Opinion: Importance of leading a child to healthy eating
By Sadie Barr
Something curious happens when we reduce fat, sugar and salt from school food and replace it with less processed options – kids won’t eat it.
Their over-salted, hyper-sweetened and fat-laden palates have been primed by years of beige and orange food in the lunchroom to shun anything that tastes like real food. They are rebelling against the absence of chicken fingers, French fries and tater tots. Unfortunately, some schools listen.
As someone who works in school lunchrooms in Washington, D.C., where the school-food requirements are much stricter than the national standards thanks to the Healthy Schools Act, I see this every day. Just last week, I was at an elementary school when butternut squash was served. Hardly a child would touch it. When I asked students why they weren’t eating it, they claimed that they didn’t like it. When prodded, most would admit that they had never tried it. Once I explained to them what it was, how the beta carotene can help them see in the dark (white lies never hurt), and bribed them with stickers, they tasted it, and many exclaimed: “It’s good!”
It is hoped that they’ll eat it the next time with minimal prodding.
Sadie Barr manages school meal programs for 15 public and charter schools in the Washington, D.C., area.
Let’s put the blame on the unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits of our youth exactly where it belongs: PARENTS! How can we expect our youth to eat and live healthy when so many parents (regardless of households having one or both parents in residence) don’t themselves eat and live a healthy lifestyle. I’m not one to make statements about past generations being better than current ones, but in this case I do feel that way. Our society has become so reliant on instant gratification that our health is paying the price, and is being passed on to our children.
Thanks Sadie, for showing how well government can replace parents. A little
more government and a little less parenting and things will be so good.
We have never had more government and the wonderful results are everywhere to see. From cradle to grave we can all fill so secure knowing uncle will watch over us.
Earl,
If your only tool is a hammer the whole world resembles a nail. If you had bothered to read the whole article you would have realized that the author is pointing out that improved nutrition for our children requires community support to succeed. That means school, family and yes, government too. Spare us your big government obsession and try thinking instead.