Posted on 11/08/2014 3:05:27 AM PST by Bettyprob
Many parents prefer to send their children off to school with a packed lunch, believing that the food they have given them is far healthier than school lunches. But a new study, published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, claims this may not be the case.
The research team, led by Alisha R. Farris of the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Exercise at Virginia Tech, found that school lunches had better average nutritional quality than packed lunches.
"We found that both packed and school lunches almost entirely met nutrition standards, except school lunches were below energy and iron recommendations, whereas packed lunches exceeded fat and saturated fat recommendations," says Farris.
The quality of school lunches has been a major focus in recent years. In 2012, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) guidelines, setting out a number of recommendations with the aim of offering healthier food choices to children at school.
As part of the guidelines, the USDA recommend that schools should ensure students are offered fruits and vegetables every day, are offered fat-free or low-fat milk varieties, given a choice of whole-grain rich foods and are served the correct food portion size, based on their age.
It seems these recommendations have proved successful so far. In March, Medical News Today reported on a study from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA, claiming that the guidelines have increased consumption of fruits and vegetables among low-income students.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalnewstoday.com ...
Study finds government knows best.
Yeah, peanuts are a huge threat that requires all our attention. Never mind virus-clogged alien armies crossing the border. Nothing to talk about there.
I find it impossible to believe the lunches at my daughter’s school are healthier than what we pack for her.
Peanut butter & homemade jam on whole wheat bread (yes, peanut butter is still allowed, just not in classrooms though-only cafeteria), carrots and ranch dip, homemade applesauce, and sometimes a handful of Doritos or Cheetos or a homemade cookie.
My 9 year old daughter is 99% for her height, 75% for her weight (tall & thin), has no allergies or health problems. She has 2 ballet classes a week and much rather play outside than be on computer, TV or video games. She’s smart, empathetic, polite and happy.
All that without an ounce of help from the government!
Even if I accepted their claims, which I do not, this is not the issue.
The issue is "it is none of their business!"
So get their noses out of packed lunches which are private property. And while at it, get the Wookie's fat butt out of school lunches!
People don’t pack lunches because they think they are more nutricious.
They do so because they know what their kids like, and they are cheaper. And also because the kids will otherwise eat candy.
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