4th Grader's secret documentary of public school lunches shows hype vs reality

[KurtNYC]

The media loved it when Rachel EVOO Ray designed school lunches but they did no follow up to see what was actually served. Even his own parents didn't believe that the school was not serving the vegetables and wonderful meals described in the monthly menu.

When his school system found out about the documentary they tried to co-opt him: a nice talk with the cooks, administrators sitting down to eat the deep fried mystery nuggets and the small pile of shredded iceberg lettuce...but much like the Larry "Branded" Cohen's son in The Big Lebowski this kid was un-moved.

The film offers no shortage of examples. On a day advertising “cheesy lasagna rolls with tomato basil sauce, roasted spinach with garlic and herbs,” for instance, Zachary is handed a plastic-wrapped grilled cheese sandwich on an otherwise bare plastic foam tray.

A “Pasta Party” is described as “zesty Italian meatballs with tomato-basil sauce, whole grain pasta, Parmesan cheese and roasted capri vegetables.” Meatballs and pasta show up on the tray, if none too zesty-looking, but the vegetables are nowhere to be seen.

Salads devised by the Food Network chefs Rachael Ray and Ellie Krieger are similarly plagued by missing ingredients. On the day Ms. Ray’s “Yum-O! Marinated Tomato Salad” is listed, Zachary is served a slice of pizza accompanied by a wisp of lettuce.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-michael-moore-of-the-grade-school-lunchroom/

This is the trailer on YouTube (similar thumbnail but a different clip):

And here's a clip -- Battle of the Salads:
http://vimeo.com/64607150

[d_r]

1. That is fantastically awesome.

Amazing. I love this.

But wow, in NYC school lunches come with triangle pizza? Not rectangle?

[KurtNYC]

17. In NYC rectangular pizza is called "Sicilian"

and yes, I too would think that a cafeteria would prepare pizzas on sheet pans because it is more efficient. We got rectangular pieces when I was in public school. My guess is that the pizza shown here is only reheated on site. Therefore since they are faking it, might as well make it pie shaped.

[d_r]

22. here is how ours came:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cS-qoX8lNWE/TvEjuzlm8dI/AAAAAAAAB9w/Ol8aYSY-ucE/s1600/where+to+buy+school+pizza.jpg






it always came with the corn and canned peaches, but we never got the pretzel

[KurtNYC]

24. That tray alone brings back memories

and corn with EVERYTHING. Lots of canned peaches too. We would have had jello or those little cups of ice cream (chocolate, vanilla or strawberry) that came with the wooden mini-tongue depressor spoon-thing where that pretzel is.

We had Italian food pretty much every day except Fridays it was fish, usually fish and chips. Our cafeteria was staffed with lots of Italian-American mothers and grandmothers and they would slip in something great every once in a while. Most of our rotation was: sub sandwich, pizza, spaghetti (served with corn just like every other day), turkey tetrazinni, a hamburger (slider sized), and fish sticks.

That tray !

[d_r]

45. they use styrofoam trays here now

but the rest is the same. That turkey tetrazinni always freaked me out. I forgot about the ice cream cups and the wood taster things. Those only came out for special occasions.

[femmocrat]

43. The lunches still look like that (without the pretzel--- that would be extra.)

They drink 2% milk now though, including flavored milks. And they use plastic forks and spoons. No knives. LOL

[d_r]

46. yeah you are right about the milk

they have 1% here

eta and sporks

[obama2terms]

63. It's the same now

Minus the pretzel

[Phentex]

2. Good for him!

He's got some personality too!

I fully believe this is happening. More kids should film what is actually being served. I think it would be an eye opener.

[intheflow]

3. Future Michael Moore in the making.

Humor and documentary filming making. Very good!

[KurtNYC]

19. He idolizes Morgan Spurlock

and admits to imitating his visual style and pacing.

[femmocrat]

4. He is terrific! I love his laugh.

I am amazed that no one took his camera away from him!

What he is showing is no exaggeration. In fact, our kids only get iceberg lettuce, no romaine. Vegetables are usually baby carrots or celery sticks with ranch dressing (not low-fat). I have breakfast-- and/or-- lunch duty every day. The food is abysmal. I have seen NO improvement since the new nutritional guidelines were put into place last fall. I really feel sorry for the kids who eat this menu for up to 2/3 of their daily nutrition.

Why is no one paying attention?

[oberliner]

5. I feel bad for kids that are forced to eat vegetables at school

It's bad enough that their parents make them choke vegetables down at home, but at school kids should be able to have food they actually like.

[femmocrat]

6. No one is FORCED to eat anything at school.

What gave you that idea? The vegetables are available. Eating them is optional!

[joeglow3]

10. Are they served to everyone?

If so, how much ends up in the trash?

[Vilis Veritas]

13. In my kids school the lunch line has options.

Choose right and eat food that is not that bad...choose poorly and end up, well...poorly fed.

[oberliner]

35. Options are good

As long as they have that choice, I'm all for options.

[femmocrat]

40. There is are choices. There is usually a hot vegetable....

and several raw ones, like carrots, celery, cucumbers, etc. The children can select what they want. I suppose a lot of it ends up in the trash. I see them throw away more apples and oranges though. They seem to like the raw vegetables with dip or peanut butter.

[oberliner]

34. Yes they are

I've seen it. Teachers telling students that they have to have vegetables on their plate, that they can't just eat what they want. This does happen at some schools.

[femmocrat]

42. We are not allowed to tell them what to eat. It is their right to eat what and as much as they want.

You might be referring to snacks, though. Years ago we used to encourage them to eat more of their lunch before going up to buy snacks (ice cream, corn chips, etc.). Not anymore though. Snacks are another subject!

How and when did you witness this? Do you work at a school?

[oberliner]

50. Perhaps not at public schools

I have worked in an independent school where the teachers did exactly what I described (and were mandated to do so by the administration).

[proud2BlibKansan]

70. We can't tell them they have to eat anything.

But we do have to make sure they take it.

[femmocrat]

73. We don't even do that.

We received a directive from the nutrition director that the servers were "trained" to advise the children on what items to take, and teachers were to "butt out" (my phrase). We complained to the principal who did nothing (big surprise). I don't even go in the lunch line unless there is a behavior problem. I see them coming out with very little food and then they are buying several "snacks". Drives me crazy!

[blueamy66]

86. So you just open up the milk container and stuff those peas inside.

Close the carton up n you're good to go.

Always fooled the nuns.

[oberliner]

87. I think we are talking about different types of schools

I just don't think it is is fair for adults to pass judgements on kids in 4th grade based on their food choices. I guess that's my point here.

[blueamy66]

100. I don't think it's fair either. But it's our reality.

I was trying to be lighthearted, but we actually did do that so that we could get dessert.

BUT, I do think that there are some kids that NEED to make better food choices. Here's my personal experience.....friend of mine has a 10 yr. old who weighs 150 lbs. She eats crap .And she eats alot of it. Her Mom tries to limit her intake, but the kid sneaks food. And she sits in front of the tv or the iPad whenever she can. It takes an act of God to get her to play outside or exercise. I just told her to go outside and play and she said it's too hot (82 degrees) and she wants to play a computer game instead.

She is approaching a school dance and is going to a pageant. I don't want her feelings hurt. But they are going to be.

Not only is her weight affected, but her health will be soon.

[oberliner]

101. True enough

I thank you for sharing that story.

There are also children who are 10 or 11 year olds who are counting carbs and afraid to have a cupcake because one or both of their parents (or a teacher) have told them such foods are "bad" and they are watching an adult in their life do a "juice cleanse" and demonize anything sweet. Woe to anyone who dares to give that child a slice of white bread.

Kids who are running around and playing school-mandated sports as well as extra-curricular ones ought not to feel guilty about eating pizza and a cookie in my opinion.

To me, that is a pretty disordered way to look at food as well.

[blueamy66]

102. Agree 100%.

I guess there are two extremes. There has to be a happy medium. Crazy nutrition nuts need to chill out.

There is a time for junk food for all kids. We ate our share, but we, as you stated, ran around and played sports. Hell, we'd be outside all day in the 120 degree heat without shoes. You couldn't pay us to come inside. I don't see many kids in the neighborhood riding bikes or running or anything. It's pretty sad, IMHO.

I'm anxious to see how my friend's daughter turns out.

[oberliner]

103. Can I ask where you live?

Around here (NYC suburbs), it seems like everywhere you look there are kids playing organized sports. In fact, I sometimes wonder when they have time to do any homework what with all the different activities they are being shuttled between one after the other. I have nephews doing soccer, baseball, karate, and gymnastics. Seems a bit over-the-top to me.

[blueamy66]

106. I am now in Sacramento. The weather is perfect.

We live 5 minutes from farmland, a beach on the river, huge trees for climbing and acres of grass. Why these kids aren't playing outside is beyond me.

I would live to see this kid playing organized sports.

I grew up in the AZ desert and still spent all day, during the Summer, outside all day.

[oberliner]

111. That is surprising

I thought the organized after-school sports/activities culture was fairly common nationwide. Especially in California, I would have thought.

[juajen]

126. That's because it is unsafe for kids to play outside without supervison

and/or guards. Too much crime against kids in this country, let alone women or teenage girls. Sometimes they are not allowed because a parental unit is not home and the tv or computer is the babysitter.

[blueamy66]

133. I don't agree about it being unsafe now.

You just hear about the bad stuff more these days. We were taught to not talk to strangers and to stick together.

I feel sorry for kids these days. They are missing out on a bunch of fun things.

[msanthrope]

115. That's called shitty parenting by your friend. It's really easy to motivate a 10 year old

who wants their I-Pad--

It's called 'no.'

As in, 'no I-pad until you exercise.' 'no, I did not buy 'x' snack.' 'no, I am not going shopping for 'x' food until you eat the carrots and vegetables I have prepared for you in the fridge.' 'no, I disconnected the cable.'

My 10-year old hates to clean her room, brush her teeth, etc. There's no Kindle until it gets done. Not rocket science.

My 10-year old made me breakfast this am. Soon, we are going for a walk. So Happy Mother's Day!

[blueamy66]

116. NO SHIT!

The kid is spoiled.

I wish I could voice my opinion....I just may.

Mother's Day? She couldn't be bothered. I told her 4 times this week to get with her Dad to arrange something. Nothing.

[msanthrope]

117. The kid is not 'spoiled.' You are blaming a child, and not the adult raising her.

Some parents expect the television and the electronic stuff to substitute for actual parenting.

If anything, that kid sounds neglected.

[blueamy66]

118. Maybe a bit neglected. But spoiled as well.

I guess you'd have to live here and experience it to truly understand.

I'd love to take control of the discipline and every day raising of this child, but it's not my place.

[ms liberty]

71. Not when I was in elementary school!

I distinctly remember being forced to sit in the lunchroom until I finished my spinach, which always looked like nothing but a boiled slimy mess of green weeds picked from the side of the road.It was about the mid to late sixties. I still can' t think about it without feeling I'll!

[femmocrat]

72. So much has changed since then.

In the 1960s we had neighborhood schools and we walked home for lunch.

[Vilis Veritas]

11. That was sarcasm, right? ;-)

If they want to eat the food they like...they can bring it.

It is why my kids take their lunches.

We should feed our kids better food in a setting like that so their mental acuity remains at its highest levels.

Just my opinion...

[oberliner]

36. It wasn't

Let kids enjoy pizza and spaghetti and meatballs for lunch. They can handle it, I promise.

[Codeine]

44. That's why so many of them are obese.

Children need to have certain decisions made for them.

[oberliner]

49. I don't think that's why

Having a slice of pizza at school is not going to make a child obese.

[Codeine]

55. The notion that children should eat some sort of special, nutrition-free "food"

just because they're picky doesn't make sense. Our children eat what we eat -- loads of veggies. In our house "kid food" just means we cut the broccoli up a bit smaller for ease of munching.

The food habits kids learn usually follow them into adulthood; all too often a diet of shit as kids means a diet of shit for their entire lives.

[oberliner]

60. There are no nutrition free foods

I'm glad in your house kid food means smaller pieces of broccoli.

If your kid is given a slice of pizza for lunch at school and "loads of veggies" with you at home then I am not sure why that would be a problem.

[obama2terms]

64. Depriving a child of junk food

Doesn't do anything other make the kid splurge at a friends house, that's what I always did as well as other friends who's parents did the same thing. Give the kid something junky every once in a while, it won't kill them or make them obese. This notion that an occasional treat will cause a child to balloon up is just well a myth.

[bread_and_roses]

90. oh goodie for you

I raised my daughter on home cooking, lots of veg, virtually no soda or any other sort of "junk" foods, home-baked bread (and I was working 40 hrs a week) - though we never made any issue of eating anything, or forced her to eat anything, or dis-allowed the "junk" at birthday parties, etc.

So by fourteen she refused to eat any bread except white "wonder" type and lived on as much junk as she could get her hands on - perfect way to drive her mother crazy.

As an adult she returned to good bread, and a better diet generally, but still eats way too much processed/pre-prepared/take out crap, drinks too much soda and those awful sweet drinks you can get at every "convenience" store.

Parents are only one influence - and the broader culture is - bigger, broader, more pervasive.

As for our FLOTUS's much-vaunted "reforms" - there are not enough calories for real hungry children - as way too many of our kids are, coming from impoverished homes - or kids who are growing fast. Even before the "reforms" (and I don't know if they've been implemented around here, not that it will make much difference) - I was shocked when I went to my g'dtrs school at lunch time and saw the mingy portions.

We have crappy food in this country, for the most part. Our food is full of poisons from industrial farming. It's full of garbage like corn syrup in everything. And I believe that in our local school system just about everything comes from a central distribution unit and is just re-heated or whatever at the school - no actual cooking. So it would have to be highly processed and full of preservatives, etc.

When I was growing up (a VERY long time ago now, I'm old!) most of us drank whole milk and ate home-prepared food that was full of fat and salt and loads of calories - because that's how our mothers cooked. Few ate many fresh vegetables. Yet - few of us were fat. Obesity was not an "epidemic" in children.

It's not just all about calories, or fat in the diet, or even how many fresh veggies you eat.

No easy solutions.

But good for that kid!

[KurtNYC]

113. Grade school may be the worst time in one's life to be malnourished

Not that there is a good period for it. Relatively fast growth in bones requires nutrients which are lacking in many deep fried, frozen, processed, reheated items. Ketchup and soda don't have them either. Nutritional holes in the diets of kids produce life-long effects.

Meanwhile at private schools:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/06/nyregion/at-new-yorks-private-schools-rutabaga-fries-not-tater-tots.html

[LanternWaste]

52. I imagine they can handle a pack of smokes too...

I imagine they can handle a pack of smokes too, I promise...

Doesn't make it any less idiotic, but at least they'd have the choice.

[oberliner]

61. A pack of smokes for lunch?

What the heck are you talking about?

I'm saying that many schools distribute lunch for free to the students. A slice of pizza and some iceberg lettuce, for instance.

If you place value judgements on food, you could cause disordered behavior.

[Ikonoklast]

15. You are a never-ending source of amusement.

I like to laugh with most people, there are onbly a few I laugh at.

Mostly Right Wing Teadouchebags, good thing you aren't one of them.

[oberliner]

37. Thanks

I'm not actually sure what you mean, but if I am creating amusing than that is a good thing

[KurtNYC]

21. Um...what vegetables ? I didn't see any.

And if kids can film entire documentaries over 6 months in the lunch room then perhaps the supervision level isn't what you are imagining.

[oberliner]

38. That's my point

So there's hardly any vegetables. It's OK. Let them enjoy kid food while they are kids.

[Doremus]

74. If a major portion of a child's nutrition is provided at school, lack of nutrients is a big problem.

Displacing important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals with fat, sugar and sodium because eating junk food is fun for kids is a horrible disservice.

[hootinholler]

48. Funny, I feel bad for the kids whos only calories come from school. n/t

[oberliner]

51. I definitely feel bad for those kids as well

No argument here on that account.

[Luminous Animal]

65. My daughter loved her vegetables (she still does at age 23).

Her favorite snack was freezin' peas. When I was growing up in the '60, I loved them too and, at school, I used to eat all the vegetables that my friends were going to throw away.

Kids who are raised on vegetables tend to like them.

[Blanks]

78. We had soggy peas almost every day...

I didn't particularly care for them, but I was hungry and ate all that I could get (from the other kids).

I don't know if that's where I developed my taste for vegetables, but I eat more of them than anything else. Especially fresh vegetables.

[Luminous Animal]

79. I grew up in a farming town and had access to a lot of great fresh fruits and vegetables

in the summer. (During the peak of corn season - and back then, the peak lasted only for a few weeks, our family dinner would often be ONLY corn on the cob!) In the winter, we'd have my Great Grandma and Grandma's wonderful canned vegetables and also root vegetables from the cellar.

Unfortunately, my mom insisted on cooking, and aside from fried chicken and a dish that us kids called "bullet beans" (yes they could break your teeth but they were tasty) she was an abysmal cook... white boiled potatoes smothered in catsup seasoned with brown sugar, green beans that ended up more string than beans, corn fried to a gummy toughness that would glue your top and bottom teeth together while you chewed, long semi liquid strands of spinach that you'd have to wash down with every bite lest they build a unswallowable bridge between the base of your tongue and your throat...

Mushy peas at the school cafeteria were a delightful step up!

[Blanks]

88. I agree. None of that sounds good. eom

[oberliner]

85. "Kids who are raised on vegetables tend to like them."

True - but what is that to the purpose?

I just don't get why it is so important for kids not to have a slice of pizza or spaghetti and meatballs at school.

Your daughter loved her vegetables - lots of other kids don't. Even the ones who are forced to eat them at home.

At school, even when given the option of fresh vegetables of many types, they will choose a bread and butter sandwich.

[nadinbrzezinski]

92. Five a day is good nutrition, not a conspiracy

By the way, the tomato sauce in the pizza is a vegetable, counts for half a portion...I know eeeewwww. Vegetable. (And excellent source of vitamin c)

In the US we really culturally teach kids to hate them. And kids like raw carrots for example, with dipping sauce, but they do.

Look at cartoons, and other cultural messages, veggies are yukie!!!!

And them there are adults like you who have this crazy idea we can get all nutrients without eating them, which is science bunk.

In other places around the world, where people eat a lot less processed junk, people eat fruits and veggies and grains with animal protein being something you use to season your meal with. Hell, a piece of fruit becomes a common snack, not chips, not cookies, not all the crap kids eat.

Guess what? They have a few less related cardiac issues and obesity. And even talking of places like oh France, oi moiseour, their portions are also reasonable. Ours are not

Oh and nobody is saying they should not have the pizza (has veggies) or the meatballs and spaghetti, (again has veggies) but that the salad they are served is more than wilted iceberg with a single piece of carrot that looks yuky. The school district is also telling parents, "we are going to serve these yumy salads...they are not.

We get it, you don't like them, but kids...and adults...need them for a complete nutrition

[oberliner]

97. That's fruits and vegetables

Neither kids nor adults need to eat any vegetables for "complete nutrition".

Incidentally pizza/spaghetti and meatballs don't have veggies. For some strange reason you seem to think a tomato (or tomato paste) is a vegetable when it is not.

[nadinbrzezinski]

98. It is classified as a fruit

It is counted as a vegetable serving. It s not my fault you don't know that.

[oberliner]

104. Weird

Thanks for setting me straight on that - USDA can be quite bizarre in their ever changing recommendations and classifications.

[nadinbrzezinski]

108. That is at least as old as I am, which is over forty five years

and counting.

[nadinbrzezinski]

69. Cause we all know the humans need to eat

Veggies is a conspiracy or something.

Of course fruits and veggies do not have nutrients the human body needs.

in case it was needed.

[oberliner]

83. Humans don't need to eat veggies

The human body can derive all the nutrients it needs without them.

[nadinbrzezinski]

91. Wrong, but if you want to live that

Last edited Sat May 11, 2013, 12:24 PM - Edit history (2)

Fantasy go for it.

Then there is roughage, and how it relates to colon cancer for example.

We are omnivores, not carnivores.

Don't believe me...look into the not well known these days efforts to provide vitamin C for long term voyages for the Royal Navy. You know why? Sailors were losing teeth in six month crossings. They knew, bless their hearts, it had to do with oranges and lemons...(vitamin C Rich). They did not realize that making syrup out of them destroyed it.

It was...literally, a national security matter.

[oberliner]

95. Oranges and Lemons are not vegetables

You are the one who is "living a fantasy" if you think otherwise.

[nadinbrzezinski]

96. They are part of the five a day

Three veggies, two fruits.

And you have yet to face to the fact...you are wrong

[oberliner]

105. That's fine

I was just pointing out that your example showed that fruits were needed to provide nutrients to those folks, not vegetables. My claim is that a person can get all the nutrition they need without vegetables. Your story does not do anything to counter that claim. I won't belabor this point any more, though.

[nadinbrzezinski]

107. Dietitians and doctors do not agree with you

as well as biologists

[oberliner]

110. Yes they do

"Children don’t have to eat vegetables to meet their nutritional needs if they eat a variety of fruit and other foods."

http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/parenting/5-of-the-most-common-and-fixable-feeding-mistakes-parents-make/

Maryann Jacobsen is a registered dietitian, mom of two, freelance writer and co-author of Fearless Feeding How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School.

[nadinbrzezinski]

114. And fringe

Like anti vaxers

[oberliner]

119. Maryann Jacobsen is definitely not part of any fringe

Raise Healthy Eaters is a pretty popular mainstream blog.

[nadinbrzezinski]

120. And the American Dietetic Association recommends veggies

While The American Pediatric Association recommends them as well.

I am sorry, this is not a conspiracy. She might run a popular blog, so do anti vaxers. One got an article in the Lancet that took ten years to be called on even.

[oberliner]

127. Neither says they are required

There is no conspiracy here. You just have your facts wrong. Humans (adults and children) do not need to eat vegetables. They can get all of the nutrients they need to be healthy without them. This is a pretty universally accepted fact, not a fringe concept. Recommendations are recommendations, not requirements. There are very healthy people who live in parts of the world where there are no vegetables. The Inuit, for example.

[nadinbrzezinski]

130. Fiber...that is why they are recommended.

Five a day, I did not make that up. This is the recommendation.

Face it, you don't like them, but the one who got it wrong is you

[oberliner]

131. There are numerous sources of fiber that are not vegetables

Fruits, berries, whole grains, seeds, nuts, etc.

I'm not saying you made up the recommendation. I'm saying that a person does not need to eat vegetables to get all their required nutrients.

[nadinbrzezinski]

132. And once again, health officials do not agree

Excuse me if I prefer to follow their recommendations and eat my veggies and gasp, insist kids eat them.

[oberliner]

134. Yes they do

I realize this discussion has probably outlived its usefulness for either of us, though I do appreciate your willingness to engage in the conversation in spite of your disagreements.

I do encourage you to follow whatever recommendations you deem appropriate; however, I will continue to assert that no harm will come to children who eat pizza instead of a salad at lunchtime. And I also will urge adults to back off a little bit in terms of asking children at school to mirror their eating habits at home.

With that, I will thank you for the polite exchange and conclude my comments on this topic.

[Scootaloo]

82. Oberliner... Oh man...

I think that's the most bewildering thing I've seen you say.

Yes, that includes within the I/P dungeon.

This is just a... really weird post, man. What the world?

[oberliner]

84. Insightful response as usual

Very helpful.

[Scootaloo]

89. I wasn't offering insight

I was expressing bemusement.

[oberliner]

99. No kidding

I would have been surprised if you had.

[Scootaloo]

109. Sure, whatever.

The important thing is that you enjoy yourself while expounding on this school vegetable conspiracy.

[hrmjustin]

122. Welcome to DU my friend!

[oberliner]

128. Fresh produce is optional

It is not the only way to stay healthy. There are healthy people who do not consume vegetables.

[SamKnause]

7. School lunches

Zachery did a great job.

Michael Moore would be proud.

Zachery is definitely going places.

P.S. Sad that his parents did not believe him.

[mountain grammy]

8. I love this kid!!!

[MuseRider]

9. :-) n/t

[L0oniX]

12. Learning early that lies and deception are normal in the USA. n/t

[Vilis Veritas]

14. You mean World, right?

USA does not have a lock on lying to the public...

[A Simple Game]

16. But just as we like to think about most things, we feel we are the best at it. n/t

[KurtNYC]

23. Much better than that I think -- Learning what to DO about lies!

[HockeyMom]

18. Broccoli

The school where I used to work served raw broccoli. Did the kids eat that? Yes, because they dipped it in Ranch Dressing, as they did with raw carrots. Serve them COOKED broccoli and they would not eat it. Spinach salad (raw) was also something the kids liked. Cooked spinach too got a big Yuck from them.

When I was a child, I ate no COOKED veggies at all. Mom would peel and slice potatoes, put in a bowl of water in the fridge and I would snack on them. Fries? Mashed? No way. Seeing these kids eat their veggies raw makes me think maybe I wasn't such a weird kid.

[tabbycat31]

20. I was the exact opposite as a kid

To this day I do not like raw veggies, and that's the only way my mom served them. Then again I have texture issues.

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. We ate them cooked, raw

And desert was a fresh fruit, sometimes compote.

In the states we really do not insist kids eat veggies.

[HockeyMom]

62. I didn't, and don't, like fruit

Veggies or fruit, whatever. Both are better than greasy fries and burgers.

[Jamastiene]

112. Raw veggies are better for you, aren't they?

As long as they are washed thoroughly, raw veggies are great. Don't raw veggies keep more of their nutrients?

[HockeyMom]

125. Sliced, ice cold soaking

in water in the fridge. Crunchy, and very JUICY! They soak up the water.

[Arugula Latte]

25. I love how technology has given so much power to "the little guy"

which is literally true in this case.

[treestar]

94. +1

The internet and the phone cameras have their positive side. Anyone can make a statement and it might get out there. Limits the power of the corporations, who used to control all of what became public.

[Raine1967]

26. See what happens when we actually educate our kids -- with the ability to critically think?

This is awesome!

And boy, school lunches have changed since I was in high school -- graduated in 85.

My mom was literally a lunch lady.. So embarrassing at times...

But a lot of time, pretty cool. To this day, people I went to school with still call her Momma **(our last name)**

You know, I'm sorta sad they got rid of the trays. One time I was being bullied -- that tray came in handy... blocked to food being thrown at me.

[KurtNYC]

30. I think of all that styrofoam, millions of those trays every day -- eco-hostile

[Raine1967]

56. Definitely.

Not only eco-hostile, but really not cost effective in the long run.

And styrofoam just makes food go blech imo.

[emmadoggy]

67. Our school still uses the trays and real silverware.

BTW, '85 grad here too.

[Raine1967]

68. OK, THAT IS AWESOME!

On both accounts.

[adieu]

28. The Fit just hit the Shat.

Together with Bloomberg's distaste for large 64oz big gulps, perhaps something real and revolutionary can come of this. Great job, kid.

[Mosby]

29. What School Lunches Look Like In 20 Countries Around The World

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/what-school-lunches-look-like-in-20-countries-arou

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. It is amazing...just he much processed crap

We serve out kids.

[Mosby]

32. I know

The Japanese and Korean lunches look awesome.

One of the French lunches looks like it has couscous and grilled veggies, why can't American schools do that?

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. Cue the whinning

Kids won't eat it

And for the most part...they are right...kids expect this crap, and are familiar with it.

We could feed them well prepared quinoa, as easy as rice to cook...has dropped in price, mixed it with veggies and a nice set of spices, even a few raisins. It is a full protein to boot, they won't do that...kids won't eat it

[zappaman]

66. Kids won't eat quinoa cuz it sucks.

That shit is awful.

[d_r]

47. that's what I was thinking

I would skip the Japanese spaghetti and meatballs, but those other Japanese meals looked Great! And the Korean too. And that big plate of pomme frites, well, I'd go for it.

[AsahinaKimi]

41. The korean food made me smile

every dish includes Kimchi... Koreans love their kimchi... My mother would help her mother for hours in the kitchen making it. They had to make sure it wasn't too spicy..or my dad would not eat it. I don't think he was ever used to it.

[MiddleFingerMom]

81. M-m-m-m, kimchi!!! My ex and I had friends where she was Korean and we often had each other over...

.
.
.
... for dinner. She almost always made omu-rice (which was OK with me, I LOVED it). It was simply
fried rice and she would top it with a simple flat thin plain omelet and serve it with ketchup (with
kimchi on the side, of course). I've seen an online video (maybe you turned me on to it, Kimi) that
showed the omelet is "wrapped around" the fried rice in the sauté pan by shaking it just so -- pretty cool.
.
One thing that I couldn't figure out was that it was a Japanese dish and my friend was Korean. Turns
out it was introduced to and became fairly common in Korean cuisine during the occupation of WWII.
.
.
.

[Rex]

54. Okay that has me hungry!

YUMM.

[joeglow3]

57. Sadly, if we served those lunches, they would end up in the trash

Who did that report where a chef showed the kids how chicken fingers were made and eveyone STILL picked them to eat?

Sadly, kids are fed shit at home and, if presented with good food, won't eat it. What we are stuck with is what the kids will eat - the shit in those pictures.

[Mosby]

58. I think we need to help kids develop their tastes.

Like they do in France, school lunches are a class, where they learn about food and cooking. The earlier the better.

[joeglow3]

59. I can't disagree

But it still saddens me. It seems like half the school day is needed to teach kids shit they should learn at home. Makes me sad...

[tblue37]

75. Jamie Oliver. He tried to improve school lunches in a couple of areas,

and did a TV show (NBC) for a few weeks about his attempts. He had some trouble getting kids to eat real food, but he did have some successes, too.

[AsahinaKimi]

39. Maybe the right wing figured..,that

with poor nutrition comes poor school performance and with both of those combination means low information voters in the future.

[Rex]

53. He is exposing the pathetic abuse of private industry

toward our children in public schools. Ray Ray, you are a joke now due to the fact that you obviously don't give two shits about your own product.

American Capitalism - sensationalism fused with hot air and a large price tag.

[Godot51]

76. Remember?

I'm trying to remember what I was doing in the 4th grade. It was 1960 and we'd just moved from San Diego to Due West (due west of where?), South Carolina (my father's "last port of call" after retirement).

I recall the friendly people: "You sure do talk funny" (imagine Gomer Pyle but less educated and articulate).

I recall the panicking teachers who wanted to put me in the 5th or 6th grade because I read on a JHS/SHS level and many of my class were 12 and 13 year olds in overalls who couldn't read, write or do 'rithmetic on much of any level. (Of course in the 5th and 6th grades there were 13 and 14 and even 15 year olds who couldn't read, write or do 'rithmetic.)

And I recall my first introduction to school lunches and southern industrial cuisine. (In San Diego I carried a Roy Rogers lunch box with sandwiches, various fruits, cookies and milk.)

Chili flavored spaghetti sauce. Occasional carrot and raisin sandwiches. Fish sticks. Ham and red-eye gravy. Shepards pie (a fine source of mystery meat). Cornbread hard enough to tile a bathroom. Biscuits and a wide variety of gravies.

They actually did the chili dogs and hamburgers and fried chicken right but they also managed to serve them on Friday and I was still a Catholic. (Bless me father for I have sinned, last Friday I ate a hamburger for lunch.)

And the vegetables: pressure cooked cabbage, pressure cooked string beans, pressure cooked lima beans, pressure cooked black-eyed peas and pressure cooked collards; all lovingly seasoned with fatback and salt and cooked at least 24 hours.

We drank those little cartons of milk. You were able to buy a second or even third carton for a nickel each. Occasionally we had chocolate milk.

Dessert was usually some kind of acceptable cake, pie or canned fruit.

At the end of every lunch period we scraped our plates into several (usually overflowing) garbage cans destined to feed the hogs of some lucky farmer and, possibly, feed the children of tomorrow.

Ah, the memories...

[RedRocco]

77. Due West?

I feel for you brother, as little as is there now, I am sure there was less in 1960.

[nadinbrzezinski]

93. San Diego was a sleepy town back then

Due West? I know it's on a map somewhere.

Those memories

[DeSwiss]

80. K&R

- The kids KNOW. Never Seconds

[font size=3]British girl’s blog on school lunches stirs it up[/font]
By Karla Adam,June 16, 2012

LONDON — What 9-year-old Martha Payne has for lunch at school on Monday has become of interest to thousands of people — perhaps even millions.

The girl’s blog, NeverSeconds, chronicles the low points (“sausage and bean pita pocket”) and even some high points (“macaroni and cheese”) of school lunches, complete with photos.

[Matariki]

124. "Green, light green, and BROWN"

LOL! That kid is AWESOME!