What a Waste!
My co-workers and I sit by the large trash cans located at the exits of the middle school cafeteria waiting to see what nutritious treasures we can intercept before they get thrown out.
Bananas, apples, oranges, pears, plums, yogurts, milks—all unopened, compulsory choices mandated by the federal government to be placed on a students’ tray before they can check out of the line.
The students don’t even have to be told anymore. They voluntarily place the items to share in the middle of the teacher table.
Oftentimes they forego the healthy options and then head to the concession stand to purchase juices, sodas and chips.
An article in the Los Angeles Times reveals that students throw out at least $100,000 in food a day in L.A. school cafeterias. Teresa Watanabe reports, “millions of dollars of food waste is occurring at U.S. schools annually.”
Under federal school meal rules finalized in 2012, “students must take at least three items—including one fruit or vegetable—even if they don’t want them.” If these federal regulations are not followed, school districts won’t be reimbursed for the meals.
There are two schools of thought on this seemingly wasteful exposure to sound nutrition. ‘We should stop forcing children to take food they don’t like for it to end up in the trash,’ argues Binkle, one district school food manager.
But many nutrition and health experts disagree, citing studies that show ‘repeated exposure to fruits and vegetables eventually leads children to eat more of them.’ “That, in turn, will help prevent obesity and related maladies,” says William J. McCarthy, a UCLA professor of health policy and management.
The rules, part of the 2010 Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act championed by First Lady Michelle Obama, “imposed a dizzying array of requirements on calories, portion sizes, even the color of fruits and vegetables to be served.” While these rules can seem to mandate healthier options for our children, they also impose higher costs on school districts.
Is it too late? By the time we send our children to pre-school hasn’t the foundation been laid? And, really—do we need the First Lady to fix what should have been the responsibility of a parent or guardian?
If parents took their duty seriously and avoided what I call mealtime madness—we wouldn’t be in this mess. In a child’s developmental years, they should be exposed to wholesome food—without negotiation. If you have ever prepared two separate meals to accommodate for a picky little eater, you are not in control—could be an indicator you never have been.
So without getting too psychobabble on you—the culprit of excessive waste of nutritious foods in our school cafeterias, has to fall on the child’s sole providers. This care taker responsibility is as important as teaching right from wrong, good from bad. It is as fundamental as teaching a toddler to look both ways before crossing the street.
Would you send a child to a bus stop if you they didn’t know how to avoid getting hit by a car? Then why is it okay to send them off unable to make sound dietary choices? Some parents are tiptoeing around this job requirement avoiding struggle and confrontation with their children—no matter the cost.
These same parents that have chosen a democracy over dictatorship, are raising potentially irresponsible, unproductive young adults that have been taught that they can have what they want, when they want it, even if it means chips and soda for lunch.
Parents, grandparents and guardians who have not given their children the tools to help them live a healthy lifestyle, are, in a sense, killing them slowly. They are setting them up for failure and causing them to have medical issues that can potentially lead to diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease; conditions proven to lead to premature death.
It is time to heal our nation of childhood obesity. Through awareness, education, willingness to change and the desire to see our children lead better quality lives; we must reclaim our role as real care takers and take care of our children.
Now, as Dr. Laura Schlesinger would say, “go do the right thing”!
Please share questions or comments: suzannemcginnis@me.com