Surely we can do better for our kids

[B2G]

Have school lunches really become this bad?






http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2598525/Ill-never-forgive-Michelle-Obama-school-lunch-Students-sick-smaller-healthier-portions-social-media-rail-against-ladys-pet-project.html

[uppityperson]

1. Is Michelle Obama responsible for what food schools serve? Huh. I thought talking to local school

boards might be the way to go instead. IMPEACH MICHELLE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111111111111 I'm SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!111111

You should have seen what I was offered at lunch, or what my child was years ago. Blech.

[el_bryanto]

2. I remember we had this "Pizza" that was a hard triangle of flatbread

With a scoop of industrial strength refried beans and some flecks of cheese.

yeah - I don't think we ever saw one of those kiwis - rarely did we see any fruit at all. That said, there's still room for improvement.

Bryant

[uppityperson]

3. For us, "pizza" was the safe alternative. There is room for improvement and it isn't M Obama's

fault.

[B2G]

5. Which is why I ask, can't we do better?

Neither of those looks appetizing or healthy.

Wasn't that the whole point in revamping school meals?

[uppityperson]

10. Of course school lunches should be better. Is it Michelle Obama's fault they are what they are?

Talk to your local school board.

[B2G]

11. I don't recall saying it WAS her fault.

[uppityperson]

13. I am not saying you did. I am reading the photos/tweets in the OP. They seem to be saying that

[B2G]

14. Some of them are. The 2 I posted are not.

I was hoping that the focus on nutrition would result in healthier, fresher meals.

It appears that some districts simply reduced the portion size of the crap they were already pushing.

[uppityperson]

17. that is not the way to deal with food, give less crap. I am very much with you on that.

[greatauntoftriplets]

7. I mostly went home for lunch in grade school...

but one time when I had to eat in the cafeteria, we were served mushy canned asparagus. To this day, I cannot eat asparagus.

It was probably Michelle Obama's fault, even if this was before she was born.

[AcertainLiz]

4. I'm fresh out of high school

And I grew up with nasty school lunches like that...

[gopiscrap]

21. Welcome to DU

[AcertainLiz]

22. Thanks

Hope I'm not butting in or anything.

[gopiscrap]

24. Not at all you're welcome

hope you're inspired!!!

[AcertainLiz]

25. I'll try to be :)

[Nine]

6. And yet people complained that she was going to make everyone eat "rabbit food."

I think school lunches have always been bad. Michelle got some very modest improvements put into place. My son has to take either a fruit or a vegetable at every lunch. I think he usually chooses applesauce, which isn't great but it's better than nothing. The lunches are still no great shakes. I'd like to see even stricter nutritional standards but the righties would blow a gasket.

[Blue_Adept]

8. I love the school lunches we get.

I used to brown bag it for my kids but once the changes started going down to the local level and our district changed vendors, they've been buying every day for a few years now because of the sheer variety of it all. And they try new stuff, which is good because they then ask for it at home.

http://schools.whitsons.com/ma/hudson-public-schools?page=menu

Every district has its pluses and minus. I'm definitely appreciative of the menu we get here from Whitsons. Some places CAN do better. But it's up to those in the district to force it through if the administration of the district isn't doing it. And shaming can certainly help as those pictures above do.

[AcertainLiz]

23. Here in OC

The school lunches were terrible . I was so glad to get into high school since we didn't have to eat them anymore.

[cyberswede]

9. That first one looks like someone ate it already.

Blech.

I didn't read the whole article, but the two tweets above don't appear to be blaming Michelle Obama, but maybe just posting the photos to let people know?

Our school district is working with a "Farm to Table" organization to get more healthy, locally grown foods included with lunches. They still serve tacos, burritos, burgers, etc. But i think there's a salad bar choice every day (including a protein like hb eggs, cheese, cubed ham, etc.) And they definitely have fresh fruit every day - and whole grain bread.

IMO, these parents should start a dialog with their school officials about what steps could be implemented to improve lunch quality. And they could vote for Democrats who won't keep underfunding public schools.

[jwirr]

12. Terrible compared to what we got in the 40-50s. There should be a salad, a dessert and maybe some

pickles. We did not leave the table hungry. Today my great grandchildren are given a choice and they are often responsible for what is on their plates. Our little first grader will have a choice of Pizza or Chicken nuggets along with au gratin blend veggies, applesauce and milk today. He will take the chicken nuggets and the milk for sure. Depending on what the other items look like he will more than likely leave them. Then he will come home hungry. I often ask him what he ate in school and tell him that it is his own fault he is hungry.

So that school in this post may have had better meals just not what the child selected.

[LittleBlue]

15. That looks worse than prison food

Someone took this too far

[OKNancy]

16. Went to school a long time ago

Some of the best food ever was when my family moved to a small southern Oklahoma town my Jr and Sr year of high school.
I have vivid memories of the yeast rolls cooked every day. They also made cinnamon rolls once a week for dessert.
Peach cobbler, Chicken Fried Steak with tasty gravy ( this was beef country) salads with what was in season. The women who worked in the kitchen took pride in the food they served.

[lunasun]

18. YES ALL Michelle Obama's fault - Not your school district

Thanks First Lady Obama!!!!

[CFLDem]

19. I must've gone to a good school

We had buffet style eating with every kind of food imaginable in high school.

And grade school wasn't too bad either, especially on taco Tuesday and pizza Fridays.

[Warpy]

20. All I could think was "wow, fresh fruit!"

We only saw apples and that was only for a few weeks in fall when they were cheap.

But the hockey puck in a bun and the disgusting mush? Both horribly familiar.

[Mrdrboi]

26. How is someone suppose to get full on that?

If I was the parent of a child who went there. I'd just make something from home for them. More filling and tasty too.

[eridani]

27. French school lunches

http://karenlebillon.com/french-school-lunch-menus/



http://www.culinate.com/columns/deborah/french_school_lunch

[Mrdrboi]

28. Dont know what all of is but looks tasty. 1000X better than what I got for lunch.

That looks healthy and filling.