School lunch

What’s on my mind, Dr Google? Here it is-a few night ago I had a thought about school lunch quality and related issues. My crystal ball is on spot. https://www.insider.com/lunchables-will-soon-be-sold-in-schools-nutritionist-torn-2023-3. Take a peek at this. The labels are not available. Next time you go shopping read a label on these products. Only two will be modified a bit in sodium and protein to qualify for the substandard and incomplete standards that the USDA has created. There are similar ones for long term care and other entities as well. Just as poor. Reformulated to meet certain “health ” standards. As a parent you may be interested in those standards. They are very weak, for starters. You can find them easily. I suggest 10 x 0 is still 0. It doesn’t nudge the needle. Then there is a question in this text wondering how much USDA, that’s us, our money, is paying Kraft Heinz. That’s nice to know. I suggest what is needed to know is how much Kraft Heinz is paying the government folks for this privilege. The statements by the two nutrition people interviewed for this article is very gentle, barely packs any punch, doesn’t raise the red flags appropriately. I am attempting to be a little more dramatic.. There are so many negatives in this action, even the concept. We have an exceedingly unhealthy population. One of the worst in the world. We know that, we know how to fix it, we know what the outcomes are for perpetuating it, and yet we continue to avoid the obvious and fix it. Yes we may have to equip the schools with adequate cooking equipment. Duh!!! We may have to find people who km\now how to cook. Well they are really available. Do we not have voke schools, some culinary programs in our community colleges, etc, do we not have the concept of liveable wages, and benefits. Yes we do, locked up someplace. Food service people, as good as they may be, cannot fight the battle alone. To do so is likely to be job, possibly, career ending. The same story is in hospitals, long term care and other domains. I know for a fact it can be done, and stay within budget. Supply chain? B.S. That’s another discussion.
And the food can be fresh, not this pre prep garbage. Are kids hungry for it, put it out and watch them eat it, all of it, more than you think they would , could eat. One of the major complaints of foreign students is that we do not serve enough fruits and vegetables, and they are hungry. Good food, optimum nutrition, multiple teaching moments for their future, et al, are far, far away from a trend. The kids come to school poorly nourished and chronically sleep deprived. Then they have a terrible lunch, looking forward to their after school sports where they will be performing on half empty or less, and a pick me up supper when they get back home or to cafeteria. There are oases and great examples. You can go only as far as your nutrition will take you. Your comments and action are welcome