Should teenagers and children determine what they eat for lunch?

[richardhutnik]

SlayerRondo said:

pokoko said:
First of all, that was a horrible, horrible article. I get the impression any objective material was left out, including the actual items on the menu, which you'd think would be one of the first bits of data included.

As far as what the school cafeteria offers, I think it should be healthy. If you don't like that, then bring your meals yourself. I brought a lunch-box most of my school life. This isn't the government saying you have to eat certain things, it's the government saying they won't participate in the rising obesity rate of America. Obesity is killing the US and costing billions of dollars in health-care.

Also, perhaps if kids aren't getting loaded up on sugars and carbs at lunch then maybe they can actually pay attention in class.

1: And how would you feel if the cafeteria offered only high fat food and told you to bring you're own healthy meals from home instead of offering something for you.

2: Whats wrong with people wanting to eat regular food niether healthy or un-healthy? People who do get physical exercise and eat reasonable should be able to get a normal lunch and not have to stick with healthy options they dont like.

3: The government wont be contributing to the rising obesity rate if they just offered normal lunches but they are forcing a healthy policy on children who should not have to be super healthy at the expense of enjoying their food.

4: And kids skipping out on lunch and falling asleep in class from lack of energy is such a great alternative.

It is interesting that people complaining about the government doing this, and not allowing the kids to have what they want, protests when the schools do give kids condoms so they don't get pregnant or catch STDs.

As far as your first point goes, only high fat foods is what they have been offering.  If you wanted to eat healthy, you had to bring from home.  Budgets are limited, so they can't do the full gambit.  Schools actually had fast food places coming in and serve what they are doing.

As far as the second point, the initiative also involves trying to get kids physical exercise.  The constraints by the government are healthier foods and limiting lunch to 750-850 calories.