Nine-year-old’s lunch blog shames school into making changes

[n2doc]

By Jess Zimmerman


Martha Payne had some sad-ass lunches at her school in Scotland — unsatisfying food that sometimes had more hair than vegetables. So the 9-year-old decided to start a blog with photos and vital statistics about her meals. Almost immediately, the blog got international attention, including from prominent school lunch busybody Jamie Oliver. Result? Martha’s dad just met with the local council, and they announced that kids could have unlimited salad, fruit, and bread.

For each of her lunches, Martha rated taste, healthiness, and pieces of hair (usually zero but not always). But she only managed five ratings before the media attention started making the school self-conscious:

Today was very different at lunchtime. Dad had already told me beforehand that some people from the Council were coming to lunch with a reporter from our local paper. There was also a new system for ordering food which I’ll explain when I understand it more. I didn’t see the visitors having lunch but I saw them hovering about and watching us getting served.

For the first time ever I have seen at lunch cherry tomatoes, radishes, carrot and cucumber shreddings.

You can see vegetables getting more prominent on Martha’s plate over the course of the blog. Here’s her lunch from the day when the council officially announced unlimited fruits and vegetables:


more
http://grist.org/list/nine-year-olds-lunch-blog-shames-school-into-making-changes/

[Fumesucker]

1. Isaiah 11:6

And a little child shall lead them..

[Skinner]

2. Here's a link to her blog:

http://neverseconds.blogspot.com.es/

[Ratty]

3. Our school lunches are a national disgrace

This really brings me hope.

[tblue37]

4. Notice that she is in Scotland, so if you are in the US, her

success won't help any kids you know.

[littlewolf]

5. until they start the same thing :D

[Mariana]

6. In the US, if a kid does this

the school will likely prohibit the taking of pictures, and suspend any kid who does so. They could still blog, but it wouldn't be nearly as effective without the photographic evidence.

[cali]

13. because OK is the same as VT

states differ radically.

[Ratty]

10. I didn't even notice that

You are right. I guess we have some disgraceful company.

[rocktivity]

12. If she'd been in the US, she would have been expelled by now

the school would have banned cell phones for students, and her parents would be facing federal charges for allowing the posting of pictures that terrorists could have taken advantage of!


rocktivity

[ScreamingMeemie]

8. I am lucky in that both of the districts my children have gone to school in offer a wide

range of choices, including fresh fruits and vegetables.

[Nevernose]

7. Those are WAY better than what our district serves!

The kid's lucky and doesn't even know it. It's been cheese pizza and tater tots all year long at every school here I know of. My kid just brings her own bag of fruit these days.

By coincidence, just yesterday I was comparing the budget breakdowns of our district to the other big metro districts, and we spend about half of what NY, LA, Houston, or Miami do per pupil on school lunches. It's just shameful at this point.

[lpbk2713]

9. If Scotland is anything like the US ...

a lot of the money intended for the childrens' lunches goes into the pockets
of those who are paid to oversee the school lunch program. And the food
items that are served are usually nothing to brag about.





ETA: WTG Martha!!

[underpants]

11. We must have it better than I thought

we are not in even an upper middle class school (but don't tell the parents that) but our girl's menu


Salad Entrees
Chef Salad w/Chicken Salad (9)
& Crackers (WG) (20)
Entrees
Turkey Taco Salad (5) w/Tostitos Chips (19)
UNO’s Pizza (WG) (28)
Ham and Cheese Sandwich (WG) (30)
Yogurt (44) w/Honey Graham Crackers (34)
CHOICE of 3 Fruits and Vegetables:
Fresh Broccoli w/Dip (2), Fresh Banana (23),
Applesauce (10), Mixed Fruit (15),
Sliced Pears (11)
Juice (15) and Nonfat Milk: White (11) or Chocolate (24);
1% Milk: White (13)

I have eaten lunch with Josie once and there were no potato chips or fries even offered. I mean it wasn't gourmet but there are a lot of option there. Lucky our girl chooses very well - I have been told.

[Skidmore]

14. Today, my husband's boss, a staunch R, did a little test check to

see if hubby still liked the President. Now my husband is not dumb and basically spent this entire conversation answering with noncommittal grunts and "mm's." During the course of this event, his boss proceeded to outline his problems with the administration, which he apparently thinks is responsible for the entire US debt. And he is incensed about farm subsidies. Particular venting of the spleen was directed toward school lunch programs. He seems to believe that every one should just send peanut butter sandwiches with their kids everyday and that will solve the problem. Hubby said he was astounded by the amount of vitriol he directed towards making certain that children were fed meals that would sustain them during the course of a day's work and play.

The least of these. Somehow he doesn't connect at that level.

[n2doc]

15. Shame he can't point out how little these cost relative to the debt

And more importantly, to various military boondoggles and the war. We are probably spending more to build Afghan schools than US school lunches.

[la la]

16. plus- as an aside...

some kids have such nut allergies that they can't even be near peanut butter....tell him that...;>0

[nadine_mn]

17. I really like their lunch trays...lol.

There was a teacher (in Chicago maybe) who blogged for a year what her school served for lunch. It was a huge wake-up call.



For many lower income children (I was one of them when I was in elementary school), lunch is the most food and most complete meal of the day, so it's sad to see what some schools offer. I know some schools are doing great things, but many schools need a major nuitrition makeover.

[obamanut2012]

18. Terrific!

[Liberal_in_LA]

19. I'm surprised the school didn't react by banning cameras or arresting her or something.

[Kablooie]

20. This is from her blog about lunches in Taiwan!

Today my blog has become massive in Taiwan and here is a picture sent in by Annie from Taiwan.



She says it is a normal lunch. I don't recognise all the foods but it looks very colourful and tasty!

----

That looks like one fine school lunch!

[CrispyQ]

21. A young activist makes a difference!

Go Martha!

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. Good for her! Our lunches are disgusting.