School Lunch Reflects Cultural Values
Cookus Interruptus has begun work on the CPPW (Communities Putting Prevention to Work) grant creating workshops to train school food service workers on the wonders of whole foods cooking. Margaret Dam RD, Child Nutrition Coordinator for Auburn School District is overseeing the grant. Carol White, MS, RD is busy writing sections of the workbook needed for the project and we have lined up a stellar group of teachers to give the workshops.
As I work on this project, I am always mindful of how handcuffed the system is by lack of funds. In King County the budget for school lunch is about $2.75 per child per lunch. About 50% of that goes to labor leaving only around $1.37 for food. But lack of funding doesn’t excuse everything.
The French have a different take on school lunch: ” The variety on the menus is astonishing: no single meal is repeated over the 32 school days in the period, and every meal includes an hors d’oeuvre, salad, main course, cheese plate and dessert.” Mary Brighton is a US mom living in Paris who writes the blog brightonyourhealth. She’s been comparing French school lunches to a fare served at a school in New Jersey for a number of days. Here’s a sample from Mary’s blog:
Toms River, NJ
Choice of 1 main dish, 2 sides and served with a half pint of milk
Baked Ziti with Meatballs or Macaroni and Cheese
Potato Wedges and Applesauce
Pau, France
Served with slices of baguette and water
Grapefruit
Turkey Pieces with Sweet and Sour Sauce
Rice with Diced Vegetables “Brunoise”
Creamy Sheep Cheese and an Apple
You might think that they have a great deal more $ to spend on each school lunch. According to a recent video on CBS news (worth a watch) about $5 per child is budgeted in Parisian schools, but in southern France one chef is creating gourmet feasts for ½ that – an amount comparable to King County.
The French feel it is important to train young children to appreciate good food. Gourmet lunches made from fresh food begin in nursery school. Lunch time in a French school is generally longer than in the US so that the children can eat at a leisurely pace and enjoy the company of their friends. Imagine that.
Tags: brightonhealth, CBS, CPPW grant, French school lunch, school lunch, workshops for school food service workers
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Yes, my son, just turning six, has eaten a varied diet from the beginning. He eats well, and many types of food. The length of time to eat is interesting… we eat slow at home. Now in Kindergarten, he has 1/2 an hour, which is not long enough for him. We have a long way to go! A half an hour to eat works if you are eating for function only… but doesn’t help to connect with your family/friends, nor to take a moment to appreciate how that food ended up on your plate.
And he goes to a Waldorf School- where they at least express appreciation for the food before eating, but it’s not France! The food and environment in an American public school cafeteria is a deterrent factor for me- I’d consider home schooling if I wasn’t getting financial assistance for a Waldorf school, just so the full experience of growing, preparing, and cooking food could still be experienced(as he has had thus far). I know, what about academics? Well, education is about more than rote rehearsal of numbers and letters! Thanks Cookus Interruptus for promoting whole foods!
Comment by Colleen — November 2, 2010 @ 8:33 pm
I’m quite happy that my daughter doesn’t like school lunches. I pack her lunch every day. However, I see how many kids are on free or reduced lunch and cringe at the junk my school district gives these children. Again, I am reminded that those who are the poorest eat the worst. Shouldn’t it be a priority that these children learn to eat well by being served healthy food at school?
I also hate the fact that my daughter gets 30 minutes for lunch/recess. She is in school from 8 am until 3:30 pm and only gets one lunch recess. Her eating lunch should not have to compete with her only play time during the school day.
Comment by Sam — November 2, 2010 @ 10:46 pm
The farm organization, Growing Washington, that I work for and the job position I reside in, allow me to promote the Washington (and nationwide) Farm-to-School program.
Here in Whatcom County, the Bellingham school district along with others in Whatcom and King county are currently integrating some of our local farm food- like organic carrots and potatoes- for which we deliver directly to the districts. Unfortunately most small local farms cannot afford/have time to deliver direct.
Most schools are used to (and thus are resistant/unable to change) ordering their food from distributors, like Sysco and Food Service of America. Distributors like Charlies Produce, and recently Sysco, are taking huge strides to add local farm fresh foods to their supply/delivery.
It seems that School Districts see ’short supply’ (due to seasonal availability and lack of local farm production rates) as the major concern as to why districts cannot purchase more local food for the schools. I agree that supply availability is part of the problem, although, I agree that other practices need to be integrated at the same time. Local Farm Supply cannot increase without increasing local support from within the schools. Support includes demanding food service distributors provide food from local farmers, teaching Food preparers how to store whole food and then how to prepare nutritious wholesome and delicious meals, and finally changing the way kids perceive what is ‘good food’. Currently, kids simply don’t see food for what it is- life. Let’s bring back the adage- You are what you eat.
I am confidant that your guidance to School Food Preparers and provision of supplemental workbooks is a much needed part of the solution to the problem of US school lunches. As a mother and activist for CHANGE in school lunches (and the food system as a whole), I thank you. See you in the classroom! -Maggie
Comment by Maggie — November 5, 2010 @ 11:30 am
To all the staff at cookus interruptus! Thanks for including my site in your article…Personally, I find it difficult to digest the food that is served in some of the American school lunch programs. Where we live in Pau, France, it seems on the other side to have a major emphasis on using local foods and very diverse menus. Currently looking at other school lunch programs around America, (Boston, Seattle among others) and am a bit more reassured but still there is so much work to be done! Kids are our future! Be demanding what is served to them! Thanks for your encouragement and support on thinking to the nutritional future for our kids…
Comment by Mary Brighton — November 5, 2010 @ 3:10 pm