Chicago school bans home made lunches for kids

[kuronosan]

I dunno, Rhinox. I know what blatant means and it didn't seem very out of context. I wouldn't pull my non-existent kids out of the school but I certainly wouldn't be very happy that I couldn't make their lunch. I would think I know what's healthier for my children than a school district does. I'm pretty damn picky about health foods and I read nutrition labels.

My comment was more spurred by the statement that the lunches offer "low-fat" dressings, like they are any more healthy for you. Fat isn't the problem, calories are, and more specifically calories from too much carbs.

More specifically simple carbohydrates - complex carbs that come from vegetables are very healthy for you. Calories from processed carbs (such as those found in breads and candies) are terrible. Whole grains and most starches are pretty good for you.

Fats are also terrible for you if they are the wrong type. You want unsaturated fats, and most "low-fat" foods achieve this by adding maltodextrin as a filler (or something else like gluten so that it keeps its consistency) or trans-fats (which are fucking terrible for you). The problem is that the FDA allows a lot of this to go by because of "loopholes" that allow these companies to report it as non-existent if it's under a certain amount per serving. Most people eat 3-4 cookies, while a single cookie could have as much as 0.49g (which is considered non-reportable). This means you've already exceeded your daily requirement by eating 4 cookies. This doesn't include anything else you eat.

[kyod]

My only concession with this is that the parents (the few that actually show up) should be involved in creating the menu served at the school or involved in some way.

Unfortunately, a lot of the parents are out gang banging, selling drugs, in prison, prostituting, don't speak English or just don't care. There are quite a few who do care, but the area this school serves doesn't exactly have parents wanting to be involved.

Edit: You may have a small minority of parents involved, but most of these parents are working 2 jobs to make ends meet. I don't think it's realistic to expect that.

[Kerberoz]

If the kids are that poor, they qualify for free lunch anyway.

And fruit mix in syrup is not any better for you than Twinkies.

[Yugl]

If the kids are that poor, they qualify for free lunch anyway.

And fruit mix in syrup is not any better for you than Twinkies.

Except it is.

[Rhinox]

I dunno, Rhinox. I know what blatant means and it didn't seem very out of context. I wouldn't pull my non-existent kids out of the school but I certainly wouldn't be very happy that I couldn't make their lunch. I would think I know what's healthier for my children than a school district does. I'm pretty damn picky about health foods and I read nutrition labels.



More specifically simple carbohydrates - complex carbs that come from vegetables are very healthy for you. Calories from processed carbs (such as those found in breads and candies) are terrible. Whole grains and most starches are pretty good for you.

Fats are also terrible for you if they are the wrong type. You want unsaturated fats, and most "low-fat" foods achieve this by adding maltodextrin as a filler (or something else like gluten so that it keeps its consistency) or trans-fats (which are fucking terrible for you). The problem is that the FDA allows a lot of this to go by because of "loopholes" that allow these companies to report it as non-existent if it's under a certain amount per serving. Most people eat 3-4 cookies, while a single cookie could have as much as 0.49g (which is considered non-reportable). This means you've already exceeded your daily requirement by eating 4 cookies. This doesn't include anything else you eat.

bla·tant/ˈblātnt/Adjective
1. (of bad behavior) Done openly and unashamedly: "blatant lies".
2. Completely lacking in subtlety; very obvious. More »

If its so blatant it wouldn't have been allowed and the people responsible for it would be under federal investigating for defrauding the state and the federal governent. So its not blatant

If you wanna argue with what the schools serve fine post a menu and bitch about that.

[Rhinox]

Wow... people getting this upset because of lunches? My kids have hot meals at school every day, there is no such thing as a home packed lunch. Of course Korean schools are much better funded than US counterparts... and there's definitely "PE" more than once a week as well... Seriously, I remember what I used to get in packed lunches in school in the US, and what my friends had in their lunches and what is still marketed for that purpose to this day, just about any hot meal the school could provide would be 50-100% better than what most parents packed for their kids, and cheaper too in the long run. Even here where the obesity rate is something like 2% in adults there are news stories about how many times a week kids have ramen for dinner at home (some kids get ramen 5x a week, thus the rising rates of obesity in children).

People in the US lately are all about freedom, freedom to do stupid things with their money, with their lives, and with their children's lives. Nanny state is an appropriate term, and so many people really need a nanny because they have no idea how to properly take care of themselves, let alone their kids. Maybe if they're raised better from the start then they'll have fewer problems when they grow up, needing less help in the future...

Ever more glad I'm not in the US right now... I think South Korea's education system is still in the top 5 in the world.

These are some of the people you're talking about

[kyod]

http://www.cps.edu/News/Press_releas..._2010_PR1.aspx

For people who are shouting about the school lunches being crap and what the kids are served aren't any better.

[Kerberoz]

* While vegetables are already offered daily, CPS will now offer a different vegetable everyday, increase dark green and orange and dark vegetables and limit starchy vegetables.



* Where occasional whole grains are offered, they will now be served every day at lunch and there will be a 25 percent whole grain requirement at breakfast.



* No breakfast items containing “dessert or candy-type” ingredients or flavors will be offered.



* Only reduced fat salad dressings and mayonnaise will be offered.



* A fiber requirement of seven grams on average weekly for breakfast and minimum of three grams averaged daily at lunch will replace the current no-fiber requirement.



* CPS has set a goal of reducing sodium by 5 percent annually. (Already, no sodium is added during meal preparation.)



Further, there will now be limits on 100 percent juice at breakfast and increased serving of canned or frozen fruit in natural juices or light syrup.

lol

[Ashmada]

Well, Rhinox, you seem to think "shut up" is a convincing argument and that arguing against a qualificative instead of the point is witty, so I'm not at all surprised you'd see subtlety in such an obvious scheme.

[Rhinox]

lol

as opposed too...

Ever wonder what’s really in your fast food meal? Here’s the ingredients list for a Happy Meal that contains nuggets, fries and a Hi-C beverage:

White boneless chicken, water, food starch-modified, salt, chicken flavor (autolyzed yeast extract, salt, wheat starch, natural flavoring (botanical source), safflower oil, dextrose, citric acid, rosemary), sodium phosphates, seasoning (canola oil, mono- and diglycerides, natural extractives of rosemary). Battered and breaded with: water, enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), yellow corn flour, food starch-modified, salt, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, calcium lactate), spices, wheat starch, whey, corn starch. Prepared in vegetable oil ((may contain one of the following: Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated corn oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness), dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent). Water, high fructose corn syrup and/or sucrose, citric acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), potassium benzoate (to protect taste), modified food starch, natural flavors (vegetable source), glycerol ester of wood rosin, yellow 6, brominated vegetable oil, red 40. Potatoes, vegetable oil (partially hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor (wheat and milk derivatives)*, citric acid (preservative), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color), dimethylpolysiloxane (antifoaming agent)), salt. Prepared in vegetable oil ((may contain one of the following: Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated corn oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness), dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent).

Wow. Amidst the few recognizable food items and the really-bad-for-you hydrogentated oils, what is all that other stuff? Get the answer after the jump.

Those ingredients are food additives. Additives are chemical compounds that are used to enhance or preserve (enhance being a relative term) color, texture, flavor and shelf life of a manufactured food. Some additives are safe, at least as far as the FDA is concerned, in small quantities. However, there are many that just don’t belong in food despite what the FDA says.

In at least one case, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services contradicts the FDA on the safety of an additive. BHA, BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE, and BHT, or BUTYLATED HYDROXYTOLUENE, are both used to prevent oils from going rancid, oils such as those used in frying. BHA is considered to be “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” Testing of BHT is unclear whether or not it may be a carcinogen as well, and residues of this chemical have been found in human fat stores. Despite the Department of Health and Human Services findings, the FDA continues to allow BHA to be used. You can find both of these substances in the sausage patties of a fast food breakfast sandwich.

TBHQ, or TERT-BUTYLHYDROQUINONE is used as an antioxidant for unsaturated vegetable oils and animal fats. It can be used in combination with BHA. It is added to a wide range of foods, with highest limit permitted for frozen fish. It is used to enhance storage life. For industrial use, TBHQ is used as a stabilizer and is added to varnishes, lacquers, resins, and oil field additives.

In high doses, TBHQ led to stomach tumors and damage to DNA for lab animals. Prolonged exposure to TBHQ may cause cancer. While this is for high doses and lab rats, I have trouble with the idea that something you can only handle with protective clothing, per the Material Safety Data Sheet, is going in my food. You can find TBHQ in a wide variety of fast food menu items, especially anything fried or cooked in oil.

YELLOW 6 is the third most common food coloring. Industry-sponsored tests showed that this dye caused tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney in the lab animals. The dye is often contaminated by carcinogens. The FDA reviewed this information and concluded that there is no risk to humans.

PROPYL GALLATE has not been thoroughly tested. Initial studies suggest a linkage with cancer. It is used as a preservative in meats like sausage, vegetable oil, fried potatoes, chicken soup base and even chewing gum.

Here are a few more “ingredients” in your fast food, and other manufactured food products:

Sodium- and tetrasodium pyrophosphate, a “slightly toxic” food additive used as a thickening agent. You can find this in coffee creamer and other foods like marshmallows and some chicken nuggets. Define “slightly toxic?” Is it just slightly bad for you? Or just not even remotely good for you?

Polydimethylsiloxane is used as an “anti-foaming” agent in fried foods. It is thought to be relatively safe. It is also used in the manufacture of items like Silly Putty, silicone grease, breast implants. It can be used to treat head lice.

Sodium hexametaphosphate is used as an additive to promote stability. It is also used in the manufacture of water softening agents and detergents.

Would you like to learn more about food additives? The Center for Science in the Public Interest has a helpful list of the most concerning food additives. Once you’ve read the list, you can find those same ingredients in these fast food menus; menu, menu, menu (click nutrition guide, then ingredient statement).

[ronin sparthos]

Unfortunately, a lot of the parents are out gang banging, selling drugs, in prison, prostituting, don't speak English or just don't care. There are quite a few who do care, but the area this school serves doesn't exactly have parents wanting to be involved.

Edit: You may have a small minority of parents involved, but most of these parents are working 2 jobs to make ends meet. I don't think it's realistic to expect that.

Oh I'm aware that the reason the parents weren't tapped is because the powers that be feel that the parents have no clue and therefore are best left out of any decision making process.

People seem to forget that this school is in a neighborhood where most people are eating nothing but processed food all day. These kids are dirt poor and need some guidance... even if its just 6hours a day. The overall principle of this system is sound.

That isn't to say that all parents are terrible at parenting but you have to address the issue somehow and it doesn't start by letting parents do whatever they want.

[kyod]

http://www.cps.edu/About_CPS/Departm...nServices.aspx
For more information.

No school has a fryer anymore, no trans fats, whole milk is gone, and other healthy initiatives.

Is this enough? No. But they're light years ahead of other school districts and many parents.

[Rhinox]

Well, Rhinox, you seem to think "shut up" is a convincing argument and that arguing against a qualificative instead of the point is witty, so I'm not at all surprised you'd see subtlety in such an obvious scheme.

You're confusing me responding to you with wanting to debate you.

let me tell you what happens when I see the words freedom, Liberty and rights being taking away on shit that has a positive effect to the working class poor.

http://i53.tinypic.com/rayozk.gif

[Kerberoz]

as opposed too...

So... eating standard shit is better than eating diarrhea?

[Rhinox]

So... eating standard shit is better than eating diarrhea?

http://www.cps.edu/About_CPS/Departm...nServices.aspx
For more information.

No school has a fryer anymore, no trans fats, whole milk is gone, and other healthy initiatives.

Is this enough? No. But they're light years ahead of other school districts and many parents.

.

[Rhinox]

This is a school district not fucking Jamba juice or trader joes.

[Ashmada]

You're confusing me responding to you with wanting to debate you.

Don't think so. You could at least read what you quote: not debating the subject, merely curbing your misplaced arrogance a tad.

let me tell you what happens when I see the words freedom, Liberty and rights being taking away on shit that has a positive effect to the working class poor.

For someone who holds foreign-speakers to such a high standard of english, your own mastery of it seems lacking...
Shame on your parents never buying a grammar book, I guess.

[Rhinox]

Don't think so. You could at least read what you quote: not debating the subject, merely curbing your misplaced arrogance a tad.



For someone who holds foreign-speakers to such a high standard of english, your own mastery of it seems lacking...
Shame on your parents never buying a grammar book, I guess.

I didn't realize you were foreign so I apologize if I offended you. Guess I should of known with the death metal sig. I didn't criticize your grammar btw just the fact that you're using the wrong word to describe something thats isn't true..


Although your feign outrage about freedom in an armpit community of the 3rd largest city in a country over 5000 miles away makes your post a whole lot funnier.

[Ashmada]

I didn't realize you were foreign so I apologize if I offended you.

Mildly annoyed, yes. Offended, no.

Guess I should of known with the death metal sig. I didn't criticize your grammar btw just the fact that you're using the wrong word to describe something thats isn't true..

That hadn't escaped me. It's no less ironic.
While we're on the subject: it's not difficult to differentiate "have" and "of", FFS.

Although your feign outrage about freedom in an armpit community of the 3rd largest city in a country over 5000 miles away makes your post a whole lot funnier.

Making an idle post on a random discussion forum is hardly outrage. I care little about the situation, but that doesn't mean I can't comment on it.

I'd wager most respondents in this thread care little about the actual situation, either.

[Rhinox]

Mildly annoyed, yes. Offended, no.


That hadn't escaped me. It's no less ironic.
While we're on the subject: it's not difficult to differentiate "have" and "of", FFS.


Making an idle post on a random discussion forum is hardly outrage. I care little about the situation, but that doesn't mean I can't comment on it.

I'd wager most respondents in this thread care little about the actual situation, either.

Stop being such a moran.