I must have gone to really strange schools...however, I went to public schools K-12, and a State University.
I was taught health and nutrition all through school and I HAD to take a Fitness/Wellness class to graduate from college. The fitness part was a PE class that focused on a cardio exercise, and the Wellness part was lecture about exercise and eating healthy.
Maybe I was just one of the few people who paid attention in those classes.
Although, I haven't always done what I KNOW I should be doing...I think there's a lot of that out there too. There are a LOT of people that know how they should be eating, they just prefer not to, and are looking for the quick fix.
Dawn
"Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire." anonymous
Posts: 4319 | Location: Indianapolis, IN | Registered: March 15, 2004
quote:Originally posted by GoingSkiing: Joe is really an average kid out ds school. About 30% of the kids are on the free lunch program. Statistically, 35% of them won't graduate from HS.
35%!? Wow! That is a really high percentage, isn't it? I mean, I have no idea what the average is, but that seems high. I remember that graduating high school was the first time I realized that not everyone in the class graduates (duh!). In my senior high school class, there were 110 kids enrolled and 94 graduated. I remember being so surprised that 16 kids (about 15%) of our class didn't graduate.
quote:They have Top Ramen, cookies or grilled cheese sandwiches (on white bread with margarine smeared on all four sides of the bread for lunch or snacks.
Sadly, this does not surprise me. Even here in a major metropolitan area, where I think more people tend to be healthy eaters, people still look at me like an alien sometimes when I talk about how I eat now. I would be willing to bet that most families where I come from (especially the poorer ones) are eating much the way you describe Joe's family eating.
Posts: 7313 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
I'm 30, and have taken my education further than a lot of people (and I know I have my parents to thank for much of that).
When we go to eat with friends, I'm routinely astounded at the "healthy" choices they make. At one house, we're routinely served a meal made completely of packaged foods. Another couple has no idea how to cook and most often have microwave mac & cheese and grilled steaks for dinner. Even those who are trying to eat healthier still haven't educated themselves on nutrition.
Yet every single one of them, when invited over for dinner, are astounded at the food that results from fresh, wholesome ingredients. "I never bought cucumbers, I don't know what to do with them", "The tomatoes I buy are always yucky-tasting", "Grocery shopping takes too much time, so we eat out most of the time."
And these are people who went to school when I did.
This is a thread from another website by a mom who visited her daughter's school lunch in Japan.
You'll be amazed at the difference.
D
Challenge Goals: *10 minutes of unplanned exercise five times a week *Gym time twice a week *Socialize at least once every two weeks.
The task of educating parents about whole grains, fruits and vegs is a totally overwhelming task in our neighborhood. I can't even imagine where to begin...
Yeah, and some of the first classes cut for "budget" reasons are Health and Phys Ed. and then we wonder why we're a nation of obese people...
Dawn
"Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire." anonymous
Posts: 4319 | Location: Indianapolis, IN | Registered: March 15, 2004
A friend of my son's has been at our house 6 - 14 hours a day since school got out in mid-June. He sleeps over several nights a week.
His whole family is 50-100 lbs overweight. Joe is probably 50 lbs overweight. All of the adults smoke. They may be HS graduates - but maybe not. Joe pretty much lives at his grandmother's. His mom is a bank teller, lives a few blocks away and has just moved into the apartment but they haven't gotten a bed for Joe yet... The apartment is probably really a financial stretch for her and I will not be surprised if she needs to move again soon.
Both Joe and Jamie are twelve. I think Joe's grandma is maybe about 55 and is mom looks about 30 - 35 to me. Grandma's had a stroke and is in wheelchair, but is in bed most of the time. Jamie often goes to Joe's grandma's house for a little while. They have Top Ramen, cookies or grilled cheese sandwiches (on white bread with margarine smeared on all four sides of the bread [ds gave a full report and commented that he knows why Joe is so overweight]), for lunch or snacks.
Jamie slept over their house once but he didn't like the cigarette smoke. Joe's family also curse at each other - or rather the adults curse at each other and Joe. He said that Joe and his Grandma have a ritual of ice cream and cookies about 11pm. I'm sure that love is expressed in their house with cookies.
Joe's eaten LOTS of meals at our house (like two a day...). He always says that the food is good. When I make a sandwich it is on WW and he has never complained. In the afternoon, I'll say, "Do you guys want strawberries, grapes or frozen grapes?" and they eat fruit or a p&j sandwich for a snack every day. Joe's asked for soda a couple of times when we go bowling, but I almost always say no. They get a soda about once a week.
Joe never turns in homework. Joe was supposed to go to summer school. Summer school is not enrichment here. It is for failing kids and at risk kids. He hasn't gone to summer school and we don't know what will happen next year.
Joe is really an average kid out ds school. About 30% of the kids are on the free lunch program. Statistically, 35% of them won't graduate from HS.
I've met both his grandmother and mom. They are really nice people, but they are really clueless. The school and teachers have not been able to get them to understand that Joe needs to turn in homework or go to summer school. Joe's family all speak English as their first language. About 20% of the parents don't speak English. There are schools in CA where 100% of the parents don't speak English.
The task of educating parents about whole grains, fruits and vegs is a totally overwhelming task in our neighborhood. I can't even imagine where to begin...
Posts: 8691 | Location: Silicon Valley, CA | Registered: March 17, 2004
Ack, I remember in Jr High we had a snack bar, where we could get our lunches if we didn't want cafeteria food. I have no idea how I manage to sit and learn when all I ate was chips, ice cream bars, and cherry coke.
__________________________ DUM SPIRO, SPERO Check up on me!: My Sparkpeople Log
Posts: 1427 | Location: Phoenix, AZ | Registered: March 11, 2004
In the movie Supersize Me, a school in Appleton, WI is showcased. They shifed from typical school lunch menus to whole grain and whole foods. They said that is is not more expensive and that the kids love it, behave well and don't miss the pizza and nachos.
There are also a handul of schools in CA growing some of thier own food and doing food prep. It is all built into the curriculum. I don't know much about it, but hope to learn more.
School meals should definitly be healthier. However, I hate to see them react to a fad diet. Nutritionists and dieticians should be designing our children's lunches.
Looking back, in all reality, I don't think our school lunches were that bad. We could choose chef salads in Middle School, and our H.S. had a salad bar when I was there. We at least had that alternative. But, I also went to a very small school system, and I think our lunches were better than most school lunches.
Dawn
"Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire." anonymous
Posts: 4319 | Location: Indianapolis, IN | Registered: March 15, 2004
as we know, low carb isn't exactly a healthy way to eat 24/7...but if you have seen what the kids are getting, it is a start. As KD reported low carb is on the way out the door, hopefully schools don't spend big bucks to catch up.
Unfortunately, Jeri, I have to disagree with you, at least for the schools around here. They don't even try to do better. They will tell us that this is what the gov't sends them. That is about as phony as the meat they serve. They can request money from the gov't instead of processed rot. Our kids deserve to much better. And for some of them, even, in South Dakota where we produce beef, chicken, vegetables, etc., this might be the only healthy meal they get. It is a very sad affair.... Guess I'd better get my soap box warmed up for the new school year.
It's never too late to get it right.
Posts: 3473 | Location: Central USA | Registered: March 11, 2004
It would be nice if cafeterias offered more real and whole foods and less processed garbage. Of course, since the funding is tight, I think they do the best they can.
----------- Jen
Posts: 2868 | Location: Ohio | Registered: March 11, 2004
