A couple weeks ago Jason Croft of Sidetrack contacted me and requested an interview. I decided to do it. You can find the podcast of my interview with him here: http://will.illinois.edu/sidetrack February 2010
Before you click:
* The interview starts around minute 5:00 and lasts about 10 minutes.
* I was very nervous and so I stumble a lot! I am not a professional speaker and the project had only just begun.
* When we chatted, I said my least favorite meal was pizza or hot dogs… But by that early point in the project I had yet to eat the PB&J, which is unequivocally the worst so far.
* You can hear my toddler very, very faintly in the background off and on after minute 12:20. I was so focused on chatting that I didn’t realize it.
Here's a way we can do something constructive: register your objection to school lunches with the USDA:
http://food.change.org/actions/view/protect_children_from_the_usdas_unsafe_school_lunches
The site was forwarded to me by my employer who knows how I feel about the crap that passes for food at most institutional kitchens.
As a high school student in Ohio it's very refreshing to see ANY teacher eat the crap that the schools throw out. Here, the teachers (and freakin ladies that MAKE the crap) all pack daily. I've never really eaten school lunches (packed since elementary) and I think one of the main issues might be training. I'm not saying the workers need to be chefs, but at least go to some sort of training program that lasts a year or so. I know that the government doesn't give schools enough money for lunch programs and that's a problem. But if these people were trained properly I think they could probably make the processed "food" taste "good".
I've been thinking about reaching out to Food Network (¿Rachael Ray?) about doing a show/segment that focuses on school lunches. There's obviously a niche market of national interest that could be profitable for somebody.
(Linked here via grist.org)
I worked in the kitchen at a Catholic school for a little while, and I was shocked at what was served. I talked to my boss about it, but she said that was what the kids wanted. We served breaded chicken patties, pizza, fries, cookies, fried chicken. We also offered fruit parfait cups made with fresh fruit and yogurt, fresh vegetables with ranch dressing (not low fat, but lots of kids liked that and were eating the vegetables at least)and many kids ate cereal for lunch. What really concerned me was that when I would clean up the dining area after the kids were done, I'd find whole pieces of fruit and unopened drinks in the garbage, from their lunches brought from home. I brought my lunch, and I packed my children's lunches too. Just because my job was to serve that food didn't mean that I wanted to eat it or have my kids eat it. My boss knew my position on the quality of food. I made suggestions, and sometimes they were followed, most of the time they were not.
Thank you, Mrs. Q, for bringing nutrition to so many people's attention. I love reading and seeing what is offered in your school every day and I talk to my kids about what they eat more too.
great job on that interview! it isn't easy to do that, and you said some really important things. i really hope this project inspires people to demand better for their kids 🙂
It's me. Anonymous. Your resident evil troll! We have our differences of opinion. But great job getting out there and expressing yourself. It's great to hear a new voice on the radio. This is a great project, even though I disagree that I, the taxpayer, am falling down on the job when it comes to feeding other people's children (sorry, coudln't help it). Anyhow, good on you for doing the radio interview. Great job!
Anonymous – Thank you! I appreciate your feedback! I don't think you are a troll. I think we are paying taxes for obese people and fat kids who aren't eating right and have to go to the doctor a lot on our dime. Let's give them the skills by teaching them about nutrition & good food. I pay all kinds of taxes too and I certainly don't enjoy it!
I am also a teacher who has been concerned about the quality and nutritional value of school lunches for some time. But what I really wanted to share with you is that my grand-daughter, who is now in the 3rd grade, has said many times that she could eat healthy if it wasn't for eating school food. (she does pack her lunch quite a bit). Also, our breakfast food, which is the most important meal of the day as they say, is usually a choice of sugary cereal or donut/pancake type food. Every now and then they will serve eggs or fresh fruit. It is all about convenience and money. I have gotten reprimanded before for advising my students not to get certain food, like chocolate milk or syrup… The food service director told me that I was violating state law if I told them not to choose a food item! I hope your blog will affect some change in this area.
I agree that I am sick of footing the bill for everybody else.What has me upset is at my daughters school in ohio she did'nt bring lunch money one day and they fed her cereal.Really. I pay all year and my daughter does not have money for one day and they feed her cereal. She is 5 and goes to school for a whole day.Does nobody have common sense about life anymore.