Busch1724 Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 It's a revenue center for the school systems around the country. It's not as if this is going to change any time soon. Our school runs comes nowhere near a profit on the school lunch program. In fact where I'm at there isn't a school anywhere near us that runs a profit. I'm too lazy right now, but show me a school that is turning a profit from school lunches? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 first thing's first... make schools start serving good food. Boom. Fast food is cheaper than good food, and that's a shame. I know there isn't a lot to do about it. But its true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DM72 Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 To be fair, who gives a **** if the kids want to eat pizza and hotdogs every day for lunch? I'm sure plenty of kids would love to stock up on soda and candy for lunch. You know how to make them choose healthy options? Don't give them unhealthy alternatives.It's not that difficult to serve more healthy foods in an easily accessible way. edit: ASF beat me to the punch. I agree, but is it realistic to just offer salads and baked chicken, a baked potato and bread without butter everyday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQCOWBOY Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 To be fair, who gives a **** if the kids want to eat pizza and hotdogs every day for lunch? I'm sure plenty of kids would love to stock up on soda and candy for lunch. You know how to make them choose healthy options? Don't give them unhealthy alternatives.It's not that difficult to serve more healthy foods in an easily accessible way. edit: ASF beat me to the punch. It's not difficult at all but, if you do this, then you have to do away with snack bars and soda machines and all revenue generating operations that the schools sponsor to sell food and drink. You would also have to close campus because kids will leave to eat other kinds of things. I agree that they should serve healthier things and I agree that it should be mandated but it's not. For going on 40 years now, this has not been the case. You have to ask yourself why not? School Lunch programs have been federally subsidized since the start of the program. Making school meals more healthy has been something that schools have been deliberately moving away from. There is a reason for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I agree, but is it realistic to just offer salads and baked chicken, a baked potato and bread without butter everyday? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQCOWBOY Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Our school runs comes nowhere near a profit on the school lunch program. In fact where I'm at there isn't a school anywhere near us that runs a profit. I'm too lazy right now, but show me a school that is turning a profit from school lunches? If you don't think school systems are not turning a profit on feeding kids, then you are not paying attention. They have contracts with restaurants like Dions and McDonalds and Wendy's, you name it. They sell options through snack bars for alternative foods. They receive federal funding for every child that is enrolled for school lunches. Think about that for a second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DM72 Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 Yes. I'd be interested to see how that goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renaissance Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I agree, but is it realistic to just offer salads and baked chicken, a baked potato and bread without butter everyday? It's not like those are the only things you can offer. And It's not unrealistic to put vegetables and fruit on every kid's tray every day. And there is no inherent problem with white bread, pizza, burgers, etc. It's when you are offering the greasiest, most unhealthy versions of those things, and those are the only items you are offering that they become a problem. I used to read the blog some teacher in Chicago had where she ate school lunch every day for a year. They seriously would serve pre-packaged peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on "graham crackers" as the main item some days. You are telling me that our cafeterias aren't even equipped to make pb&j sandwiches???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busch1724 Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 If you don't think school systems are not turning a profit on feeding kids, then you are not paying attention. They have contracts with restaurants like Dions and McDonalds and Wendy's, you name it. They sell options through snack bars for alternative foods. They receive federal funding for every child that is enrolled for school lunches. Think about that for a second. I think about it, but you miss one key thing...there are schools that turn a profit. They are affluent schools with an extremely low poverty rate. Most public schools do not fit that criteria. School lunch as a moneymaker is not possible in most public schools because the federal National School Lunch Program that provides subsidies to feed low-income students specifically prohibits it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 It's not difficult at all but, if you do this, then you have to do away with snack bars and soda machines and all revenue generating operations that the schools sponsor to sell food and drink. You would also have to close campus because kids will leave to eat other kinds of things. Well that would be down right unAmerican. BTW, when I was in school the pop machines were turned off during the day, and there were no snack bars, and campus was closed, but that was way back in the oldin' days of 1993. I agree that they should serve healthier things and I agree that it should be mandated but it's not. Sure, if a parent wants to send their kids with junk food they should be allowed to do so, but IMO as long as the school provides lunches they should be providing quality lunches. For going on 40 years now, this has not been the case. You have to ask yourself why not? School Lunch programs have been federally subsidized since the start of the program. Making school meals more healthy has been something that schools have been deliberately moving away from. There is a reason for that. Because the food industry knows that the earlier they can establish a person's eating patterns then they will be more likely to continue those patterns into adulthood, that's why they paid Congress to declare pizza a vegetable. ---------- Post added December-1st-2011 at 02:06 PM ---------- I'd be interested to see how that goes. You think the kids will riot? Moms and dads will be furious that healthy food is being given to their children? What scenario do you envision here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQCOWBOY Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I think about it, but you miss one key thing...there are schools that turn a profit. They are affluent schools with an extremely low poverty rate. Most public schools do not fit that criteria. School lunch as a moneymaker is not possible in most public schools because the federal National School Lunch Program that provides subsidies to feed low-income students specifically prohibits it. Your not looking at the big picture here. It's not about select schools. It's about school systems and State Government. The money is allocated there and then distributed to the School Systems and further on to the districts etc. See what I mean? ---------- Post added December-1st-2011 at 12:10 PM ---------- Well that would be down right unAmerican. BTW, when I was in school the pop machines were turned off during the day, and there were no snack bars, and campus was closed, but that was way back in the oldin' days of 1993. Sure, if a parent wants to send their kids with junk food they should be allowed to do so, but IMO as long as the school provides lunches they should be providing quality lunches. Because the food industry knows that the earlier they can establish a person's eating patterns then they will be more likely to continue those patterns into adulthood, that's why they paid Congress to declare pizza a vegetable. ---------- Post added December-1st-2011 at 02:06 PM ---------- You think the kids will riot? Moms and dads will be furious that healthy food is being given to their children? What scenario do you envision here? We all know what you are saying Asbury but again, the school systems have been going away from healthy nutrition. Nobody is forcing them to make the right decisions. I think that before you can make a decision such as free lunches for all students, you must first pass legislation that fixes the existing problems. That aint being done and I don't know of anybody in congress or in this administration that is championing that kind of legislation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DM72 Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 You think the kids will riot? Moms and dads will be furious that healthy food is being given to their children? What scenario do you envision here? I don't think anybody will riot, but you have to understand that not everybody is obese. IMO, if a kids obese, it's not because they're eating burgers and fries at school. School food portions aren't bad. It's because he/she is over eating somewhere else.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busch1724 Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Your not looking at the big picture here. It's not about select schools. It's about school systems and State Government. The money is allocated there and then distributed to the School Systems and further on to the districts etc. See what I mean? I get that, but new regulations passed before Bush left office forced schools that were enrolled inthe program had to eliminate all those things (restaraunts, soda machines, etc.). It even goes to the point that fundraisers had to be healthy foods along with "food parties" in class. If schools didn't they lost funding, not all of it, but lost funding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I don't think anybody will riot, but you have to understand that not everybody is obese. IMO, if a kids obese, it's not because they're eating burgers and fries at school. School food portions aren't bad. It's because he/she is over eating somewhere else.. This has nothing to do with obesity, this has to do with a responsibility to feed students healthy foods and not junk, especially when it is from a publicly funded institution. If the schools serve junk just because they eat junk everywhere then they are agreeing to be part of the problem, and that's a problem. ---------- Post added December-1st-2011 at 02:19 PM ---------- We all know what you are saying Asbury but again, the school systems have been going away from healthy nutrition. Nobody is forcing them to make the right decisions. I think that before you can make a decision such as free lunches for all students, you must first pass legislation that fixes the existing problems. That aint being done and I don't know of anybody in congress or in this administration that is championing that kind of legislation. I agree this needs to be legislated, but my understanding is that the food patterns we are seeing in our school are there because of laziness, it is easier to toss a sheet full of processed chicken nuggets into the oven, or french fries (a vegetable too dontcha know) than it is to get food prep staff to start thinking about better ways to serve the students, it is laziness and lack of imagination, and if we aren't going to see leadership from our school administration on these issues that will follow kids just as much as how much math they know then who is going to show them right ways to eat? We've already established that it's not happening at home in far too many cases, I guess I just really get frustrated at the amount of surrender I see on this issue. And trust me, it's one we're fighting now at my kid's school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnyderShrugged Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Literally "Free" or simply paid for out of someone elses pocket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointyfootball Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 ...that's why they paid Congress to declare pizza a vegetable. Congress did not declare pizza a vegetable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Congress did not declare pizza a vegetable. Oh sorry pizza sauce....what does pizza sauce go on again..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQCOWBOY Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I get that, but new regulations passed before Bush left office forced schools that were enrolled inthe program had to eliminate all those things (restaraunts, soda machines, etc.). It even goes to the point that fundraisers had to be healthy foods along with "food parties" in class. If schools didn't they lost funding, not all of it, but lost funding. Auhhh........ that hasn't happened. In APS and RRPS, our two local school systems where I live, they are still here and the school lunch programs here are still getting funded. I know this is happening. I currently have 3 kids in those school systems and have had one graduate on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pick6 Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Economics 101: "There's no such thing as a free lunch." Meaning somebody is going to have to pay for it. I think they need to remove the word "free" and replace it with subsidized. Also, would this including teacher and staff at that school. I don't agree with this for the record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointyfootball Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Oh sorry pizza sauce....what does pizza sauce go on again..... Tomato paste. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/did-congress-declare-pizza-as-a-vegetable-not-exactly/2011/11/20/gIQABXgmhN_blog.html WRT discussion. School lunches, on the whole, are horrible, and have been since I was in school. My kids' schools offer healthy alternatives, but most kids (not all) turn them down. Really the only way we can police our own kids (admittedly we don't even know for sure it works) is for them to pack lunches and have no $ on school account. Free lunches for all would be similar to bus rides for all; some kids/families use the service, some don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQCOWBOY Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Literally "Free" or simply paid for out of someone elses pocket? Paid for by others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botched Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I must be the only one who loved school lunch. That food was 10 times better than the stuff I ate at home. Barbecue rib sandwiches, steak and cheese, chicken sandwiches, tater tots, egg rolls, chicken nuggets, chocolate milk, new potatoes in that buttery sauce, sweet corn, green beans, and man that pizza was awesome. I would stop at a school for lunch every day if I could do it without getting arrested. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Certainly not for the Irish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQCOWBOY Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I must be the only one who loved school lunch. That food was 10 times better than the stuff I ate at home. Barbecue rib sandwiches, steak and cheese, chicken sandwiches, tater tots, egg rolls, chicken nuggets, chocolate milk, new potatoes in that buttery sauce, sweet corn, green beans, and man that pizza was awesome. I would stop at a school for lunch every day if I could do it without getting arrested. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. My lunches were not like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 i'm pretty sure i've never seen someone advocating less technology in our public schools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forehead Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Free Lunch now? What is this, the Occupy Cafeteria movement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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