Schools try to keep kids from tossing out fruit, veggies

Orlando Sentinel ^ | September 30, 2012 | Erica Rodriguez

[Cincinatus' Wife]

At Triangle Elementary School in Mount Dora, students shuffle through the lunch lines loading their plates with pears, plums, pizza slices and fruit slushies.

At the lunch tables, many devour the cheese-and-mushroom pizza, guzzle their milk but leave whole pears, ripened plums and the slushies destined for the garbage.

[TurkeyLurkey]

“Some of her students don’t even recognize fruits and vegetables that don’t come in cans, she says.”

Is this for real? I’m shocked...again.

[ConservaTexan]

Unfortunately, we do force-feed some of it," said Carol Brewer, a school food-service manager...

Shocking

[Red Badger]

"They have no concept of what, say, a squash looks like," Brewer said.

That is sad. Especially since Florida is a veggie state......

[Buckeye McFrog]

The waste is horrific. I have extended family working in the schools, and they all say that what these kids toss away every day would feed a small Third World country.

[DManA]

I read the headline and thought it was a story about food fights in the lunch room. I need another cup-o-coffee.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

This year, prompted by changes in federal school-lunch rules, Central Florida students are not allowed to turn down the healthful produce, much of which can end up in the dumpster.

What a surprise. The government forces kids to put fruit on their trays whether they want it or not so then the kids throw it out. Any bets on what the government's solution to this problem will be? My bet is putting the kids in detention if they don't eat the fruit.

[albie]

Make the fruit and veggies an OPTION! Stop loading thier plates and force feeeding soggy, limp veggies and “fruit” with heavy syrup! Everybody acts like they’re throwing away something useful. This is sh## food they’re serving. The veggies have been cooked for so long there is no vitamin that could survive and sugar is BAD FOR YOU and that’s all the fruit is.

[Sacajaweau]

The government needs to get out of the “feed the children” business. IT’S WHY THE KIDS ARE OBESE!!!

[Da Coyote]

Since schools are overwhemingly liberal, they should use a tried and failed liberal approach.

Tax the students for each veggie that they throw away.

Yeah, that’ll work.

[GeronL]

a lot of people in that state are just vegetables

[IMR 4350]

The school lunch program is Government mandated waste.

If kids don’t want it they shouldn’t be forced to put it on their tray then throw it away.

[Sacajaweau]

SOUP, SANDWICH AND MILK....

Breakfast...let them grab a bowl of cereal at home...and a banana...

[Truth29]

"What a surprise. The government forces kids to put fruit on their trays whether they want it or not so then the kids throw it out. Any bets on what the government's solution to this problem will be? My bet is putting the kids in detention if they don't eat the fruit."

Agree, plus reporting non compliance to social services or paying the students or the parents if the veggies are consumed.

[sr4402]

I will make them EAT THEIR VEGGIES. After all, IT'S MY PROGRAM with MY NAME ON IT.

[Texas Eagle]

Mrs. Eagle was a teacher until illness forced her to retire. She was appalled at the food that was thrown away every day.

The kids were not allowed to take anything home even though more than half the kids were from "poor" households. The school was not allowed to donate the food to a local homeless shelter or food bank or any other organization that fed the poor and homeless.

And heaven forbid that the food should be put back into the refrigerator for next day's use.

Be nice to have that government contract.

[Dr. Ursus]

I’ll cut you if I don’t get some salt and sugar!

[Sacajaweau]

So what....Kiwi, avocados didn't even exist in our stores until the 60's.

AND I BUY NOTHING THAT SAYS MEXICO....

[mosaicwolf]

I don't know if this has anything to do with the current situation but I remember many times a a young boy sitting at the table for extended periods of time until I ate my vegetables. Yes, I couldn't go out to play. :-( I hated certain veggies then especially onions and asparagus. :-( Now I love all veggies including those I did not like. Ummmm...I guess lessons as a child take different forms to be effective. Oh well, I'm just an old fashioned type of guy.

[Thorliveshere]

Make the fruit and veggies an OPTION! Stop loading thier plates and force feeeding soggy, limp veggies and “fruit” with heavy syrup! Everybody acts like they’re throwing away something useful. This is sh## food they’re serving. The veggies have been cooked for so long there is no vitamin that could survive and sugar is BAD FOR YOU and that’s all the fruit is.

EXACTLY!!!