School Bites Lesson: Persistence Pays Off When It Comes to Improving School Food
| April 18, 2012 | Posted by Stacy under Improving school food |
After talking to our school principal and Parents Auxiliary (P.A.) president, I felt like my effort to create a Wellness Committee at my son’s school wasn’t gaining traction. So I decided to crash the Parents Auxiliary meeting in hopes of finding support.
I half feared that I would be pelted with tomatoes (after all, the suggestion of cutting back on cupcakes doesn’t always go over well with people). After an hour and a half of listening to discussions about technology and budgets, I got my chance to speak. Good news: Instead of shooting down my idea, the auxiliary gave its collective “thumbs up” to starting a new committee and asked if I wanted to help spearhead the effort.
So if all goes according to plan, I will be helping to launch the committee with another mom (a former teacher and P.A. member) who shares my passion for healthy eating. Pending approval from the principal, our first step will be to gather input from parents and staff (we want all opinions to be considered!). In the meantime, we’re brainstorming ways to “healthy up” the school (with small, positive changes–no cupcake bans or sugar police!) and teach our kids how yummy nutritious food can be.
As anyone who has ever tried knows, making change at a school can be tough. But you’ll never succeed if you don’t try. When it comes to proposing changes related to eating, I think it’s key to keep it positive! In other words, don’t be critical or suggest a bunch of restrictions–you’re almost bound to run into opposition. Instead, focus on taking proactive steps and offering realistic solutions.
MORE STORIES WORTH CHECKING OUT:
- The kids are back at school, and healthy changes are in the air!
- Just say “NO!” to food rewards at school: a must-read guide for parents!
- 3 great resources for parents wanting to improve school food
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.
[…] my blog know, I acted on my frustration. I asked to start a wellness committee (and help start one I did!). And while things are far from perfect, I have noticed some positive changes this school […]