A private, West Hollywood elementary school has decided to battle obesity. The district has developed a fresh, whole food approach to hot lunch.
According to Juliet Chung, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, hot lunch is now purchased at the Whole Foods Market. What is the menu likely to offer?
- Baked chicken simmered with Kalamata olives and roasted red peppers.
- Freshly prepared lasagna layered with organic, turkey-studded marinara sauce.
- Jewel-toned zucchini steamed until fork-tender.
Andrew Rakos, the general manager of Fountain Day School which charges $850 tuition per month, says, "Everybody ends up picking up on that talk about obesity and how Americans need to eat healthier. By helping children have a taste for whole foods and natural things instead of being soaked in salts and butters, we're creating healthy bodies, healthy minds, healthy tastes."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated in 1980 that 7% of children ages 6-11 were obese. These statistics have risen to 18.8% in 2004. Schools around the nation have recently responded by removing junk food machines, pop machines, and changing lunch menus.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District offers salads from the local The Los Angeles farmers market. The Leadership Academy in Koreatown now has a scratch kitchen that does not use refined flour, red meat or sugar.
Just For the Rich?
Critics argue that health food is great and many overweight students have lost weight on this new program. But, what about the students who's parents can not afford $850 a month in tuition? What do they get to eat in their schools that do not have a million dollar food budget? Perhaps, school lunches should be reviewed for all children.
And, what about the other parts of the country that do not have farmers markets available throughout the year? Should good nutrition be just for the elite in warmer climates?
Many schools are beginning to cut recess and physical education from their curriculum to save money and get more classroom time to teach math and reading in preparation for standardized testing. Will it do much good to improve nutrition but cut down on activity of children? Perhaps, we should consider improving nutrition and increasing activity.
Related articles:
Recess Becoming Obsolete, Kiss Mountain Dew Goodbye!, Moving Classrooms
Read previous articles on Educational Issues.
Copyright article 2006 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
