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Patch Poll: Is School Lunch Better or Worse This Year?
Changes to the federal lunch program mean the offerings aren't the same as they used to be. Are your kids on board, or have they complained?
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it would make the first major changes in school lunch standards in 15 years. The results of that commitment are now on the lunch line in your local school.
“As parents, we try to prepare decent meals, limit how much junk food our kids eat, and ensure they have a reasonably balanced diet,” said First Lady Michelle Obama when the changes were announced. “And when we’re putting in all that effort the last thing we want is for our hard work to be undone each day in the school cafeteria."
To that end, these changes were implemented:
- Ensuring students are offered both fruits and vegetables every day of the week.
- Substantially increasing offerings of whole grain-rich foods.
- Offering only fat-free or low-fat milk varieties.
- Limiting calories based on the age of children being served to ensure proper portion size.
- Increasing the focus on reducing the amounts of saturated fat, trans fats and sodium.
What do your children tell you about the lunchroom changes this year? Do they like the food? Do they eat the fruit they're required to take or do they throw it away?
Take our poll and tell us in the comments.
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Kathy
6:49 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
This is news? Kids don't like school lunches? What's next--they prefer Summer holidays to being in school? Kids today!
Robin Nicole
7:07 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
As dictated by my son:
"I don't like it because it's $2.25 and always lose my quarter when I buy it, I don't like it because there are three choices now and it makes it confusing, I don't like it because there is two days of pizza and I don't like the pizza. They have a lot of fruit there and I can't eat some of it because of my allergies, there are no vegetable choices. But I'm guessing that's how most school lunches are supposed to be."
(Mom talking here: I miss our old school that had electronic payments. Kids didn't need to carry money, and I could see every night exactly what he bought. They do have pre-payments here, but no way for parents to verify transactions.)
Linda Goodman
7:56 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
My daughter just commented on the lunches yesterday according to her it seems like they atr always having pizza. She also says that its not enough food. She's 12 and comes home starving after school.
WestMonster
1:31 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Assembling a school lunch menu that meets the requirements, can be prepared by every school cafeteria, has variety, and is appetizing to kids in every school is an incredible challenge. Oh yeah, and it has to be cheap. That said, I have been a little disappointed in the menu from my daughter's elementary school. Lots of pizza and breaded chicken, and some of the combinations are questionable. I don't think it's a good idea to serve french fries any day, but paired with pizza- that's a lot of saturated fat in one meal. I would ABSOLUTELY pay more for better-quality food. Also, don't have ice cream available every single day.
SOUTHWESTMINSTER
3:11 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Do what my parents did, make your own lunch and bring it with you.
L Collette
10:22 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Exactly!!!! Today's society is all about eating out and buy buy buy....get back to simple basics and a bag it!
Karen
7:08 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012
My daughter actually WANTS to buy lunch! I prefer her to pack, but since I can't force someone to eat what I want them to eat (she could just throw out her packed lunch and buy the school lunch or not eat at all if I don't give her money, which she has done too) I prefer what they have to be somewhat healthy. She is 5, so that is a long day without anything to eat and she has done that a few times. That being said, she likes the salad offer everyday, so maybe that is why she wants to buy the school lunch. Otherwise, I would prefer more than a chicken nugget and pizza offering. But it also sounds like to me schools are being offered different foods. Someone else complained about no veggies, when my daughter gets a salad offering plus other veggies (broccoli, carrots, etc. ) plus a fruit offering