"I think it helps entice the kids to go through the lunch line and get lunch."
That's one explanation for why the Chicago school district continues to offer sugary desserts and junk food in its lunches.
Just last night, my lady friend and I walked through Warren Park, and she mentioned my "if I was president" plan to nationalize all golf courses and use them as public farms. "Imagine the changes you could make to school lunches with all this space," she said as we walked by the putting greens.
Yes, imagine... and it wouldn't even need to be done by my fantasy decree. The park district and the school district could work together to do it. Or individual schools could make the choice to cut out sweets themselves while supplementing their lunches with produce grown at or near their campuses.
Almost anything would be better than hollow rationalization about choices that you know will have negative consequences for young people's health.
From the Tribune:
"Illinois suffers from the fourth-highest level of childhood obesity in the nation, with Chicago kids checking in heavier than the rest of the state. Yet, while many school districts are phasing out sweet treats, Chicago Public Schools officials continue to say, let them eat cake.
"And it's not just cake that the district serves daily to most grade schoolers. It's also chocolate fudge pudding, Keebler Elf Grahams, vanilla creme cookies, double fudge cookies, lemon flavored creme cookies, Rice Krispies treats, pound cake, chocolate cookies with candy pieces and comfort cake with icing, according to school menus.
"Earlier this year, district officials told the Tribune that this daily dessert policy was 'currently under evaluation.' But even with the district in financial crisis, the Tribune has learned the district will continue to buy and serve the sweets to most of its 240,000 elementary school kids -- 80 percent of whom are on the free and reduced lunch program."
Just last night, my lady friend and I walked through Warren Park, and she mentioned my "if I was president" plan to nationalize all golf courses and use them as public farms. "Imagine the changes you could make to school lunches with all this space," she said as we walked by the putting greens.
Yes, imagine... and it wouldn't even need to be done by my fantasy decree. The park district and the school district could work together to do it. Or individual schools could make the choice to cut out sweets themselves while supplementing their lunches with produce grown at or near their campuses.
Almost anything would be better than hollow rationalization about choices that you know will have negative consequences for young people's health.
From the Tribune:
"Illinois suffers from the fourth-highest level of childhood obesity in the nation, with Chicago kids checking in heavier than the rest of the state. Yet, while many school districts are phasing out sweet treats, Chicago Public Schools officials continue to say, let them eat cake.
"And it's not just cake that the district serves daily to most grade schoolers. It's also chocolate fudge pudding, Keebler Elf Grahams, vanilla creme cookies, double fudge cookies, lemon flavored creme cookies, Rice Krispies treats, pound cake, chocolate cookies with candy pieces and comfort cake with icing, according to school menus.
"Earlier this year, district officials told the Tribune that this daily dessert policy was 'currently under evaluation.' But even with the district in financial crisis, the Tribune has learned the district will continue to buy and serve the sweets to most of its 240,000 elementary school kids -- 80 percent of whom are on the free and reduced lunch program."
posted by mr damon at
11:33 AM
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