A new study shows that junk food does NOT cause obesity in Middle Schools.
Nobody's for serving bad food to our kids, but most of us feel it's up to the parents, not the government, to tell our kids what to eat.
Another aspect of the article says they're going to be offering more vegetables for school lunches. Here's my fear: the kids'll be tipping their veggies from their cafeteria trays right into the garbage. More tax dollars down the drain and the kids get none of the vitamins. It's kind of like McDonalds, which "responded to the demands of REGULATORS" and "decided" to include apples instead of fries in children's Happy Meals...(though I'm not sure that makes them very HAPPY anymore?)......Ever hear a kid say "Mom, can we go to McDonalds ....their apples are SO GOOD!"I'm for educating parents (as if most don't know broccoli's better for kids than french fries, anyway?) and letting them suggest to their children what's best to eat. Get the government OUT of it.
You have any solutions to getting our kids to eat better? Aren't mine better than the government's? How about veggie burgers that taste like real burgers in schools? At least they get their taste buds happy and some veggies in them. How about whole wheat pasta? Don't change the menus, fix the recipes?
z
21 comments:
How about letting them eat whatever they want, and then go RUN and PLAY during recess to burn off those calories. School has become a "physical activity free" zone.
I saw am article that said there's a junk food black market in schools that have switched to healthier diet
http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2012/01/21/la-school-district-lunch-program-spawns-thriving-junk-food-black-market/
I see my homeschoolers eating junk food -- not all the time, but a lot of time.
Still, not a single one is overweight. Not one!
Of course, they don't take forced PE classes. Instead, they play for fun and on various sports teams -- apparently participating in sports they really enjoy. Some of the girls take classes in dance and fencing.
Many also ride bicycles on the extensive bike trails networks here in the DC area -- sometimes riding 50 miles or more in a single day.
I also note that these students do a lot of chores at home, especially mowing yards.
Now, my homeschoolers have a heavy load of schoolwork and have to sit a lot when they're studying. Still, they are not overweight or out of shape.
FJ has it exactly right:
School has become a "physical activity free" zone.
Furthermore, when kids get home from school, they hole up in their houses and sit in front of the TV or the computer. My homeschoolers get out and about first, then sit down to their schoolwork.
Z, you are a prophetess:
the kids'll be tipping their veggies from their cafeteria trays right into the garbage.
Good eating habits do begin at home. Pizza and other processed foods should be a treat, not the norm. Working moms have my sympathies, but many times working moms can do better with what's on the table. I've seen many such working moms do so, but many more not do so.
That brings me to my last point: homeschoolers, for the most part, have moms who do do not work outside the home. These moms have the time and energy to fix better meals, IMO.
Our kids hate almost all vegetables, but they drink the heck out of V8.
High fructose corn syrup-laden drinks are probably the main culprit of childhood obesity, and we stay away from those.
You are right Z. Kids will simply dump the veggies in the trash, and FJ is right, exercise is important.
I do cook hearty food here at home, particularly during the winter.
I could stand to loose a few pounds. ;) None of the kids are heavy, but they run around like crazy, too.
Now, I do looooove broccoli, and surprisingly my youngest does, too, even though she is my pickiest eater.
Fries and fast food are a rarity around here. The kids act like it is Christmas all over again when they get it.
My thoughts for getting kids to eat better? Do it at home. They only get one meal at school.
None of my kids are fat. Grown up, but not fat.
They ate what they wanted except for breakfast and dinner, which we saw to it was well balanced and healthy.
They also ran, played, rode bikes cheer-led (is that the right way to say it?) and engaged in music activities.
The youngest played a lot of video games, but was also very active.
He's all grown up, now, skinny as a rail and still plays lots of video games.
Parents! Wake up.
Federal Government! Get out of our schools and our restaurants. You don't belong there.
FJ, physical activity is a huge part of it, but if ONE CHILD gets hurt on the playground, all have to change their ways due to lawyers, etc. Very sad.
the unions complain about budget cuts but what's it cost to play on a playground?
Elbro, that's amazing, isn't it? The kids in that article said they eat more junk food now than ever!
Well, 'free enterprise' at work :-)
AOW...Moms being at home does make a huge difference in EVERYTHING. Sadly, many moms don't have that option and aren't wise enough to compensate in other ways. I believe our Brooke is a fantastic mother who works but her children are thriving because she's smart and attentive, and I know you do, too.
Video games, etc., are really a problem these days, I think..sitting, sitting, sitting...and that's time taken from physical activity.
PLUS, we worry about the perverts, sex offenders, in our neighborhoods; Moms can't let kids just go out and play like we did!
SF...keep up the V8! And physical activity.
Brooke..excellent advice about school versus home. And, truly, it's not THAT bad at school cafeterias, is it. I have to admit we didn't have fries when I was a kid but we had that delicious little bowl with mashed potatoes and a pool of gravy in the middle (my fave!)
We also didn't have the new quinoa salads and lentil burgers and we all survived somehow! :-)
Joe, and so much is genetic, isn't it? AMen to all you said! Fed Gov't...OUT!
Let them eat fries, pizza, burgers etc. Keep them away from the sugar loaded drinks and foods.
whatever happened to eat your vegetables or else no dessert?
Need some good news, today?
Did the study control for the total amount of soda and junk food in the diets, total calorie intake, source of calories?
Not much is said. Who financed the study?
Inquiring minds (primarily left) want to know.
"Hook hypothesizes that kids don't actually have that much time to eat at school, so their out-of-school eating habits are a more important factor in determining their weight."
Sounds like a green light to let them eat even more crap.
Z, you know I won't turn down a potato in any form, and I usually have my mashed sans gravy, but with a (small) pat of butter, salt and pepper.
I remember the pizza and fries at my school lunches. They were often lukewarm at best and SOOOO greasy that most of my buds would opt for the healthier stuff because the former was just gross! I actually recall picking up a mess of paper towels and rolling the soggy pizza square up like a carpet to soak up the grease before I could eat it!
I was never a fat kid, either!
Of course, there were the kids that would actually bring a extra buck for the microwave milkshake stuff and then dip their fries in it! GAG!
<< You have any solutions to getting our kids to eat better? >>
I do this for adults and kids. Change how the adults eat and you will alter the way kids eat.
It's was simple with my kids; they had about as much choice what they ate as they did where they went ast night -- NONE.
Clean out the of the shelves and fridge. Fill them with veggies, fruit and lean protein. Think 'colors'. Then limit high glycemic sugars, processed foods, juices and sodas.
BTW, the best anti cancer diet (before, during and after) is veggies, fruits and lean protein. Cancer feeds on sugar.
Do kids like this style of eating? Not at first, but hunger is a good sauce!
School? Send them with a sack lunch and no money.
School? Send them with a sack lunch and no money.
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Too simple.
For anyone interested in the origins of the school lunch program (which didn't have all that much to do with feeding kids) try Charles Lindblom's, "Policy Making Process"
Ticker, my feeling is 'eat it while you're so young, then start to wise up...you won't be able to eat the really delicious stuff when you're older'...I agree with you.
Lisa...good point. I doubt many parents say that at home anymore; you know, they can't be sounding judgmental or tough on their kids, after all (smile)
Ducky....the Koch Bros probably financed the study just to make Mrs. Obama look bad.
You happy now? :)
Brooke....We never got pizza, believe me..greasy or not! We had pretty decent stuff but I usually brought my lunch. I'm with you; never met a potato I didn't love.
KP...hurrah for all you said.
Probably not, z. They're more into energy issues but the point remains.
Some study comes out and it becomes a fact without any analysis. Could be why we are so misinformed, you think?
We ate real food growing up and no problem. What's changed? And yes I also read a story recently about how healthy school lunches were being tossed in the trash en mass. Typical liberal 'solution'.
Ducky, what's scary is you don't like the results so you have to shoot the messenger...
20,000 is a pretty hefty study group.
I hope the Koch's are into energy; we could use some help since Obama's shot down the pipeline. Yes, the pipeline won't help immediately, I know, liberals..........when DO we start helping ourselves? EVER? Or will we keep hearing "but it won't be ready for 10 years!" forever?
and why should you give a Sh*t anyway duhkkky you don't have any kids. now Blow!
Elmers Brother: to be fair, from what I understand, Ducky has nieces and or nephews that he has helped raise after family tragedy. Even if I am wrong; check yourself.
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