Many have been hearing about the new school lunch program. I think there are a few things that just need to be said about it. While I have heard many complaints about it from the beginning, I do understand the need to try to control the obesity of America. I told my children to give it a chance. It is great that they added more fruits and veggies for the kids. I am all for that and I am always working on ways to get my kids to eat healthier at home, which they do pretty well at, but could improve.
I didn't realize that by adding another fruit or veggie they are decreasing the portion size of the main entree, I guess in an effort to keep total calories within the limit? This is leaving many of the kids hungry all afternoon! This is happening every single day to a lot of the kids that are very active. If there happens to be something they really don't like on the tray then they are starving! This is happening to kids of all ages -elementary through high school on a regular basis!
It is costing me a fortune!
Not only is my highschooler buying more extras than usual, but now even the elementary kids have to get extras so they aren't hungry! I can't hardly tell them no -the first few weeks of school they didn't get extas and almost every day they came home complaining of "starving". They told me they had been hungry since lunch! My kids are used to coming home after the 45 minute bus ride, grabbing an apple or pear and heading outside to play and do chores until supper time.
The fact is that active kids need more calories per day than kids who go right home and sit all evening. As I understand, the amount of calories allowed to 17 year olds who play sports is not much more than the 6th grade students who do just that -go home and sit. Some of these kids have practice right after school until 6 or 6:30. In the high school the kids are only being allowed what was described to me as 2 medicine cups of meat when they eat salad bar! Really? Kids need protein to grow and energy to be active!!! I have actually heard some reports of football players almost passing out in practice due to not eating enough throughout the day. This is just unacceptable!
These kids used to go get a small snack after school, now they are going for a big bag of chips instead! This doesn't seem to be the effect anyone was hoping for, but it is the reality!
The last thing I want to say is that, while none of my own children are obese in any way, there are many kids who are. This is a huge problem and contributes to many health problems later in life for them if they don't learn to eat right now. That being said, good nutrition starts at home! If these kids are going home hungry like many kids are then they are probably eating snacks when they get there. If they aren't choosing fruits and veggies regularly they are probably having that bag of chips, a brownie, doughnut or a candy bar. If they are already more hungry than usual they will eat more of these things and the obesity problem will continue.
We cannot change the obesity problem in America until kids start eating right at home and being active!
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