Thank you, Michelle, for making our kids healthy

As you know, one of the First Lady’s main programs is healthy food for the children. The theory goes, if they just ate healthier, childhood obesity, diabetes and heart problems would disappear. This is so important that the federal government recently updated its “dietary guidelines”.  The Los Angeles school district tried that, and the results are stunning.

Participation in the school lunch program has declined dramatically.  Here are some of the glowing reviews:

But Iraides Renteria and Mayra Gutierrez don’t even bother to line up. Iraides said the school food previously made her throw up, and Mayra calls it “nasty, rotty stuff.” So what do they eat? The juniors pull three bags of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and soda from their backpacks.

And,

Andre Jahchan, a 16-year-old sophomore at Esteban Torres High School, said…the chicken pozole was watery, the vegetable tamale was burned and hard, and noodles were soggy…’It’s nasty, nasty,’ …

The result,

Principals report massive waste, with unopened milk cartons and uneaten entrees being thrown away. Students are ditching lunch, and some say they’re suffering from headaches, stomach pains and even anemia. At many campuses, an underground market for chips, candy, fast-food burgers and other taboo fare is thriving.  [emphasis supplied]

And, it’s expensive.  Apparently, to comply with the new federal guidelines, nothing but fresh produce will do.  The school district increased its spending on fruits and vegetables (fresh, of course) from $2 million in 2006 to $20 million in 2010.  No wonder schools need more money…not for teachers or buildings, but for fresh green beans.

In response to this overwhelming enthusiasm, the school district has decided to change its menu.  Hamburgers and pizza are back, replacing  the likes of black bean burgers, and vegetarian curries and tamales, and lentil and brown rice cutlets.

 

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SoundOffSister

The Sound Off Sister was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and special trial attorney for the Department of Justice, Criminal Division; a partner in the Florida law firm of Shutts & Bowen, and an adjunct professor at the University of Miami, School of Law. The Sound Off Sister offers frequent commentary concerning legislation making its way through Congress, including the health reform legislation passed in early 2010.

13 Comments

  1. dennis on December 21, 2011 at 9:24 am

    I wonder how many of us that work in the private sector could make a $20 Million “miscalculation” and still have a job.



  2. sammy22 on December 21, 2011 at 5:54 pm

    And why is this Michelle Obama’s fault?? Advocating good nutrition is bad?



    • Eric on December 21, 2011 at 7:09 pm

      Telling people what they can and cannot eat is bad. ?Neither is it any of her business! ?



    • johnboy111 on December 21, 2011 at 7:17 pm

      cradel to grave..if you want that sammy move..



  3. JBS on December 21, 2011 at 8:47 pm

    School lunches are made from very nasty stuff. Usually USDA discounted food stuffs, “government cheese”, and tater-tots that have enough grease in them to, no lie, burn smoky like a tallow taper. Yet, kids will eat meals prepared from those things. YUCK! However, foist upon them fresh foods, veggies and fruit, along with adult’s ideas of good food (bean burger?) and no wonder the kids won’t eat that fare! LOL, Hahahahahaha. Most of it goes? in the garbage.
    M-belle trying to bring adult food tastes to kids lunches is like, well, just plain dumb. It’s a fool’s errand. I’d bet her kids would opt for greasy burgers and heart-clogging fries every time over the W.H. chef’s best French souffle or quiche. Anyone for pizza?



  4. sammy22 on December 21, 2011 at 8:57 pm

    Yes indeed, Eric, better have Tyson, Pizza Hut, KFC etc. tell people what they should eat. IT IS THEIR BUSINESS!



    • Dimsdale on December 21, 2011 at 10:03 pm

      Actually, it is the business of the parents to decide what their children eat, and teach them to make good food decisions.? Taking choice away from them is no choice, as the story demonstrates, since they still make a choice, and it appears to be worse than eating the old cafeteria food, which they apparently ate and did not get sick from.? Until the food police start searching backpacks and the school administrators pass “zero tolerance” rules for pork rinds, etc., children will probably eat what they want.?
      We did it when we were kids, and we survived.? Of course, we managed to ride bikes without helmets, and mow the lawn without stickers to tell us not to put our hands under the edges of a running lawn mower too….



  5. Plainvillian on December 21, 2011 at 10:04 pm

    What was the percentage of childhood obesity before government subsidized/provided school lunches…..and? breakfasts…..and nutritional snacks?



  6. ricbee on December 21, 2011 at 11:41 pm

    I have several friends who work in Hartford,they say,It gets thrown around or thrown away for the most part.



  7. Anybody but Obama on December 22, 2011 at 7:02 am

    Old Proverb ” You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink”



  8. winnie on December 22, 2011 at 8:41 am

    All they had to do was take the menu as it was, find a healthier method of preparing what the kids were already eating, maybe install a salad bar with toppings that make a salad somewhat enticing to kids and not try to force vegan behavior on them.? When I prepare dinner for my family, the choice is “like it or lump it”.? Schools have no business taking this attitude because these “meals” are paid for with taxpayer dollars and they have no choice as to what they are paying for when garbage like this is presented as the only food choice in the public schools.
    Now, an even more burning question:? I wonder, do any of the teachers/administrators eat this garbage?



    • winnie on December 22, 2011 at 8:43 am

      Oh, and what about public schools who ban kids from bringing in lunch from home?? Parents apparently need to sit down, shut up and accept that The State has now taken over the care and feeding of their animals…whoops: children.



  9. Shared Sacrifice on December 23, 2011 at 10:00 pm

    I’m sure lots of us had some school lunches during the last power outage????? Cold tater tots with hot pockets and boiled vegetables…? Leave it to the kids to tell us that the School Lunch Emperor has no clothes:)



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