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Packed lunches 'have poorer nutritional quality' than school lunches
Medical News Today ^ | November 7, 2014 | by Honor Whiteman

Posted on 11/08/2014 9:02:17 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

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.

But despite drives to improve the quality of school lunches, around 40% of parents continue to prepare a packed lunch for their children. However, Farris notes that - unlike school lunches - there are no guidelines that recommend what foods parents should include in their children's packed lunches.

The team found that packed lunches contained a lot more energy, carbohydrates, fat, saturated fat and sugar than school lunches. They also contained much lower levels of protein, fiber, vitamin A and calcium.

The researchers say these findings are likely to be a result of the USDA guidelines promoting higher exposure to fruits and vegetables, while packed lunches were more likely to contain savory snacks, desserts and sugar-sweetened drinks.

Sodium content, however, was found to be much higher in school lunches that packed lunches, even though the team says packed lunches were more likely to contain processed foods. What is more, school lunches were found to contain lower levels of vitamin C and iron than packed lunches.

(Excerpt) Read more at medicalnewstoday.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: mooch; nannystate
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Ooookkkkaaaay, Government study to determine if government programs i.e. lunches at school are more nutritious than what mom packs. Conclusion, mommy knows nothing about the eating habits of their kids....conclusion technocrat knows wha't best for your child better than you....conclusion, parents are harming their children by not adhering to government initiatives, conclusion, parents are now required to submit to government program or risk punitive damages. Conclusion, parents are now required to submit to Child Protective Services menues offered to their kids. Conclusion, Governments will now require all parents submit inventory in cupboards and fridge to see if they are following government dictates. Conclusion, government will require 200,000 new nutrition and enforcement specialists to mandate the success of the new lunch program...Obama will tout the initiative as a success in creating new jobs for the economy and provide a healthy lunch menu for millions of malnourished children across the country. Republicans will be accused of obstruction and starting a war on children by not voting for the bill

Welcome to the abc's of tyranny!

21 posted on 11/08/2014 9:18:13 AM PST by bubman
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To: Sacajaweau
"And they know what these kids are eating how?"


22 posted on 11/08/2014 9:18:43 AM PST by Hegemony Cricket (The emperor < still > has no pedigree.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

What a stupid premise. So EVERY packed lunch, all of them; whether it is parboiled tree-bark or a hard boiled egg, is less nutritious than school lunches, any of them. Only a complete fool would make such a statement.


23 posted on 11/08/2014 9:19:16 AM PST by Attention Surplus Disorder (At no time was the Obama administration aware of what the Obama administration was doing)
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To: Lurker

9/10ths...


24 posted on 11/08/2014 9:20:13 AM PST by DoughtyOne (The mid-term elections were perfect for him. Now Obama can really lead from behind.)
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To: Lurker

And sic the IRS on Alisha R. Farris, Virginia Tech, and the Journal of Nutrition, Education & Behavior.


25 posted on 11/08/2014 9:21:32 AM PST by Arm_Bears (Rope. Tree. Politician. Some assembly required.)
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To: smokingfrog
I grew up eating a packed lunch, and yet I somehow managed to survive. Go figure.

Ditto. I am UNREASONABLY healthy for my age.

26 posted on 11/08/2014 9:22:19 AM PST by cloudmountain
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
The research team, led by Alisha R. Farris of the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Exercise at Virginia Tech ...

Would anybody care to wager against me as to the source of funding of this study being from a government grant? Possibilities are almost endless as to a specific source but none-the-less it does put a place-holder in the concept that parents are dangerous to their children, does it not? Taking this concept to its logical conclusion would probably result in bag lunches being banned and lunch room monitors forcing the students to eat their 'healthy' school lunches! Paging the current FLOTUS and overflowing waste cans at schools everywhere!

27 posted on 11/08/2014 9:22:52 AM PST by SES1066 (Quality, Speed or Economical - Any 2 of 3 except in government - 1 at best but never #3!)
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To: DJ MacWoW

Is he packin’ a pistol in his Superman lunch box?


28 posted on 11/08/2014 9:23:12 AM PST by cloudmountain
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To: abclily

I agree absolutely.....


29 posted on 11/08/2014 9:23:37 AM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

I guess we can’t do anything at all anymore without instructions from the government. How did those of us born before 1980 survive?


30 posted on 11/08/2014 9:24:08 AM PST by Steve_Seattle
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To: Lurker
Cut the entire government by 1/3.

8/9ths, 9/10ths, 99.9/100ths?

31 posted on 11/08/2014 9:24:44 AM PST by Don Corleone ("Oil the gun..eat the cannoli. Take it to the Mattress.")
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To: cloudmountain

No. Just a sandwich from home that isn’t government approved.


32 posted on 11/08/2014 9:25:18 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...

> “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.


33 posted on 11/08/2014 9:26:40 AM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______________________Celebrate the Polls, Ignore the Trolls)
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To: riri

yep... me too.. for almost a whole year, I ate Reeses Peanut butter cups and Snickers bars, washed down with a Coke..

did much better the next year and ate school lunches..

still here... and I’m thin.. I eat very well.. excersise, etc


34 posted on 11/08/2014 9:27:20 AM PST by Chuzzlewit
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Fresh out of the Journal of Pure and Applied Medical Propaganda.


35 posted on 11/08/2014 9:30:18 AM PST by SpaceBar
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

"I approve this study! Now, gimme my 5%!"

36 posted on 11/08/2014 9:31:14 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Sacajaweau

The smart TV in their house.


37 posted on 11/08/2014 9:33:34 AM PST by Rusty0604
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Doubt that. Would prefer home cooking.


38 posted on 11/08/2014 9:34:01 AM PST by mulligan (I)
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To: Lurker
Cut the entire government by 1/3.

2/3, perhaps more.
39 posted on 11/08/2014 9:34:52 AM PST by SpaceBar
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
a poor nutritional lunch actually EATEN, is better than a great nutritional lunch thrown into the garbage...
40 posted on 11/08/2014 9:38:13 AM PST by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -w- NO Pity for the LAZY - 86-44)
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