This week President Obama signed a new law revamping school lunches. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is the first major overhaul in 30 years. The act will replace junk food in school lunches and vending machines with healthier options. In the past, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has used the National School Lunch Program as a dumping ground for surplus meat and dairy commodities. Not surprisingly, 90% of American children consume excessive amounts of fat and only 15% eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.
What I find amazing, is the opposition to this bill. Sarah Palin thinks it is an example of the government overstepping its boundaries and Michelle Obama’s crusade shows she doesn’t “trust parents to make decisions for their own children, for their own family in what we should eat.”
In a Washington Times editorial, Gabriella Hoffman attacks both Obamas for doing a parent’s job. She scoffs at the First Lady for calling it a National Security issue. (I am sorry if our armed forces are overweight and unable to do what they need to do physically, isn’t that a problem? That is a different conversation though.)
Gabriella, I agree with you, parents SHOULD be teaching their children proper eating habits. Unfortunately, when you aren’t educated yourself it is hard to do so.
To fight childhood obesity, Food Service administrators believe it needs to be a collaborative effort between what schools are providing to students and what kids are eating at home. I completely agree.
School lunches were put in place to offer affordable meal opportunities to children. For many kids in low income areas, that school lunch may be the ONLY meal they eat all day. Why shouldn't they be allowed to have HEALTHY options?
Even if they are getting three meals a day, shouldn't ALL be well balanced?