Food and school again---WWYD

[JustMe]

I have posted before several times about the issues with food and dd's school. There were some great resources posted by bubbaray and brittone2, but unfortunately I cant view them on my archaic dial-up connection.

So the lunch company is that awful company featured in Supersize me that, unfortunately, is used by many of US public schools. Additionally, though, every child in dd's school gets free breakfast and snack in the classroom, during classroom time, as they have a grant and are a very poor school family income wise. I tried so send dd's lunch all of last year, and for reasons I have already gone into at length here (she will find a way to get the school lunch), I gave up and am letting her have school lunch this year. I wish I could do something at least about the breakfast and snack or on a bigger level. I feed her a healthy breakfast at home and encourage her to only take the fruit at school, which she sometimes does and sometimes doesn't. If I outright forbid her, she will just get sneaky and find a way plus it is not fair to ask her to sit and watch her friends eat the yummy sugary stuff and not eat it.

One day this week, they had the crappy breakfast and lunch, Teddy Grahams for lunch, bright neon yellow popcorn (they do this as a weekly fundraiser. I dont send money with dd, but she always gets a popcorn). Then at night they had an otherwise wonderful family fun bingo night, but they used fruit loops as bingo markers. I found it quite ironic that dd's PE teacher who does a wonderful job also teaching about health issues walked around with a big bowl of fruit loops letting the kids know that there were plenty more fruit loops, so dont worry about eating them. How much HFCS and hydrogenated oil can you put in a kid in one day?

Any suggestions? I will tell more if it will be helpful, but am trying to make it so this isnt so long.

[Elilly]

This is once instance where I am happy about Graham's food allergies! I will be providing all of his snacks and lunches due to a Dr note. FWIW, we let DD pick 2 school lunches per week. I then feel happy that she gets 5/7 healthy lunches and twice a week isn't going to ruin her!

[bubbaray]

Well, short of changing schools, I don't know what else you can do. I guess you could just accept it for what it is and make sure that breakfast and dinner (and weekend meals) are SUPER healthy. I mean, I think you have really tried as hard as you can.

The only other thing is possibly trying to change things for the whole district, assuming that the provider makes meals for the whole district (my understanding from your past posts is that you've tried unsuccessfully to have your DD not eat their food, you've tried to get the teacher and individual school on board, with no luck). To get the whole district to change, you're going to need to get other parents on board and have lots of resources (the dial up restriction would drive me bonkers, btw!). Honestly, I don't think I'd be able to take on an entire district, though there definitely grass roots movements that have done just that, so it IS possible. Personally, I just don't have the time or energy to make drastic changes.

GL!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Luckily our food service director is a former executive chef and a major food snob. He is committed to fresh, local food. The co. we used last year was pretty atrocious at the beginning of the year but he worked with the mega-food supply company to provide less processed crap and he succeeded in putting together a very good menu. He worked even harder this year and are working with a small, local company. The menu is fabulous.

The PTA last year was vocal about their dissatisfaction. Our f.s. director was already at work on it but it helped to open it up to general discussion at the PTA meetings so he could really understand the issues we cared about.

This year they now serve the EnviroKidz line of breakfast cereal as well as fresh baked muffins or bagels on alternating days.

I would take it to your PTA and see if you can make some progress.

Beth

[JustMe]

Thanks, I actually think I may be ready to at least look into the district level. I have been to our schools version of PTO (called Parent Club) and I really don't think the interest is there. I just sent an e-mail to a local children's advocacy group; someone suggested this may be the place to start. I am considering writing a letter to the school board, but I would really like to find other interested parents before going there.

[kransden]

I totally get where you are coming from. My dd went to an extremely high rated school with crazy granola parents, and they still serve horrible junk! A couple of my friends went on an odyssey to get it changed. In the end nothing did, but who you'll actually want to talk to is the director of the school lunch program at your district.

Basically, they are under contract, and nothing will be changed until the contract is renewed. So you need to find out when that is, and get in the bidding process. The parents need to put pressure on the district to have a healthier contract.

My dd is now at a different school in what is considered a lesser school district, and they have fresh fruit and lots of good choices all the time. So I know it can be done. On the plus side, I looked at the cereal the kids were eating, and all of them are lower in sugar than the store version. So while I am not thrilled dd gets Fruit Loops, at least they are not as sugary as the regular.