Like Mother Like Daughter

I talk to my kids all the time about eating food that's good for our body. So, it wasn't much of a surprise when our middle daughter, J, told us about a writing project for her first grade class. She wrote a persuasive letter to the school district's food service director asking him to make the lunches at her school healthier. While other children were writing home to persuade their parents to get them puppies and kittens, J, with some encouragement from her teacher, took a different route. Which is not surprising. J is bold and courageous.

What was a surprise was hearing about the food service director, not only writing her back, but visiting her classroom to discuss some changes in the school lunches.  More whole grains, and fresh fruits and veggies. Less processed "meat". And some healthier options at the snack bar.

While I'm not a huge fan of the school lunches, I do allow my girls to buy lunch once a week. And I don't really limit what they can get. French toast sticks and sausage patties? Go for it. Mozzarella cheese sticks? Fine by me. Macaroni and cheese? Chow down.

No, it's not healthy. Yes, it's processed garbage.  My kids eat good, healthy meals most of the time, what can 1 crap meal a week do? And they love it. They look forward to the days they buy lunch. And to be very honest. I look forward to those days too. It means I don't have to pack them a lunch. It's like a little break for me!

After hearing from J,  about meeting with the food service director, I emailed him to thank him for writing back to my daughter and visiting her school. I also told him of my interest in teaching kids to eat healthy. Later that same day, I received a lovely email back. He explained some of the changes he had already made in the school lunch program. Last year he replaced many of the fried snack items with lower-fat baked products. He made more of the rolls, breads and pizza crusts from whole grains. He even had an article published on Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution website.  

Are the lunches as healthy as they could be? No, there is still plenty of room for improvement. I'd love to see our district using more local produce. I'd love to see them using whole grain pasta.  But I feel encouraged. I believe there is a dedication on the part of our district to improve the quality of the school's foods. And with kids like J pushing for healthier options, the future looks a whole lot brighter for school food.