The Green Parent

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What's For Lunch?

My eldest daughter hit a milestone this year and it’s one that I never read about in the parenting books.  Now that she’s a “big kid” she can choose to buy lunch at school rather than bring a packed lunch.  We had some great discussion going last week about healthy pakced lunches that kids will actually eat at school.  But what about when the kids buy lunch and the menu is suddenly out of our control?

More than 30 million students in America buy school lunches everyday.  But I have to admit, for the first time, I am thrilled that my kid is such a picky eater.  Now don’t get me wrong, I applaud the efforts that her school makes to adhere to the nutrition standards of the US Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program.  But I’m also aware that her school (like most schools in the country) funds their lunch program with meager budgets based on meal sales and federal reimbursements.  Therefore the temptation is to offer the most popular (ie unhealthy) selections: pizza, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, as often as possible to boost sales.

True to form, pizza was on the menu for my daughter’s first day back to school.  Even my picky kid couldn’t resist pizza day.  So off she went to school with her lunch money in hand.  You can imagine my dismay when she told me that afternoon that all she had for lunch was chocolate milk and marshmallows.  (the pizza was too weird!)

What!  No fruit?  No vegetables?  Sure, the school served fruit and vegetables that day, but what good is it to serve an iceberg lettuce salad and a canned fruit cup if none of the kids will actually eat it.

So I’ve been looking in to ways to add some green the school lunch program.  I found some great suggestions…some will work at my daughter’s school, some won’t…but I’m including them all here so that you’ll be able to pick and choose what works best for you.  Here’s how to add some green to your child’s lunch:

Reduce The Waste: At Emily’s school, the students are served on reusable plates but given plastic utensil to eat their meal.  When I asked why this was, I was met with a blank stare.  Even the cafeteria staff thought it was ridiculous.  So basically, we are one fundraiser away from getting reusable utensils in the cafeteria.

Pass The Beef: The production of beef makes more of an impact on the environment than any other type of food.  According to a report produced by the World Wildlife Fund, more pasture is used for cattle than all other domesticated animals and crops combined.  Cattle also eat an increasing proportion of grain produced from agriculture, are one of the most significant contributors to water pollution, and are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions.  Now, we are not vegetarians by any means, but we do try to limit the amount of meat we eat each week.  And with childhood obesity rates at an all time high, it makes sense for so many reasons to cut back on the amount of beef that is served in schools.  I’d like to see Emily’s school offer one vegetarian option at each meal.

Farm-to School: Farm-to-School is a national program to connect schools with local farms.  Your school will get access to fresh, healthy, local produce, the local farmers will get access to a new market, and you will get better, healthier selections at lunch.

Say No to Vending Machines: Sodas and vending machine fare are not only terrible for your child’s health; they also create waste, and use ingredients that can be harmful to the environment.  Emily’s school removed their last vending machines two years ago, but not all schools get off that easy.  Yes, I know that schools earn sorely needed funds from vending machine sales, but there has to be a better way to raise money for the schools without endangering the health of our kids.

Compost: Food scraps account for 12% of the waste stream in the U.S. A compost bin at your school can save a bundle in waste removal costs…and it can also save your school the cost of purchasing mulch for landscaping.  Whether it’s a large bin that the whole school uses, or a small vermi-composting bin in your child’s classroom, composting at school can reduce waste and save money.

Offer Vs. Serve: Ask your school to use an “Offer vs. Serve” policy to reduce waste in the cafeteria.  It makes sense that when students are allowed to choose which foods they want to eat, and how much they want to eat, they will make better choices and waste less food.

The Giveaway Table: Talk to your school administrators about starting a “giveaway” table where kids can share their untouched, leftover food, (such as whole fruit, packaged snacks, and unopened drinks) rather than toss it.

Also, in case you haven’t heard, The Child Nutrition Act is up for reauthorization in 2009.  This legislation forms the basis for determining the amount of resources spent on school meal programs and establishes the standards for nutrition and food sales upon which schools base their decisions about waht to offer on the menu or in the vending machines.

And here’s the most important news….the federal government wants to know what you have to say about it!  From now until October 15, 2008, the USDA is accepting public comments on the reauthorization of The CHild Nutrition Act, offering parents, teachers, nutritionists, pediatricians, school administrators, and anyone else who cares about the future health of our children the opportunity to have their voice heard about what our kids are served for lunch.  Don’t let this opportunity pass you by, comment here and let the USDA know that you want healthy, fresh foods served in schools.  (Check out Eco ‘Burban’s list of requests for ideas.)

Similar Posts:

• Ban The Junk!
• Waste-Free Wednesday: Making Sense of Lunch
• Green Your School Supplies
• Toxic Air and Our Children’s Schools
• Green Schools: A New Bill May Help Your Child’s School Go Green