express her disdain for a debate in the state about recommending teachers limit the number of times per month the sugary treats are eaten in classroom birthday celebrations.

Tucson, Arizona's Children's Success Academy allows home-packed lunches--but only if nothing in them contains white flour, refined sugar, or other "processed" foods, the Arizona Republic reported in a story last year. The school has no cafeteria, so some parents told the paper they struggled to find foods to pack that meet the restrictions. Many schools ban fast food or other take-out meals.
Soon, cafeteria offerings across the country will all be healthier, whether students like it or not. Last year's Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, championed by First Lady Michelle Obama, calls for higher nutritional standards to serve the 32 million kids who eat lunch every day at school (most of whom qualify for free or reduced price lunches through a federal government program). For the first time, the USDA will set calorie limits for school lunches, and will recommend they contain more vegetables and whole grains, and less salt, USA Today reports. French fries should be replaced by vegetables and fruit, the guidelines say.
The bill also calls for stricter food safety checks on cafeteria food.
(A student's lunch in Gleed, Washington: AP)

[Selamis]

Read about that earlier, all I could do was shake my head at the sheer stupidity behind this. I can't see how the parents in the district of the school don't go after the principal's decision with the superintendent of the district to try and get him to say that the school is out of line. It also equates to more money in the pockets of the lunch vendors if they force people to eat their product instead of allowing home made lunches.

[Ksandra]

I'm surprised this is even legal. Even if the lunches are healthy, some students are picky eaters and may, in fact, just do what they joke about (not eat lunch at all), which is obviously not healthy.

I could understand banning sodas for elementary age kids, but this is kinda crazy.

[edit]

It also equates to more money in the pockets of the lunch vendors if they force people to eat their product instead of allowing home made lunches.

I obviously can't say 100% 'cause I don't know every school, but for the most part schools don't make money off of lunches. The price you pay is strictly for going back into buying more food supplies for further lunches.

[Yuri-G]

this is way over the nanny-state line, I couldn't believe it when I first read it. how can you ban a parent from feeding their own kid? I'm all for combatting obesity but this isn't the way to do it.

although then again, given some of the idiots out there with kids... hmm... maybe this isn't the worst idea ever.

[Melena]

Well the way some of these politicians are crowing, I should be 500lbs with both my feet lost from diabetes and going around in a fucking electric cart since I ate burrito's, burgers, pizza's, and had soda's during my lunches in middle/high school. Kids are not fat due to what they eat, they are fat cause mommy and daddy A: have no balls to tell there kids no, and B: let them sit on there asses playing xbox and watching TV all day instead of going out and playing.

[Osede]

"It's about ... the excellent quality food that they are able to serve (in the lunchroom). It's milk versus a Coke."

this make me lol.... I remember a tv series, a chef try to let school introduce a more healthy food instead of those french fries and burgerrrsssss


oh forgot to say that, that series failed after a while, because no school never willing to do it in that way

[Ksandra]

Well the way some of these politicians are crowing, I should be 500lbs with both my feet lost from diabetes and going around in a fucking electric cart since I ate burrito's, burgers, pizza's, and had soda's during my lunches in middle/high school. Kids are not fat due to what they eat, they are fat cause mommy and daddy A: have no balls to tell there kids no, and B: let them sit on there asses playing xbox and watching TV all day instead of going out and playing.

to go along with this, the school should be fighting to get a bigger budget for pe teachers instead of this. most schools I see now do pe once a week, and some it's basically an extra recess.

[Selamis]

I'm surprised this is even legal. Even if the lunches are healthy, some students are picky eaters and may, in fact, just do what they joke about (not eat lunch at all), which is obviously not healthy.

I could understand banning sodas for elementary age kids, but this is kinda crazy.

[edit]



I obviously can't say 100% 'cause I don't know every school, but for the most part schools don't make money off of lunches. The price you pay is strictly for going back into buying more food supplies for further lunches.

I was looking at more from a viewpoint of the school pays more money out to the vendors for more product because it's either eat that or go hungry since they took the option away of people bringing lunches. If the school knew that x amount of people bring a lunch, that's less supplies that need to be ordered on the grand scale. Might not be 100% accurate but I can see it as a mindset...like perhaps if the principal gets secret kickbacks from the vendor supplying the food. I dunno, either way it's crazy to have happening.

[Melena]

to go along with this, the school should be fighting to get a bigger budget for pe teachers instead of this. most schools I see now do pe once a week, and some it's basically an extra recess.

Not just that, but after school activities as wel. I did baseball after school to stay in shape through 8th grade till I blew out my shoulder, then Sophmore-Senior year I played badminton to get back into shape cause I let my weight slip. Between that and riding my bike wherever i needed to go till I got my own car, staying in shape was easy and I have horrible eating habits.

[Ksandra]

this make me lol.... I remember a tv series, a chef try to let school introduce a more healthy food instead of those french fries and burgerrrsssss


oh forgot to say that, that series failed after a while, because no school never willing to do it in that way

ya this show http://www.bluegartr.com/threads/103...Food-Revolutin

I was looking at more from a viewpoint of the school pays more money out to the vendors for more product because it's either eat that or go hungry since they took the option away of people bringing lunches. If the school knew that x amount of people bring a lunch, that's less supplies that need to be ordered on the grand scale. Might not be 100% accurate but I can see it as a mindset...like perhaps if the principal gets secret kickbacks from the vendor supplying the food. I dunno, either way it's crazy to have happening.

ahhh I get ya, and that does make sense. I think it's more likely though they're getting into the frenzy that the other schools listed in the articles have. It is possible though.

Not just that, but after school activities as wel. I did baseball after school to stay in shape through 8th grade till I blew out my shoulder, then Sophmore-Senior year I played badminton to get back into shape cause I let my weight slip. Between that and riding my bike wherever i needed to go till I got my own car, staying in shape was easy and I have horrible eating habits.

it's true, there are different ways though to go about that. for me, it was swimming and playing in the backyards with friends. I'm def not the sports type (not because I don't like them, I suck so badly I hated playing them). I was skinny as fuck growing up and ya had bad eating habits. it all caught up though in college when "exercising" habits changed, but my food habits didn't XD.


looking back, I do wish my parents had me in healthier habits because I'm not having to train myself otherwise. but really the school shouldn't be doing this.

[Melena]

I was looking at more from a viewpoint of the school pays more money out to the vendors for more product because it's either eat that or go hungry since they took the option away of people bringing lunches. If the school knew that x amount of people bring a lunch, that's less supplies that need to be ordered on the grand scale. Might not be 100% accurate but I can see it as a mindset...like perhaps if the principal gets secret kickbacks from the vendor supplying the food. I dunno, either way it's crazy to have happening.

I'm pretty sure the districts make money off of them as they bid out to see who will be the vendor for the district. Now that school can go to the vendor and say hey, I can guarantee we will need another x amount of lunches every day and the vendor will give them a bit of a discount for increasing sales. Supply, Demand, and buy in bulk so to speak.

[Delirium]

I'm pretty sure the districts make money off of them as they bid out to see who will be the vendor for the district. Now that school can go to the vendor and say hey, I can guarantee we will need another x amount of lunches every day and the vendor will give them a bit of a discount for increasing sales. Supply, Demand, and buy in bulk so to speak.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

[Drex]

It's the school's job (alongside the parents') to teach the children what's good to eat and not to eat. It's not the school's job to make them do it. This is way out of bounds.

Besides that, public schools aren't exactly brilliant when it comes to what to eat and what not to eat, considering they only have the budget to buy the cheapest shit available. I'd wager lunchables are healthier than whatever the fuck that cafeteria is feeding them.

[ronin sparthos]

this is way over the nanny-state line, I couldn't believe it when I first read it. how can you ban a parent from feeding their own kid? I'm all for combatting obesity but this isn't the way to do it.

although then again, given some of the idiots out there with kids... hmm... maybe this isn't the worst idea ever.

You nailed exactly how this ban on home made lunches came to be.

While I can't completely agree with the idea of banning all outside lunches especially for the savvy parent that actually puts effort into what their kid eats, I can totally see the reasoning for banning outside food. It's just a broad stroke because actually inspecting every kids school lunch would be a nightmare.

Naturally, the broad stroke needs to be negotiated down but you can't just give parents free reign anymore, its not working.

As always, things are gonna be push 'n pull between parents and school staff especially when parents feel that they are being limited but I think that parents (the ones that show up for the meetings etc) should be involved in decisions like this before they get made.

[Zeb]

It's probably a catch 22 for the school, they get bitched at for offering shitty quality food because it's cheaper for them. So they switched to better food but it costs more, so they make it mandatory that everyone has to eat it so the school can pay for it.

/Not positive on that, just guessing.

[Doombard]

Stuff like this makes me sick that its even possible for this to happen. My daughter is only 3 right now but if something like this would happen when she goes to school you could be damn sure that I'd be knocking down the door at the schools next meeting.

[Delirium]

I don't have kids, so maybe I should judge but I will anyway
Parents like to give their kids crap for lunch always. My mom always gave me a home made sandwich, fruit, things like that which are healthy to eat.
I do remember kids having lunchables(which are crap), soda every day, mcdonalds every day, etc etc. Having those things once in awhile doesn't bother me in the slightest, but when you constantly feed your kids food that will have an adverse effect on their health, it seems abusive. A school is supposed to educate young kids, which you can argue, includes how to live a healthy lifestyle.

[Melena]

I miss the days of PB&J with an apple and a capri sun or a thermos full of juice for lunch.

[kyod]

to go along with this, the school should be fighting to get a bigger budget for pe teachers instead of this. most schools I see now do pe once a week, and some it's basically an extra recess.

CPS is already budget-crunched as is. Finding money to pay for extra PE teachers is out of the question.

For the non-Chicagoans (read: everyone in this thread). This school is located in a lower-income neighborhood on the West side of Chicago, mainly hispanic. Most parents can't afford 'healthier' alternatives and buy the cheap processed crap because it fits within their budget. Most of these students qualify for free lunches because of their parent's income status.

A lot of these kids are raised on crap and probably have nutritional deficiencies. Having CPS offer a healthy meal is a great for kids who probably won't receive it at home.

I volunteered at a school nearby in Pilsen and I am 100% all for this. It's easy to scream nanny-state and act all indignant when you don't have any insight into this situation.

But, obviously, this kind of thing probably wouldn't fly at a wealthier, suburban school because the parents have the means to provide decent food.

[Yugl]

Solution: I'm allergic to cafeteria food.

I miss the days of PB&J with an apple and a capri sun or a thermos full of juice for lunch.

I totally forgot about that.