Fast food in schools?

[The Dosadi Experiment]

So I'm watching Supersize Me, or Supersize This, or Supersize Something... and it shows American Highschools that serve fast-food.

Fries, hamburgers, curly-fries, pizza stuff like that...

Is that the actual situation? That you've got large programs and perhaps even larger corporations backing those programs up, offering children fast food for lunch in schools?

Why doesn't the government interfere in this practice? Why don't parents? Why do the schools participate? It's not healthy for the children.

or are these schools exceptions, and do most schools serve regular healthy food, with a large variety?

[Typo Lad]

The main reason is because it's cheap.

Most public schools, at least in NY, are now supposidly offering healthy alternatives, which has met with mixed results.

Tot's Private School has a lunch program that looks designed to create morbid obesity. Which is weird, since I went to that school and don't recall the meals being THAT bad -except for Thursday. That was greaseburger day.

[Ray R.]

So I'm watching Supersize Me, or Supersize This, or Supersize Something... and it shows American Highschools that serve fast-food.

Fries, hamburgers, curly-fries, pizza stuff like that...

Is that the actual situation? That you've got large programs and perhaps even larger corporations backing those programs up, offering children fast food for lunch in schools?

Why doesn't the government interfere in this practice? Why don't parents? Why do the schools participate? It's not healthy for the children.

or are these schools exceptions, and do most schools serve regular healthy food, with a large variety?

Well, I heard on the radio the other day that the fast food companies are "voluntarily" beefing up (pardon the pun) the nutritional makeup of the food that's getting served to the students.

Apparently doing so, because the spectre of federal legislation compelling them to do so was rearing its head.....

As to parents' involvement - I can only speak to my own experience. You can either buy lunch (i.e., mystery meat, pizza or whatever else is on the menu) or mom and/or dad can make lunch for you, or you can make your own lunch and bring it to school. Classic case of freedom of choice.

[Typo Lad]

As to parents' involvement - I can only speak to my own experience. You can either buy lunch (i.e., mystery meat, pizza or whatever else is on the menu) or mom and/or dad can make lunch for you, or you can make your own lunch and bring it to school. Classic case of freedom of choice.

We're debating that ourselves. Our only problem with it is that Tot likes to eat what everyone else is eating.

However, sicne there's no lunch program at camp and she's basically "forced" to eat what we send, i suspect she'll be more used to it.

That, or she'll steal other kid's lunches.

Either way, we save money.

[Trulyures]

So I'm watching Supersize Me, or Supersize This, or Supersize Something... and it shows American Highschools that serve fast-food.

Fries, hamburgers, curly-fries, pizza stuff like that...

Is that the actual situation? That you've got large programs and perhaps even larger corporations backing those programs up, offering children fast food for lunch in schools?

Why doesn't the government interfere in this practice? Why don't parents? Why do the schools participate? It's not healthy for the children.

or are these schools exceptions, and do most schools serve regular healthy food, with a large variety?
I think the schools are trying to let the children know that they are not the "bad guys" and want to please them, but at the same time the children are eating preservatives that should not be in there body. The UNited States are known as having over weight problems, then again it's all the childrens choice to eat it or not.

[Johnny_Storm]

It all depends on the PTA and wealth of the people around the school. My school just served regular school food, but if you go to the suburbs student's are eating Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. That's one thing I didn't mind not having in the inner city school system.

[The Dosadi Experiment]

but we're dealing with children here, teenagers, they can't drink alcohol, they can't vote, parents, educators, even the government have a responsibility to these young people to treat them right and to give them them what is responsible and correct.

I mean, people get worked up about homosexuality supposedly being taught in schools, evolution gets people foaming at the mouth...

But there isn't much talk about people poisoning children in the cafeteria.

[ghostrider666]

but we're dealing with children here, teenagers, they can't drink alcohol, they can't vote, parents, educators, even the government have a responsibility to these young people to treat them right and to give them them what is responsible and correct.

I mean, people get worked up about homosexuality supposedly being taught in schools, evolution gets people foaming at the mouth...

But there isn't much talk about people poisoning children in the cafeteria.

That's the American way. ;)

[Expletive Deleted]

I've seen this in a few places. It's usually in addition to normal school lunch programs, rather than a complete replacement.

It's all about the money. The school (or school district) gets a cut. Government funding being what it is in some places, a lot of schools look for alternative revenue streams and fast food is one of them.

That may just be around here, though.

[Typo Lad]

But there isn't much talk about people poisoning children in the cafeteria.

Again, I can't speak for outside of NY, but it's quite the hot topic here. For example there was the abortive snapple deal (http://www.citymayors.com/business/snapple.html).

[Trulyures]

but we're dealing with children here, teenagers, they can't drink alcohol, they can't vote, parents, educators, even the government have a responsibility to these young people to treat them right and to give them them what is responsible and correct.

I mean, people get worked up about homosexuality supposedly being taught in schools, evolution gets people foaming at the mouth...

But there isn't much talk about people poisoning children in the cafeteria.
The reason there is nothing being done about it because no one is willing to fight for that. Everyone is so caught up with other things that they just don't bother, which I think is wrong.

[Ray R.]

We're debating that ourselves. Our only problem with it is that Tot likes to eat what everyone else is eating.

However, sicne there's no lunch program at camp and she's basically "forced" to eat what we send, i suspect she'll be more used to it.

That, or she'll steal other kid's lunches.

Either way, we save money.

Giselle likes the snack-packs, with the ham and cheese or turkey. They usually have a chocolate milk or something sweet, so we try to pick the ones that have a juice (even though that's mostly sugar). One-stop shopping for the two-working-parent supermarket shoppers trying to control what the kid eats for lunch. Having grandma around helps too...

And if my daughter can learn to steal lunches, why stop there? "Doesn't your friend have that Barbie you want?" That'll save mucho-dinero for me....

And she'll be tougher than the other kids when the Rapture comes and she has to fend for herself. :rolleyes:

[Alex]

Kids would raise a fuss if you did it too.
When i was in school, they had the food that was technically good for you, which people rarely chose but they had to offer it anyway.
The one day everyone ate was the day they sold Godfathers pizza, because it was pizza, which everyone loved, and it wasn't school food.
The reason no one cares what the school serves is because people generaly don't care at home either. If the parent really cares, they make the kid lunch and he brings it.

[Typo Lad]

Giselle likes the snack-packs, with the ham and cheese or turkey. They usually have a chocolate milk or something sweet, so we try to pick the ones that have a juice (even though that's mostly sugar). One-stop shopping for the two-working-parent supermarket shoppers trying to control what the kid eats for lunch. Having grandma around helps too...

The day someone markets a kosher version of those, they'll make a killing.

When she gets older I plan on letting her take self-heating meals.

And if my daughter can learn to steal lunches, why stop there? "Doesn't your friend have that Barbie you want?" That'll save mucho-dinero for me....

Exactly what i'm worried about.

[K'Nort]

We didn't have a cafeteria or any other sort of lunch programme. Bringing it was your only option. I've always felt cheated by that.

They just need to eliminate the choices. Healthy food only. But that takes funding too. Right now, they have no choice. Stonyfield Farms Yogurt is getting into that in some way, however. Donating healthy meals and such.

[Quarterwolf]

My school had it where you could buy the state sponsored lunch or there was a "Ala Cart" where they had different foods available. Nothing from the restraunts but still something different and it usually tasted better.

Plus as Alex said most parents don't really care.

[Deathstroke]

I'd much rather have fast food available for me to eat at lunch than that crap they consider healthy.

I'm not a freaking rabbit. It was bad enough I had to be at school in the first place, don't take away the sole pleasure of a ham and cheese or steakum sub for lunch.

[Tages]

Why doesn't the government interfere in this practice?
Maybe because they're government schools?

That's like watching a video of a man beating his wife in front of their kids and asking "Why didn't the childrens' father do anything?"

[The Defenestrator]

What about the bags of milk in schools? Why doesn't anyone worry about that? It's friggin' creepy man, I don't care what you say. :mad:

[bert]

I've seen this in a few places. It's usually in addition to normal school lunch programs, rather than a complete replacement.

It's all about the money. The school (or school district) gets a cut. Government funding being what it is in some places, a lot of schools look for alternative revenue streams and fast food is one of them.

That may just be around here, though.


Bingo. . .

the fast food places pay a fee to the school to be there, AND they give the School system a cut of profits (and in the horrible funding that most of our schools get, they need the money)

same reason you see Coke machines on campuses. . .

it happens everywhere, and they DON'T replace the school supplied meal. . .they are in addition to it.

since many Juniors and Seniors go off campus for lunch anyways, this is a way they can keep some of the money w/in the district.

[Matt]

I don't know about the US, but here in Australia school canteens generally serve a mix of healthy and ... well, less healthy options.
They'll sell fruit and non-sugared up museli/health bars but also things like chocolate bars and potato chips. Likewise, they'll sell fruit juice as well as soft drinks.

Surprisingly enough, canteens that sell in such a way have found that what they sell is pretty much a 60/40 split. 60% fast food, 40% healthy - which isn't all that bad when you consider who the buyer is.

[GozertheGozarian]

I feel so hosed. Where I went to school in Iowa, it was a closed campus, eat what we give you cafeteria that had no fast food at all.

[The Dosadi Experiment]

Obesity in America is something that's becoming, or is already, a huge problem. It'll put a strain on the system, one that can be avoided.

Isn't it the case in Texas that teens today have a lower life-expectancy rate than their parents?

This only endorses the image that in America the mighty dollar rules, and that profit is the name of the game, and that education, and even basic health, are irrelevant issues that don't mean much to corporations, who'll poison children if it means they'll make a profit.

[Tages]

Obesity in America is something that's becoming, or is already, a huge problem. It'll put a strain on the system, one that can be avoided.

Isn't it the case in Texas that teens today have a lower life-expectancy rate than their parents?

This only endorses the image that in America the mighty dollar rules, and that profit is the name of the game, and that education, and even basic health, are irrelevant issues that don't mean much to corporations, who'll poison children if it means they'll make a profit.
"Poison children?" Did you just ignore the part where you were informed that there exist healther alternatives and the kids don't have to eat it? It's not like evil corporate soldiers show up to school and physically force the food down their throats.

Furthermore, did you miss the part where Matt said that the situation is similar in Australia? So does the mighty dollar rule in the land Down Under too?

[Tom]

The day someone markets a kosher version of those, they'll make a killing.

When she gets older I plan on letting her take self-heating meals.

?

What's a self-heating meal? Does it glow?

[The Dosadi Experiment]

"Poison children?" Did you just ignore the part where you were informed that there exist healther alternatives and the kids don't have to eat it? It's not like evil corporate soldiers show up to school and physically force the food down their throats.

Let's not call eachother whining pussy here, we're dealing with teenagers. Teenagers who can't consume alcohol, of whom a large part can't even drive, none of them can even vote.

If we were dealing with adults you'd have a case, but since we're not dealing with fully grown, reasonably developped adults, the case isn't that simple.

Teenagers will pick a slow working poison over a carrot just because the slow working poison is laced with sugar and because it's just not fashionable to be seen eating a carrot. And don't even stand there and deny it, because if you dare, then you'll show some damn powerful stupidity.

And you seem to ignore the responsibilities of the schools, the parents, AND the government where the well-being of children is concerned.

Schools are there to educate the children, but they're also a place where children should be safe, schools are in part responsible for the well-being of the children who attend, and they shouldn't offer them fries and pizza for lunch. Kids can't make a responsible choice when it comes to food. Your nation has a serious problem with overweight teens, and you wonder why that is?

Furthermore, did you miss the part where Matt said that the situation is similar in Australia? So does the mighty dollar rule in the land Down Under too?

Matt said no such thing. A candybar isn't the same as offering your pupils pizza, fries, or hamburgers for lunch. Matt said nothing about fast-food, no direct comparison with what they're offering children in America.

Wipe the shit from your eyes, and acknowledge that offering children fast food for lunch, because corporations want to make a buck, isn't a healthy plan.

For that matter what the fuck are corporations doing meddling in school affairs!? That type of shit compromises the quality of the whole educational system.

[bert]

Let's not call eachother whining pussy here, we're dealing with teenagers. Teenagers who can't consume alcohol, of whom a large part can't even drive, none of them can even vote.

If we were dealing with adults you'd have a case, but since we're not dealing with fully grown, reasonably developped adults, the case isn't that simple.

Teenagers will pick a slow working poison over a carrot just because the slow working poison is laced with sugar and because it's just not fashionable to be seen eating a carrot. And don't even stand there and deny it, because if you dare, then you'll show some damn powerful stupidity.

And you seem to ignore the responsibilities of the schools, the parents, AND the government where the well-being of children is concerned.

Schools are there to educate the children, but they're also a place where children should be safe, schools are in part responsible for the well-being of the children who attend, and they shouldn't offer them fries and pizza for lunch. Kids can't make a responsible choice when it comes to food. Your nation has a serious problem with overweight teens, and you wonder why that is?



Matt said no such thing. A candybar isn't the same as offering your pupils pizza, fries, or hamburgers for lunch. Matt said nothing about fast-food, no direct comparison with what they're offering children in America.

Wipe the shit from your eyes, and acknowledge that offering children fast food for lunch, because corporations want to make a buck, isn't a healthy plan.

For that matter what the fuck are corporations doing meddling in school affairs!? That type of shit compromises the quality of the whole educational system.


oh please. . ..

feel free to rant, but I am in 100% agreement w/ Tages.

if you don't want your kids to eat the Fast Food, then buy them the school card that can only be used to buy the Cafeterial Lunch.

Don't give them lunch money to buy the extra stuff.

if you want to point a finger, then point at the parents who need to be teaching thier children better eating habits -- and by the way, fast food isn't inherently bad if you simply include it as part of a balanced diet (as opposed to eating it every day). It's all about moderation.

I don't begrudge a School System needing money, and doing something about it.

[metr0man]

when I went to HS, the stuff like curly fries and pizza and all that, it was GOOD. I didnt want a frikken lunch from home and the healthy stuff didn't taste good at all.

MMMMM good. :)

[i_mmmchocolate]

It was an epidemic at my high school:

-icecream machine

-2 snack machines

-3 gatorade and soda machines

[Justin Davis]

Here's something I don't think a lot of people are getting: A school doesn't have to sell food from fast food restaurants in order to sell food that is fast food-like. The school I teach at now, much like the one I taught at before, does not serve food from fast food restaurants. However, here's what was given as choices on Thursday and Friday.

Thursday:
Pizza with variety of toppings
french fries
whole kernel corn
chilled peach slices
milk, variety

Friday:
Chicken patty sandwiches
french fries
green beans
trimmings - lettuce, tomato, pickle
watermelon or peaches
assorted juices
milk, variety

Now, I think there was also a chef salad that was a dollar more along with one other choice for each day, probably a hamburger. These are the regular things on most menus. Now, I've been told that the food at this school is quite good, especially when compared to other schools, but it's only been a couple days so I can't tell yet. One thing I noticed through the years is that kids will take fruit whenever it's offered to them. I don't just mean the sweetened peaches bathing in a syrup (I like those though), but they take the fresh apples, bananas, oranges, kiwis, etc. Like others have said though, it seems to be an issue of cost. However, I have heard of other schools that do offer healthy and tasty alternatives that do not cost great bundles of cash. Really, it seems to be an issue research and level of importance. School cafeterias are something many people complain about and make the news from time to time, but few actually do anything about them.

[Shades0077]

The best school lunch was when they had Breakfast for Lunch. French toast sticks are about the most delicious school food ever.

The way my high school was set up, there was the main meal, which was pretty varied, as I think we could go about a whole month before seeing a repeat of something, or there was the alternate which was pizza or chicken patty, or hamburger, depending on what day it was. I'm pretty sure they had a light lunch option too, but I think you had to special request that.

[Justin Davis]

The best school lunch was when they had Breakfast for Lunch. French toast sticks are about the most delicious school food ever.

The way my high school was set up, there was the main meal, which was pretty varied, as I think we could go about a whole month before seeing a repeat of something, or there was the alternate which was pizza or chicken patty, or hamburger, depending on what day it was. I'm pretty sure they had a light lunch option too, but I think you had to special request that.

Yeah, but when given the choice between pizza, fried chicken sandwich, hamburger, or the varied item of the day, it's not hard to figure out what most kids pick. The options of pizza, fried chicken sandwich, and hamburgers should simply be taken off the menu.

[Shades0077]

Yeah, but when given the choice between pizza, fried chicken sandwich, hamburger, or the varied item of the day, it's not hard to figure out what most kids pick. The options of pizza, fried chicken sandwich, and hamburgers should simply be taken off the menu.
Taken off the menu? But they taste so good!

Actually, from what I remember, most kids did choose the normal meal, as opposed to the pizza/burger/chicken option.

[K'Nort]

It's also not just lunch. You can't blame the schools for child obesity. They're basically five meals out of twenty-one in a week. What are they eating the rest of the time? How much activity are they getting? Both of those factors are much more significant than burgers at lunch.

And I know plenty of teenagers who voluntarily eat vegetables etc of their own free will. In addition to the crap, but still.

[Justin Davis]

Taken off the menu? But they taste so good!

Actually, from what I remember, most kids did choose the normal meal, as opposed to the pizza/burger/chicken option.

Not from what I've seen the last three years, they're not.

It's also not just lunch. You can't blame the schools for child obesity. They're basically five meals out of twenty-one in a week. What are they eating the rest of the time? How much activity are they getting? Both of those factors are much more significant than burgers at lunch.


All true. Of course, I think that's yet another reason why those items should either be taken off the menu entirely or at least reduced drastically.

[Typo Lad]

?

What's a self-heating meal? Does it glow?

heh.

it's like an MRE. You poor water on the heat packet, slide it back in the box, and ten minutes later you have a pipping hot meal.