Let's talk about (school) lunch

When I think about school lunch, I think about milk in a pouch, rectangle pizza, that pumpkin ice cream they served at Thanksgiving, Cup Noodles, and iceberg lettuce and baby carrots presented as a salad. It's safe to say that the school lunch that I experienced certainly wasn't the healthiest. Not to mention that french fries counted as a vegetable, and you could buy Snickers ice cream bars every day if you wanted.

And judging by the nutrition facts posted by FCPS, they've still got a long way to go (I've got a bone to pick with the fact that elementary schools don't serve green vegetables.. corn isn't a veggie - it's a grain!). Luckily, there's an organization in Fairfax County that is "working to increase the quantities of healthy foods in Fairfax County Public Schools and supporting programs that educate students and their families on making healthier lifestyle choices."

Photo from realfoodsforkids.org

Real Food for Kids is an organization that I'm excited to work with because its focus is to combat childhood obesity by enabling kids to choose and love real foods. Would you believe that FCPS used to serve kids a hamburger with TWENTY-SIX ingredients? A hamburger! Real Food for Kids is already making a difference, and the school system is starting to adjust it's offerings. This year, students are required to have a fruit or veggie with lunch and FCPS is no longer serving food with trans fat.

Whether you're a parent, student, former student, or just interested, you should join me at Marshall High School on October 23rd for Real Food for Kids' Food Day. Starting at 6:00, the night will feature a competition between culinary teams from five high schools and a panel of experts, including chefs, a doctor, and a nutrition policy associate. The students will be tasked with creating a tasty salad bar that meets all of the recommended nutrition guidelines (the salad bar that my high school featured was definitely the highlight of the lunch line, let's be honest), and I think it's going to be fun to see what they come up with.

 If you're interested, you can RSVP to FoodDay2012@realfoodforkids.org.

What school lunch sticks out in your mind? I still think the milk pouches qualify as the most bizarre.