Nov
2
The Government Needs to Force Healthy Fresh Options in Our Schools
Healthy fresh options in school needs to be forced by government.
In a recent conversation with a close friend, I discussed the eating habits of my child’s classmate. He had completely eaten an entire package of snack cookies and gulped a large sport drink. He had left the sandwich untouched. When I question him about whether or not he was going to eat the remaining sandwich packed for him, he said no. He was full off of the cookies and drink packed in his lunch.
After telling my friend the story, she simply shook her head and suggested that the schools are failing the children in this area. The schools, she argued, should be involved in teaching parents how to make better fresh healthy vending choices. I responded that I thought the responsibility fell squarely on the shoulders of the parents. I believe that the parents should be advocates of their child’s diet.
First Lady Michelle Obama has focused her advocacy efforts on the issue of childhood obesity under her “Let’s Move” program initiative. One figure on her advocacy website says that one-third of children in America are considered to be overweight or obese. This figure has tripled in the past three decades. When Congress takes up the next session, they will be tackling the childhood nutrition measure, which will expand government involvement in fresh vending food programs in the nation’s schools. The primary objective of the bill is to create new mandates for fresh healthy vending and nutrition programs for schools. If the measure is passed, fresh healthy vending options will become a major part of the program and funds will be provided for dinner programs.
While the nation does struggle with major healthy issues, the government’s program will be costly to taxpayers. The program is likely to expand in size and scope quickly. Until the children entered school, I had no idea that breakfast was provided to students. I recently discovered that the programs had been in place for some time. There are even summer programs and after-school fresh vending options in place for many communities. These programs are mostly funded by tax dollars. Even the fresh vending marketing materials are funded by taxpayer dollars. The marketing literature is designed to expand the existing programs already in place.
There is another pending piece of legislation that will offer tax breaks and subsidies to open fresh healthy vending grocery stores in low-income communities. It remains to be seen whether or not these efforts will be successful.
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