Federal Food

May 17, 2010 • Kari Hernandez  
Filed under Opinion, Uncategorized

Believe it or not, the contents of school lunches are dictated by a complex series of federal guidelines. They require that each meal served must include vegetables, meat, and bread; but where are they? The cuisine carried at Desert Vista ranges from fried burritos to grease drenched pizza without a leafy green in sight— yet they still meet the federal nutrition requirements.  The answer to this vital question comes from what the federal government considers to be a part of each of these food groups.  The “vegetables” served are French fries, the “meat” a few pepperonis, the “bread” a deep fried tortilla, these classifications are so wide that in the 1980s President Regan declared ketchup a vegetable. Loose interpretations of what a “vegetable” is may make for a tasty lunch today, but what they mean for tomorrow is obesity, diabetes, and a lifetime fight to get rid of the fat.

America’s childhood obesity rate is at an all time high, and some of the blame can be placed on these lax government rules. Students learn more than just science and math in school; they learn social skills, work ethic, and (most importantly for the discussion at hand) eating habits. When children are given an unhealthy lunch daily for years, they become accustomed to eating those foods on a regular basis, and thus end up eating foods high in fat and sugar for the rest of their lives. Schools play a huge role in their student’s futures, so they should be more responsible about the food they serve; but, this is easier said than done because schools are so comfortable with existing menus. To elicit real change, the government needs to tighten regulations on what should be served in schools, and clear up the classifications currently allowing junk food to be considered nutritious. These small changes would cause children throughout the United States to recognize what is “good” and “bad” food nutritiously, putting America on the road to a healthier tomorrow.

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