I thought this was too interesting not to share!
A social studies teacher (also a mom), has decided to start a School Lunch Project in 2010 and eat a school lunch every day, taking pictures of the lunch, recording the nutritional value, taste and other factors.
What she has found so far is probably of little surprise: these school lunches have little to no nutritional value, they taste old, contain lots of sodium and fat, and are likely lunches that we would not feed our own children.
Her concerns are not just the lack-of-nutrition, but in the school she works at, "of approximately 1,700 students, 72% qualify for free/reduced lunch. For many of my students, this is the only meal they get each day.". She spoke with the students who want healthier options, the students know what healthy food is, but they are not financially able to afford it.
Additionally, when reading the other comments on this teacher's anonymous blog, it seems as though this is a country-wide phenomenon (not just in the urban setting). Students are being offered lunches that are high fat, high calorie, high sodium and low nutrients. More and more teachers are creating their own School Lunch Project and adding to the blog.
Do you think there is a solution to this problem? Are there foods that can be served to students that meet the criteria of being:
- financially/economically affordable
- nutrient-rich, healthy and satisfying
- tastes great, looks appetizing & appealing to kids
- easy-to-serve in cafeteria-setting, and easy-to-consume with a short lunch period
You can read more at this teacher/mom's anonymous blog, Fed Up with School Lunch.
- What are your thoughts?
- Do you think this could be a potential grassroots movement that could create real change in the system?
- Do you think there are healthy, tasty choices in the school cafeteria, but the students are just not choosing them?