Problems with the School Lunch Law

I am excited my son will soon have healthier options at lunch thanks to the Child Nutrition Law. That fatty pizza and greasy hot dogs have got to go! I do think he will fight me less at home if he eats healthier at school. However, the funding seems to be a big issue. I don't know how much school lunches will go up at my school, but I visited a school with around 40% of kids on free and reduced lunch. That school will see what I would consider significant increases in the cost of lunch. Here's the special report that aired tonight on HOI. (and don't get me started on the food safety mandate that requires schools to get rid of any food that touches a child's tray even the child didn't touch it. I understand the point of the law, but WOW there is a lot of wasted food at schools.)

In an effort to combat childhood obesity, the federal government is stepping in and requiring schools to offer healthier lunches. But those healthy options aren't cheap and some local schools are struggling to figure out how to pay for them.

Soon you won't see greasy pizza and soda for lunch at schools across the country.
The Child Nutrition Law will require schools to offer more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low sodium entrees.

Farmington Central School District 265 has already started implementing healthier choices like fruit baskets, bags of raw veggies and a salad bar everyday.

Food Service Director Sue Arbogast said, "I think it's a good thing. What parent wouldn't want their kid to eat healthier lunches?"

But there's a catch.

U.S. Representative Aaron Schock said,"The problem is as with many things in congress, there are good ideas, but if you don't fund them, they end up being an unfunded mandate on our local school districts."

Congressman Aaron Schock serves on a committee to curb childhood obesity. He wants kids to make healthier choices like skim milk instead of chocolate, but struggling Illinois schools don't have the money to pay for the changes.

Farmington Superintendent Mark Doan said, "To say it's not going to effect our parents is -I don't agree with that. It will. To what extent will be determined."

Around 40% of kids at Farmington Grade School are on the government funded lunch program. Right now kids who do pay are charged $1.80. That is expected to go up to $2.50 per meal."

Congressman Schock said, "I think unfortunately for many school districts, they are going to have to make other cuts to live up to the bill that was passed."

Superintendent Doan says the lunch program isn't there to make money, but it can't lost money either. And there's no guarantee kids will eat the higher cost, healthier foods.

Sue Arbogast said, "That is a challenge to get students to take broccoli-and they want you to give sweet potatoes. We have implemented that and it's slow."

We witnessed kids throwing out steamed carrots, unpeeled bananas, entire slices of whole grain pizza and raw carrots that hadn't even been opened.

Superintendent Doan said,"It is disconcerning when you see the amount of food that sometimes gets thrown in the trash." But research shows you have to offer a new food item to kids up to 10 times before they will start eating it. So don't give up.

At Farmington they're seeing real progress. Eating a banana and broccoli with fat free Ranch dip is becoming the norm. Their parents may be the ones who suffer by shelling out an additional $84.00 a year per student.

The Child Nutrition Law takes effect during the 2012-2013 school year. Most schools plan to slowly increase the cost of their school lunches over several years.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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How a local school curbs Childhood Obesity

A preschool/kindergarten in Bloomington is taking big steps to try and curb the childhood obesity epidemic. Bright Horizons at Bloomington is an early learning center that cares for kids ages two-years-old to kindergarten. Other locations also provide child care for birth to two and after school care for older kids. Assistant Director Amy Starr said, “We are remodeling our kitchen to make it a full service kitchen. We have hired a chef and are working on healthy snacks and meals.” The school also has a new exercise area where daily classes will be held.

Prior to the renovation at Bright Horizons, the preschool didn’t have a stove or oven. The meals were catered in and consisted of canned vegetables and some processed food. Starr said, “Now we will have warm breakfasts, more fresh fruits and vegetables.” Starr said she thinks it’s the way a lot of child care centers/preschools will be in the future. She suspects around 50% of preschools in the Bloomington area now have a full service kitchen. "We are trying to hit on a healthier lifestyle and healthy eating," said Starr.

Example of catered in meal: chicken nuggets, broccoli and cheese dip, fruit cocktail and a muffin
Snacks:crackers and teddy grahams

Example New Menu: chicken and noodles, fresh green beans (instead of canned) and homemade apple sauce.
Breakfast: silver dollar pancakes, fresh blueberries and milk
Snacks: fresh fruits and vegetables

Starr said, "We really want them to have that good meal during the day. When we leave school we go to practice, we are in a hurry, etc. It's common for parents to swing by a fast food place. We feel it's very important to get that nutrition at school."

The school is also teaching by example. The teachers actually sit down and eat lunch with the kids-the same menu. "We chat with the kids during meal time. I am a mother of two boys and I know sometimes it's go, go go and you just don't have time to ask how was your day?" said Starr.

Bright Horizons also made big changes to the play area. They got rid of the climbers and put in a large carpeted area where they will be holding exercise classes from yoga to aerobics. The idea is to give kids P.E. time even in the winter months. Starr said, "We just know it's important to start early-to get kids used to start doing a daily exercise activity through out the day."

Bright Horizons at Bloomington (2432 Maloney Drive) is holding an open house for parents and teachers to see the new changes August 21st from 2-5p.m.There will be an instructor there to show kids what will happen during the exercise classes.

It seems the federal government is trying to implement similar programs at public schools around the nation:

FROM NBC: As families approach the new school year, students across the national will be eating healthier lunches. That's because hundreds of chefs are signing up for the government's "chefs move to school initiative. It encourages culinary experts to help schools prepare tasty and nutritious food for school children.

About 31 million children eat school provided lunches every day and 11 million eat breakfast there...consuming 30 to 50 percent of their calories from school provided meals. First lady Michelle Obama launched the program as part of her campaign to reduce childhood obesity.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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