Healthful School Lunch Options - Ideas for Change in America

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I think that first of all the USDA Meal Guidelines should be ramped up to stress healthier eating in children. As a person who sees firsthand how the guidelines are side-stepped to feed children high-fat, high-calorie meals that are "within guidelines," I can say that it's no wonder our children are not learning how to eat to maintain good health. For example, I recently saw a group of preschoolers fed a meal of processed meat, crackers, raisins and pickle slices along with a glass of milk. It's got all components if you count pickles as a vegetable, but it was a meal full of fat and salt.
I also notice that many times children who are served healthy meals eat the meat and bread (and the fruit if there's added sugar) but don't eat vegetables. While I don't think children should be forced to eat anything, I think it speaks to the immense amount of advertising they're subjected to from fast food restaurants that serve (surprise!) meat and bread. As a responsible nation we simply HAVE to address the free reign we've given food manufacturers and restaurants to teach our children how to eat. It's time to either make them tell the truth in their advertising or no longer allow them to advertise on television. After all, they're killing us just like cigarettes did, and we don't let big tobacco advertise anymore.

Suggested by Jenny Threet on 01/16/2009 @ 08:37AM PT
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