School Lunch Decoded: What it Means for You
Anna Nicks
9-3-13 7:41 pm
OWENSVILLE, MO - RIINNGG!
The bell rings and everyone jumps out of their chairs and runs for the
lunchroom, only to get there and start complaining about the lunchroom
offerings. This year, the complaints
have been specifically pointed toward the new lunch regulations.
The
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) was to begin in the 2012-2013 school
year, and it did. The bill passed in
congress states that on a weekly basis, 50% of grains offered must be whole,
all pastas must be whole grain, and the maximum amount of calories for grades
9-12 is 850; there are sodium and fat quotas, and new regulations of the fat
amount allowed in milk.
When
talking with both Lead Cook, Sheila Jett, and Director of Food Services, Jackie
Kohler, various things were brought up, including the way that the restrictions
are to be introduced. Every year, a new
restriction will be introduced, including the lowering of sodium from 686 mg
daily to 500 mg daily by the school year of 2022. It is taking so long because they will slowly
continue to reduce sodium each year so that the change is not as dramatic,
because Americans are so used to eating salt. They are also moving from 50%
whole grains to nothing but whole grains within the next several years. As well this year, peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches may no longer be offered as a free option because of the protein
restrictions.
One concern shared by Jett and
Kohler was the cost of the fruits and vegetables. Because of the nearly doubled amount required
of each, more money has to be put toward fruits and vegetables, and less money
can be put to use buying the other food necessary. As
Kohler says, “Eating healthy is expensive”.
Still another concern was the food going to waste. When forced to take the fruits and
vegetables, many students simply throw them away without even touching
them. Jett says there needs to be
improvements as it is important for the food to be good, and because for some,
school lunch is the only hot meal that they get. When
asked what they would change if they could change one thing, the answer was
that they would not require so many whole grains. Both Jett and Kohler say, though, no matter
how much you don’t like the food, don’t blame the cooks. They have to follow the laws set by the
national government.
Dietician Brenda Voss, meanwhile, is astounded
at the rise of type two diabetes. She
says that it used to be so unheard of in children that it was called adult
onset diabetes. Now, it is very common,
as a matter of fact, 17% of American children and teens are overweight or
obese. When asked whether or not she
thought that school lunches are contributing to the rising obesity rates, she
answered that she did not think that school lunches are directly impacting that
rates, which goes along with Kohler saying that, “Kids don’t get fat from
eating school lunch.”
Voss says that there are good
points and bad points to the HHFKA. She
says that the good things are that there are more fruits and vegetables being
offered, less fat in the food and the milk, and restrictions on the amount of
sodium allowed in food. Voss does,
however, believe that some changes do need to be made in order to perfect the
laws. To start with, the food needs to
be less processed. Other necessary
changes include the need to tailor the amount of food to the student. Voss says that each child has different
needs, depending on weight, height, age, and sex. This can be calculated by finding you BMI (Body
Mass index). Your needs also depend on
amount of activity and/or exercise.
Another thing that Voss says is
important is to get kids involved in their choices. She says that they should be able to put in
their input about which fruits and vegetables they like better and such. She suggests that the information be taken by
survey or quick questionnaire. Voss says
that if kids get involved with their choices and don’t feel as if they’re being
forced into something, then they might be more willing to accept it. As well as that, she says that it is
important for the regulations to be introduced slowly. The government seems to be on the same page
as Voss, because they do plan to introduce stricter laws in the near
future. One of the laws that will take
the longest will be the sodium reduction.
Over the course of many years, until 2022, the sodium amount allowed
daily in food will be reduced.
Overall though, Voss is in favor of the laws
saying that “It has positive benefits because 17% of children are obese, but it
needs to be put in gradually, and kids need to be involved with the choices.”
Unlike
Voss, however, many students and parents are outraged at these new
requirements. In fact, when 139
Owensville High students where asked about their opinion on the new
regulations, 75.5% answered that they were aware of the laws and 24.5% said
that they were unaware. Out of those
people that said yes, 13% felt positively about the laws, 3% had no opinion and
84% were against them. Many of the
students that felt negatively about the laws thought that it was unfair that
they are being forced to take food that they do not want, and athletes think
that what is being provided is not enough to satisfy their needs.
Andy
Gerth feels very strongly against the laws.
He says “I am opposed to the regulation of school lunch content and
sizes. In my opinion, the government has
no place controlling the portions. If
somebody is deprived of a good, filling lunch, then they will go home and eat
more anyway. Kids deserve the
freedom…this great country offers. I run
cross country and play baseball. I
either have to bring my lunch or buy two lunches to get the energy I need to
perform well in these sports. I just do
not think that this is the solution.”
Nicholas
Plocinski thinks similarly, along with Justin Hutchinson, Cody Forsee, and
Daniel Kapellmann. They say that “the
fact that we have to take fruit and vegetables, even if we aren’t going to eat
them, is pretty…stupid and wasteful.”
Nicks
Collins is among the few that support the new regulations. He says “I love the food the school serves. I do not understand why people complain. It’s healthy for you.”
A
fellow student, who wishes to remain anonymous, agrees with Collins. “Eating healthier is something that young
people need to do to better themselves.
Fruits and vegetables are good for you and provide nutrients your body
needs. Therefore, I agree with the new
[healthy] food regulations.”
*This story was
written during the 2012-2013 school year.
The information still applies to this year.
