vegan lunch in public schools-VOTE!!
Posted by nmpixie on Jan 05, 2009 · Member since Jan 2008 · 1243 posts
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/vegan_school_lunch_options
vote to get this brought to Obama's attention
The World's Largest Collection of Vegetarian Recipes
I voted.
I voted. I don't even have kids or live in the USA. ::)
The comments opposing vegan lunches were such a load of crap. Even if it was true that "kids need animal protein", I'm pretty sure they don't need it in the form of pizza and hot dogs. Unfortunately, that's what many of them eat at home, so many of them will probably still eat that way even when they have other options.
I voted. They only need 9 more.
i voted too and wrote a comment. our school does have a vegetarian option every day, but its a simple salad, when kids have the choice between salad and a burger or pizza.... which one do you think theyll choose? i dont think JUST giving them a vegan option is enough. giving them a healthy option thats also pleasing to kids is important. Something like a veggie burger, soy dogs, vegetarian frito pie... whatever they have for the main meal, they should have an equal healthy choice. I dont even think it should necessarily be vegan... as long as its healthier.
I Voted ;)b
Yes this whole school lunch program needs to be changed.
Here they have started offering soy milk as a option.
Still angers me that they allow children to drink crap like soda and fake juices.
If you research this a bit further you will see that most food served in schools and prisons would not even qualify as animal food. FDA looks the other way on allot of what goes on.
I think they classify it Class D which means it should be garbage.
The school I went to way back in the 70's and 80's had what would be called organic local grown now.
We ate real food no processed.
A lot of schools here are doing their own gardening program. The kids work in the garden and get to pick the fruit/veg when it's ready. I saw one on tv where the kids actually made a lunch feast from their garden once a week (one teacher would come up with a kid-friendly menu based on what was available). She said none of the kids complained about eating it because they were so involved in the whole process. It was so cool.
I Voted ;)b
Yes this whole school lunch program needs to be changed.
Here they have started offering soy milk as a option.
Still angers me that they allow children to drink crap like soda and fake juices.
If you research this a bit further you will see that most food served in schools and prisons would not even qualify as animal food. FDA looks the other way on allot of what goes on.
I think they classify it Class D which means it should be garbage.
The school I went to way back in the 70's and 80's had what would be called organic local grown now.
We ate real food no processed.
I was told I couldn't bring milk alternatives to my daughter's preschool. Juice and water are OK, but no soymilk? I have to find out if this is a state thing or federal or what, so I can argue. If I send juice, she'll drink it and not eat, but if she doesn't have a glass of milk during the day she gets weird. Low blood sugary?
I was told I couldn't bring milk alternatives to my daughter's preschool. Juice and water are OK, but no soymilk? I have to find out if this is a state thing or federal or what, so I can argue.
That's crap. It must be state, if it even is (they may just not want to be inconvenienced) because I worked in daycare for quite some time and we had to allow parents to bring alternatives. What if a child is allergic? Lactose intolerant? etc... Just like one must make exceptions and change menus for children with food allergies, they should do the same for milk. I know we did.
Good luck, nmp, give 'em hell.
mmpixie...that is downright discrimatory...what about the children that can't drink milk. I'm thinking that has to be that child care providers own decision.
As luck would have it PCRM sent me this today:
http://www.pcrm.org/newsletter/jan09/schoollunch.html
fav quote from article:
"And while the USDA does appear to hear what many caring members of the public have asked for—lunches with more vegetables, fruits, vegetarian foods, and healthful nondairy beverages—it still considers the inclusion of more cholesterol-laden meats and dairy products in school lunches part of “an aggressive effort to improve the nutritional profile of its offerings.”
According to the USDA white paper “USDA Foods in the National School Lunch Program,” which was released in December, some of these so-called improvements include increasing the number of available frozen or refrigerated meat products from 11 in 1981 to more than 30 today, and the number of available cheese products from two in 1981 to over 15 today."
Seems the dairy and meat lobbiest are taking over again. It really angers me that profit is coming before the health of children.
I was told it wasn't their rule, but when they re-open from the winter break, I'll have to find out more. I think it just outdated info they are going off of, because I recently read that the FDA will allow soymilk to be served in elementary schools, as part of the lunch program. Not sure if it's the same thing if you're bringing it from home, though. I'll find out. I'm thinking it was the state dairy people lobbying for the rule in the first place?
NMP, my mom's a preschool teacher in AZ. Before that she taught kindergarten. The rules for preschool kids' food are way more strict than they are in elementary schools. My mom has to get a food handler's card just to hand out snacks, no nuts/peanut butter, everything has to come out of a freshly opened package, etc. It's state law. If it's a low blood sugar thing you could probably get a note from her doctor and the preschool would have to work something out. Can you get individual containers of soy milk there (like a juice box)?
get a note from her doctor and the preschool would have to work something out.
Ooh. That might have been the case as well in my state. It's been a while. However, i don't think they can deny you if you have a doctor's note. I mean, really, what if your child was allergic to dairy? The parents had to supply the alternative item, but you're willing to do that anyway, so that's not an issue. Anyway, I hope it works out.
I voted. I wish I had had healthier options when I was a kid.
voted!