Riled Up Over Nutrition
Nothing gets a burr under my saddle like blame. Recently, we've been inundated with media placing the blame for the obesity epidemic on ... ready ... it's really evil and out of control ... SCHOOL LUNCHES!
Are you okay, or did you faint from the shock of it all? I mean, who would have thought that Stop Sign Pizza, Rubberoni and Glue, Chic'n Nuggets, and Instant Taters would be bad for you!?!
Waaahhh, I thought that milk fortified with gallons of a lab created sweetener was GOOD FOR ME! All these years I thought that french fries were a vegetable and that green beans were supposed to be grey! I feel so lied to, so deceived! I'm angry and want someone to blame!!
The Government!! Yes, yes, it's all clear now. I shall blame The Government. USDA = evil. Free public education = evil (I knew that one was to good to be true!) Oh, I feel so much better now. And less responsible.
I do agree that school lunches do and, always have, suck(ed). When I was a single parent, my son was in early grade school. I had to be at work at 7am, so I would drop him off the moment the doors opened at the school for breakfast. We were eligible for reduced meals (.20 each) and I was so grateful. I was rather confused that he kept having french toast sticks for breakfast, but hey, it was nearly free.
When our high school football team sucks, what do we do as Americans? We all get together as parents, have a meeting and decide how we're going to get rid of that Coach! Damn right!! Football is important, and if our kids aren't doing well, then we have to do something.
The same should be true of this school lunch thing. But the reason that there has been no meeting over this, is that the parents eat that way too. Nutrition is seen as something that comes out like *blah blah blah* from people that do other weird stuff like go to the gym regularly. Most people are to involved with important stuff like TV to be bothered about what Little Johnny had for lunch. And anyway, they're kids - they'll just run it off.
While they sit in front of the TV/computer/XBOX. But whatever, they're quiet, right?
I'm being a bit grouchy, now, so I will quit this diatribe. But what is really bothering me is the blaming of the big bad Government. We are the only country in the world that operates by the people, for the people. On a small scale (local schools) it just takes a few meetings and a committee to get things changed. We'd do it for football!
I must add to this, I am now a home school Mom. I take issue with much more than just the nutritive value at our local public school and have seen fit to take my children out of the equation all-together. My oldest son is exceptionally bright and will most likely need to take advantage of the free public school system in the next year or two to have adequate higher schooling. I will be sending a lunch with him.
Waaahhh, I thought that milk fortified with gallons of a lab created sweetener was GOOD FOR ME! All these years I thought that french fries were a vegetable and that green beans were supposed to be grey! I feel so lied to, so deceived! I'm angry and want someone to blame!!
The Government!! Yes, yes, it's all clear now. I shall blame The Government. USDA = evil. Free public education = evil (I knew that one was to good to be true!) Oh, I feel so much better now. And less responsible.
I do agree that school lunches do and, always have, suck(ed). When I was a single parent, my son was in early grade school. I had to be at work at 7am, so I would drop him off the moment the doors opened at the school for breakfast. We were eligible for reduced meals (.20 each) and I was so grateful. I was rather confused that he kept having french toast sticks for breakfast, but hey, it was nearly free.
When our high school football team sucks, what do we do as Americans? We all get together as parents, have a meeting and decide how we're going to get rid of that Coach! Damn right!! Football is important, and if our kids aren't doing well, then we have to do something.
The same should be true of this school lunch thing. But the reason that there has been no meeting over this, is that the parents eat that way too. Nutrition is seen as something that comes out like *blah blah blah* from people that do other weird stuff like go to the gym regularly. Most people are to involved with important stuff like TV to be bothered about what Little Johnny had for lunch. And anyway, they're kids - they'll just run it off.
While they sit in front of the TV/computer/XBOX. But whatever, they're quiet, right?
I'm being a bit grouchy, now, so I will quit this diatribe. But what is really bothering me is the blaming of the big bad Government. We are the only country in the world that operates by the people, for the people. On a small scale (local schools) it just takes a few meetings and a committee to get things changed. We'd do it for football!
I must add to this, I am now a home school Mom. I take issue with much more than just the nutritive value at our local public school and have seen fit to take my children out of the equation all-together. My oldest son is exceptionally bright and will most likely need to take advantage of the free public school system in the next year or two to have adequate higher schooling. I will be sending a lunch with him.
Yes! My daughter thinks I'm mean that I won't let her eat school lunch every day. We all have a choice and I make the choice to not buy school lunch very often. But you're right, people like to blame without doing what it takes for change. Thanks for this!
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