PHOTO: NY Times
What?? I just can’t imagine kids who don’t want to eat black bean burgers and kale salads…. #sarcasm
Students, and school districts everywhere are not happy about the ‘healthier, smaller and more expensive than ever’ lunches.
Coaches and teachers are reporting that students are hungry during after school, activities, apparently because they are not getting enough calories. In the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, calorie requirements are different for various ages, yet all the kids have to pass through the same lunch line. This creates a huge challenge for schools to effectively address.
In addition, school districts are dealing with tons of wasted food as well, because the program/law requires that the kids to take fruits & vegetables even if they don’t want them. So, they are taking the fruit and then not eating it and it winds up being thrown away.
After implementing the new lunch standards a year early, one Florida school district estimated students threw away about $75,000 worth of food.
$75, 000 worth of food wasted.
So – what did we learn here boys and girls?
Food for Thought:
What could your school do with the $75,000? If you were in charge of new lunch program standards at your school, or for the nation, what changes would you make?
Related Links:
No Appetite for Good-for-You School Lunches
The Free Range Classroom 
Your Comments and Insights are Welcome!