A School Without a Cafeteria=Terrible Hot Lunches

Unfortunately, my kids go to a school that does not have a cafeteria (thank goodness we live in sunny California).  Our school has a small corner area where kids walk through to pick up  their microwaved hot lunches.  Yes, microwaved!  You can only imagine what reheating a plastic packaged piece of pizza or hamburger looks and tastes like.  As my boys say, "It is the most disgusting thing ever!"

Per the district website, the foods served meet the USDA Nutrition Guidelines but who cares when the way they are prepared leaves them barely edible.  I find it humorous that their website actually claims that they provide "appealing foods."   Appealing to whom?

While I realize adding on a cafeteria would be a difficult thing for our public school to do, when we can barely keep regular programs going without the aide of fundraising efforts, I do wonder why we can't provide better lunch options.

Sure, cooking hot foods from scratch would be difficult to manage without a kitchen but how about offering some delicious cold lunch options?  Yogurt with berries, turkey sandwiches, salads, even the old standby, peanut butter and jelly would be better than what our kids are being offered.

I think it is time to talk to our school officials and demand better options.  I'd love to see us start an Edible Schoolyard like Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School in Berkeley, California.   We have a huge field at our school.  We could corner off a section to create an organic garden.   What a great way for kids to participate in hands-on learning about food and nutrition.

Schools are making these changes all across the country, it is time we did the same.  Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and Alice Water's Chez Panisse Foundation are leading the way and proving that we can provide our kids with fresh, healthy food options.

Join the food revolution by signing Jamie Oliver's petition today, I just did!

This food for thought was inspired by the Yahoo! Motherboard.  You can read other posts on this topic at the Yahoo! Motherboard site.   I'm glad that they planted this seed with me and hope I did the same for you.