School Lunch

I was reading yesterday's paper this morning (I know, don't ask) and I came across an article about Healthy School Lunches. The University of Minnesota did a study and found that kids will still buy and eat school lunches if they are healthy, and imagine their surprise to discover that it does NOT cost more to prepare healthy lunches for students.

The school district in St. Paul, MN is a model that other schools should follow according to the study. I would certainly appreciate it if our Volusia County School leaders would take a look at our lunch program and steal some ideas from them.

The culinary director for Volusia County Schools, Costas Magoulas was named one of the top 20 Chef's in Central Florida by the Restaurant Forum Magazine. I am thinking this was NOT when he was planning the school lunches. My kids hate the food at the school, I have surveyed other parents at soccer games, the library, the grocery store, all around town and I have yet to find anyone whose kid "likes" the lunches. Everyone thinks it is great they get free breakfast but the lunches are awful....nasty as my daughter puts it.

As parents we need to make some noise and be heard on this issue. Our kids go to school 180 days a year, that is 180 meals that they eat at school, 360 if they eat breakfast. Many parents pack their kids lunches just so they will eat, but for some parents these school meals are the only ones they may get all day, the reduced and free lunch program is widely used in our county.

What are your kids eating for lunch today?