Students in the Line Mountain School District were greeted by noticeably different lunches this year.
The contractor hired to prepare the school lunches said the changes are intended to comply with nutritional guidelines.
Critics said the contractor is cutting corners as well as carrots. Reportedly, students are paying more for smaller sizes of sports drinks.
Both sides agree portions and pricing have changed. The contractor said the pricing plan is intended to discourage students from straying from the suggested menu. The food children should eat is cheaper. It is a good strategy.
Students need help making wise eating decisions.
A report commissioned by the state Department of Education found the percentage of children 6-to-11 who are overweight has doubled in the last 20 years. The percentage of overweight teens has tripled. Not coincidentally, almost 80 percent of young people do not eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Soft drink consumption has also gone through the roof.
Healthy school lunches are an important tool for fighting the childhood obesity epidemic. The lunch menu at school is designed to meet the nutritional needs of students. As a result, educators and health officials want children to buy school lunches instead of packing their own meals. A ham sandwich and a bag of chips is not as healthy as the lunch ladies' offerings.
This is an issue all schools are tackling.
Nutritious school lunches are just part of the solution. Schools are replacing junk food in the vending machines with cheese sticks, apples, milk and juice. Candy bar sales have long been a fundraising staple. No more. Now students sell candles, T-shirts and other items that will not contribute to expanding waistlines.
The effort is complicated by mixed messages from the federal government. Many schools are in near crisis mode as they the struggle to satisfy the federal No Child Left Behind requirements. At the same time, educators are told to bolster health classes and increase the hours students spend in gym class. Students need recess. They need to run around. All of which takes away from time they can spend exercising their brains.
Schools will not be able to solve both problems without help. Students are at school about seven hours a day, five days a week.
Parents should not rely on the schools to look after their children's health. Much of the inactivity and poor eating habits that contribute to childhood obesity takes place at home. Turn off the TV. Get off the couch. Send your children outside to play. Join them. They will be better off. And so will you.
Schools are doing their best to help keep children healthy. Parents need to do more, too.
Opinion
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