School lunches have been disparaged by students, parents and many nutritionists. There are a lot of things to be considered when deciding a lunch menu, and for most districts, cost is the deciding factor. Feeding masses of students is an expensive proposition.
Many of the complaints are justified, but only a few districts have begun a search for answers. The problem is threefold, and unless all three problems are solved together, then the entire resolution won’t work.
We’re all agreed that our children need to eat healthy food. We know that healthy means that salt, fat, cholesterol and sugar need to be watched. We know fruits, vegetables and whole grains ought to be the mainstay of their diet.
Knowing that a child should eat a healthy lunch is great in theory, but the child actually has to consume the food before it will do any good. If the child won’t eat it, then the food and the money spent to purchase it are wasted. That is the second problem that has to be addressed.
The third is expense. Many of the ingredients in school lunches are inexpensive. Cost for the district and the cost parents have to pay are important. If the school can’t afford to buy the food, a healthy lunch program is not going to happen. If it costs too much for a parent to buy, they won’t spend the money.
The ideal school lunch program would contain these elements. It isn’t an easy process, any more than making healthy food affordably at home is. However, if we parents can do it, the schools should be able to do so as well.
One of the innovative programs, called Fresh Lunches, uses an outside vendor rather than your typical school kitchen. The vendor in question did a series of “taste tests” with the children of that particular distract. The kids voted on what they liked, what they didn’t like and their reasoning.
Parents are also involved in this program. They can sit down at the computer and select lunches for their children. Parents of younger children and those with food allergies can help make sure their children are eating a safe, healthy meal. The kids can make sure they’re eating a tasty meal and the school benefits because the company gets involved.
There are probably many such programs throughout the country, but they are largely unheard of. It’s a lot easier to complain than to resolve. If you live in an area that has consistently substandard school lunches, it’s time to get involved. Talk to your school district, look on-line for programs such as the one above and help fix the problem. Our kids can have the ideal school lunch.