Posted on 06/04/2015 4:56:53 PM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com
What just happened at a Denver middle school is the latest example of a lunch program failing to deliver meals students actually like, following the guidelines championed by First Lady Michelle Obama.
Kepner Middle School’s food problems, however, went beyond seeking to provide lunches that meet the National School Lunch Program guidelines. Related Stories
Stephanie Torres, a student at Kepner, raised the alarm at a school board meeting about meals not properly prepared, food shortages, and limited choices that prompted a school board member and representatives from Padres y Jóvenes Unidos (“Parents and Youth United”) to make a lunchtime visit to the cafeteria.
School officials accommodated the May 12 visit, but the cafeteria staff was not made aware of it. What the visitors received when they went through the lunch line was shocking.
Chalkbeat Colorado reports that Monica Acosta, lead health justice organizer with Padres, went along on the visit and took a picture of her lunch tray. “It was heartbreaking. That’s the type of food Kepner students have been having all year long,” she said.
The meal included outdated milk, a burned bun, undercooked chicken, an unripened pear (too hard to eat), and frozen strawberries.
Torres and Acosta have reported that the school lunches have improved during the last three weeks since the visit. The Denver Public Schools’ (DPS) nutrition services department met twice with representatives from Padres and parents from other schools where there have been complaints. Acosta says she is grateful for the changes that have been implemented. She believes the school system is “definitely on the right track.”
The DPS plans to put Kepner on a different meal model for next year.
A New York school district announced earlier this week that it is withdrawing one of its schools from the National School Lunch Program altogether. Greater Johnstown School District in update New York determined that the program is exacerbating the school’s budget challenges, due in part to food waste. The district is planning a pilot program at one of its schools, where it will implement a less costly local alternative.
The Washington Free Beacon reports: “Since the introduction of the National School Lunch Program in 2012, 1.2 million students have dropped out of [it]. Those who remain continue to throw away food, resulting in $1 billion in food waste.”
A Harvard study found that students are eating more fruits (up 23 percent) and vegetables (up 16 percent) since the new standards were implemented. However, a study by the School Nutrition Association found that 81 percent of the schools surveyed reported an increase in waste. Topping the plate waste list, which any parent could have guessed…vegetables.
47 percent of schools reported a “decrease” or “strong decrease” in food revenues under the new guidelines, while 87 percent reported an increase in food costs (with 36 percent indicating a “strong increase.”)
Moochelle has affected more than just school cafeterias. There is a very famous cafeteria here in Houston that has basically stopped using salt. The food is terrible now. My wife wrote a complaint letter and the owner called her and admitted he felt pressured to cut the salt content. His immigrant father started the business decades ago. The man told my wife “This breaks my heart.”
Moochelle also brought down Paula Dean. Paula said when Magilla was on her show and the cameras weren’t rolling she was woofing down the fat and sugar. Not long after that Dean went down.
Just as a side note, when I was on active duty the Officer and NCO of the Day were required to eat meals in the Mess Halls during their tour of duty and write a report about it. I wonder how many parents, board members, school staff or teachers would chance it?
“Monica Acosta, lead health justice organizer”
WTF?
L
All the more reason for us to keep rubbing the RATs' noses in it.
His name needs to be "verbed" so that whenever something has really been screwed up, or defies logical understanding, it can be said to have been "Obama-ed"
Their claiming a Michell approved lunch had fries? I don’t think so. I think this just a fraudulent story. You don’t need lies to prove Michell’s are bad.
When I went to school (1952-1964) most of the school teachers ate the same lunch as the students in most schools.
The ONLY school that served a really bad lunch was 1956 in Aztec NM! Even Kirtland, about 25 miles west had great lunches! Farmington, had so many students we only went half a day so no lunches there.
I mean Aztec’s lunches were really, REALLY, BAD! So bad students (even me) often threw up the slop back on the tray.
I talked mom into making me lunches to avoid the Aztec Slop!
After 59 years I still remember how bad those lunches were!
**Denver middle school**
The best school lunches I ever ate were in Denver Schools, 1953!
What has happened!
hopefully they will all unplug ( civil disobdience to avoid this crap should be mandated )
we had hot dog day on wednesday in grade school. the only lunch that was provided. orange juice and hot dogs we loved it. best school lunch in hs was pizza day. very good deep dish Sicilian.
My Mom sent me to school with a salami sandwich on rye, a banana and a cupcake. At the time, school lunches were 25 cents if you wanted one. (1946 - 52).
Yeah, that will go over big.
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