Michelle Obama, Can You Hear Us?!? We Need Help Getting Junk Food Out of Our Schools!!
| February 27, 2014 | Posted by Stacy under Cupcakes, Improving school food, Junk food in school, Making change, Wellness policy |
I always planned on having healthy kids. I breastfed. I made homemade baby food. As my children got older, I tried hard to serve fruits and veggies at every meal and limit processed snacks. It wasn’t always easy, but I did the best that I could to instill good eating habits.
Then my kids entered school.
When my oldest child started Kindergarten, I was amazed to find junk food on the menu. He was going to school to learn about reading and math, not donuts and Froot Loops! Every week, it seemed he was given cupcakes, cookies, candy, ice cream and other junky treats at a class party, as a reward, as part of a learning activity, or to raise money for the school.
This giant frosting– and food dye-covered cookie was the “snack” at a first grade class Halloween party that took place just hours before trick or treating.
For the past two years, I have been working hard to change all that. I’ve done everything from talk to my kids’ teachers and principal to promote ideas for healthy class parties to serve on my school district wellness policy committee. Yes, I have seen signs of progress. Yes, I’d do it all again. Yes, I will keep up the fight. But I can’t help but question: Why is this MY job?!?
Though it may feel like it sometimes, I’m not alone in wanting my children to eat healthy at school. A lot of parents are concerned about junk food in their kids’ school classrooms, hallways and cafeterias. While some choose to look the other way, others are standing up and fighting for the health of their kids. Not because they want to or because they have nothing better to do, but because it seems to be their only option.
This is the amount of candy, cupcakes and other junk served up to the same first grade class during the first two weeks of February.
Sadly, parents who suggest swapping cupcakes and candy for fruit kabobs aren’t always received with open arms. All too often, their concerns are dismissed or ignored. Some experience unreturned emails, others blank stares and still others outright hostility. One mom that I know was told by her school principal to stop contacting parents and staff in an effort to campaign for student wellness. So much for grassroots efforts!
As for those wellness policies required for every school participating in the National School Lunch Program? They’re a great idea–and I know that they have tremendous potential. But not if a school district intentionally creates one without teeth—or a school principal refuses to abide by (never mind enforce!) her own district’s rules designed to protect the kids. Unfortunately, it is happening every day, all across our country.
A sugar bomb to celebrate a student’s birthday. 25 kids = 25 sugar bombs during one school year.
Never in my wildest dreams did I expect it to be this hard to get my school district on board with the healthy concepts being promoted by Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! intiative and others. The new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) rules for healthier school meals, snacks and wellness policies are a big step in the right direction for our nation’s kids. But, unfortunately, there remain too many loopholes and not enough accountability.
Every day, I hear stories about Kindergartners being given soda pop at class parties. I hear about students being rewarded with candy bars and Slurpees. I hear schools being described as “Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.” I hear the despondent pleas of parents who are worried about obesity, diabetes and anaphylactic shock.
This was the first of three junk food fundraisers held in a single month at one elementary school.
Michelle Obama, Can You Hear Us? We Need Your Help!!
As Let’s Move! celebrates its 4th anniversary, I am grateful for all our First Lady has done to help make America’s schools healthier. It was her Let’s Move! campaign that inspired me to help start a wellness committee at my kids’ elementary school two years ago. I’m thrilled that she’s made school wellness a focus, and she deserves huge praise for her efforts. Earlier this week, I nearly teared up when I heard about her new proposed rules intended to curb junk food marketing in schools. I know that these are all tremendous steps with the potential to improve the health of countless kids.
But, please, First Lady Obama, don’t stop there! Soda, candy and other unhealthy foods and beverages continue to flow freely at many of our schools. We need to start holding schools accountable for creating a culture of good nutrition and health. We need to provide funding so state agencies can ensure that school districts are in compliance with wellness policy requirements. We need to include rules for classroom food and school fundraisers. Because they DO compete with the federally reimbursed school meal program–and because it is the best thing for our kids.
As she said earlier this week, “Our classrooms should be healthy places where kids aren’t bombarded with ads for junk food. Because when parents are working hard to teach their kids healthy habits at home, their work shouldn’t be undone by unhealthy messages at school.” Yes, but we also need to make them healthy places where kids aren’t bombarded with junk food. There’s still much more that can be done to make sure that ALL kids have their best chance at a healthy future.
Related stories:
What to Do If Your School Wellness Policy Isn’t Being Enforced: A Guide for Parents
Getting Junk Food Out of School: How Your School Wellness Policy Can Help
Taking a Stand Against Junk Food in School–Why It’s Hard But We Need to Anyway!
Rant of the Day: Please Stop Feeding My Kids Junk Food in School!
If you’re fed up with junk food at your child’s school, it’s time to start making some noise. Please share this post on Facebook and Twitter, or leave a comment below and let your voice be heard!
I created this blog to raise awareness and start a dialogue about the various issues involved in school food. By writing about it, I hope to provide parents and educators with ideas and inspiration for making healthy changes in their own schools. Since healthy eating habits start at home, I also address common feeding challenges faced by parents.
I was fooled by our school’s wellness policy. My son entered Kindergarten this year and I was ready to fight given everything I have heard. The policy sounded great so I backed off and put my trust that it was being followed. This week I learned that my son has been buying breakfast almost every day (they come around with a cart right after school starts). Not only was I shocked to find out he has been doing this so regularly without my knowledge, I was appalled at the choices given. Kellogs crunchmania, bagelfuls (look like hot pockets filled with cream cheese), froot loops, apple jacks, cinnamon buns…I looked up the ingredients to each one of these items and while sugar may not be the 1st ingredient (school policy), they are loaded with preservatives, additives, artificial colors and flavors. I work so hard to give my kids food that will feed them. And yes, of course this includes treats. I feel like all of what I have taught him has been undone. He wants to be like “all the other kids”. My son will usually pick the fruit or the better option, but if no better option is being provided how can he do that? He snuck a bag of skittles in (that he got at his Valentine party btw) because “all the kids bring candy”. For a 10am snack!?! I’m just so baffled by the lack of interest about proper nutrition. I can’t tell you how many negative comments I get when I suggest something other than cupcakes or cookies for class parties. It’s so sad. It looks like I am going to have to start the fight at our school.
Believe me, I feel your pain. I hope you do start the fight and are able to find parents, teachers or members of your school administration who understand and value good nutrition. As frustrating as it can be, it is a battle worth fighting.
This goes with my theory about why we had a 43% reduction in obesity for 2–5 year olds but no change for 6–19 year olds.
Wow, very interesting point!! I hadn’t made that connection, Casey!
Great point, Casey! I hadn’t made that connection either but it makes a ton of sense. And Stacy, wonderful post. Not only do we need more to be done regarding fundraisers and after-school events (your photos illustrating that are so telling!), but we also need to make sure that these proposed guidelines about marketing in schools become put into law as mandatory regulations.
P.S. I just typed “after-school events” and meant “in-school events” like your kids’ classroom parties! But really, we need rules about both.
Thank you, Hanna!! I know that change takes time but it is hard to be patient when so much is at stake. Love all that you are doing to keep big businesses accountable and put a stop to junk food marketing to kids.
Thanks for posting! I agree that it’s not just the junk food ads but all the junk food. I also agree that when you suggest things like fruit instead of cupcakes, some people don’t take it very well. I found out recently, my kids school district doesn’t even have a wellness policy or committee. Not sure how that happened. The principal said it will be brought up to administration.
Love it if Michelle Obama some how comes across this blog post. Such an important message to her administration!
Thank you, Amy!! Wow, I’m amazed that your school district doesn’t have a wellness policy. But it’s further evidence that many schools just haven’t gotten the memo. p.s. Love all that you are doing to spread the message of school wellness!!!
This is such an eye-opening post! Although I’m not as aware about the wellness policies on a elementary school level, I definitely see the difference at the university scale. As a Wellesley College student, I can honestly say that I am so thankful for the wellness initiatives that our school promotes. I think that because food can either fuel or prevent a student from doing their best, wellness policies should be enforced! I know that from visiting other colleges, sometimes the only food options available are junk food or fast food vendors. Since many students don’t have that much time in between classes, they often fill up on soda and fries. I hope the Mrs. Obama’s policies are also emphasized for universities!
Lisa — Thanks so much for your weighing in. It is great to get the perspective of a college student! People in their late teens and early 20s can be just as vulnerable to the lure of unhealthy food choices.
AMEN! I feel like I have found my soulmate! I’m the Healthy Lifestyles Chair in both my local & Council-level PTAs. I have been working on this effort for the past 5 years and thought I was making a difference, only to see push back from our new Principal this year. He reinstituted the junk food fundraiser, after a 4 year absence. The school now hands out coupons for junk food when the kids exceed their required reading minutes. Sodas have returned to classroom parties even though we banned them last year. I have never experienced 5 years of hard work being flushed down the toilet so quickly! And sadly, I’m the only parent willing to speak up about it. I’m not sure why — fear of retribution against their child? It’s maddening! So thank you for this post & all the others I can’t wait to read. Keep up the great work!
Paige — Hello, soul mate!! I am SO sorry to hear about how your GREAT work has been undone by the new school principal. Upsetting to say the least! This is a perfect example of why we need firm and enforceable policies about classroom food. Schools should be required to curb junk food in the classroom, at school fundraisers, etc. Making it voluntary results in situations like yours. It is sad that more parents are unwilling to speak up but I also can’t blame them for not wanting to. Hopefully the message will get thru to Washington that we need HELP getting junk food out of our schools. I was recently advised to start a local coalition to address food choices for kids. Perhaps that is something you could do? Power in numbers!
That’s great I agree we need better food in schools but what about our food in general.…No more GMOs, we need labeling to tell us what we are really eating, and so sad to find out that even things marked organic get away with not really being organic because it isn’t marked 100% orgnanic. What happened to False advertisement and consequences.…big business greed that’s what and we are paying in cancer left and right! So yes healther food in schools but can we get real food in the USA again please.
Soo, you’re proposing to take away birthday treats and valentine’s day candy? That’s a bit ridiculous. It’s tradition to give out treats such as cupcakes and candy on valentine’s day and birthdays.
Kids need more sugar than adults do anyways, as they are supposed to have lots of energy. Just a few cupcakes and candy won’t make children suddenly obese.
I understand that you want to get rid of unhealthy items in the lunch lines, but really, instead of getting rid of them, you can instead teach your children to control themselves when there is fatty and sugary options available, because when they grow up and go out in the real world, they won’t know what to do because their parent’s won’t be protecting them.
A little bit of sugar will NOT hurt!
I do, though, agree with the healthier options in the lunch lines. There is quite a lot of unhealthy items there, so it would be good to even it out with healthy options too!