Preschooler's lunch confiscated

Apparently, the government thinks 3 chicken nuggets they provide is a healthier lunch than the one her mom provided: a turkey and cheese sandwich, chips, a banana, and apple juice.

http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=8762

 

Holy cow. This whole thing is a crock. What's to stop the school from telling every kid their lunch isn't good enough just to force them to pay for the cafeteria tray.

Arg! This rule shouldn't even be in place. It's none of the government's business what I feed my children! (Anyone else thinking of the "homefeeding" parody article right now?)

Technically, with apple juice and a banana, the child had two servings of fruit.

 

Amie, I thought of the homefeeding parody too. LOL. So they seriously have a state lunch inspector? That almost sounds comical. Like the opening line of a joke. A person who walks around and looks in kids' lunchboxes. Invasion of privacy, much? I am trying to understand why a turkey sandwich and a banana is unhealthy. It's what I had for lunch yesterday and I'm just fine. Well, I just get more and more thankful my kids are at home.

 

YEP!!! I was thinking of it, Amie!!!

So the kid ate three Chicken Nuggets. And that was it? And how was that more nutritious? Let's see...meat/protein (well, MAYBE meat, maybe not, lol!), no fruit, no dairy, no veggies.... What if a kid is a vegetarian? Do they still insist on meat each day?

What's more, it DOES meet the guidlines:

The Division of Child Development and Early Education at the Department of Health and Human Services requires all lunches served in pre-kindergarten programs — including in-home day care centers — to meet USDA guidelines. That means lunches must consist of one serving of meat, one serving of milk, one serving of grain, and two servings of fruit or vegetables, even if the lunches are brought from home.

The child had meat...turkey grain...bread milk (dairy)....cheese two fruit/veggies....banana, apple juice

So what's left? What's the problem?

 

I'd guess that "meat" is defined as protein. Meaning a variety of nuts or veggies (i.e. Tofu) would suffice. But then again, I'm giving a lot of credit to an organization that is clearly overreaching.

Even the person quoted in the article (from the government) said that it sounds like it was a totally OK lunch.

 

I wonder if they know what chicken nuggets are made of and how they are made.
I would have been pissed and they had the nerve to charge for that junk meal.

 

I think what bothers me most is that this is for ALL pre-k programs, INCLUDING in-home daycare. So if you hire your neighbor to watch your kid, she needs to be licensed by the state and follow their guidelines?

 

This is scary to say the least. SMH.

 

Goodness. You'd think they had more to worry about!!

 

Who hired the food police? I would be livid if that were my child. The mother packed an appropriate lunch and now they want to charge her for the garbage they substituted? NO WAY would I put up with that!

 

BTW, at my dh's middle school, they seperate the boys and girls during lunch. One group eats while the other is at "recess", and then they switch. This has REALLY cut down on behavior problems! But some inspector came through about a month ago, and has decreed that this is "discrimatory" and must stop right away. ONE INSPECTOR!!! And understand that both groups got the SAME food. And it wasn't as if the second group was running out or anything; there was plenty of food!

 

Good grief! Did the inspector explain exactly 'how' that's discriminatory? We had to have multiple lunch times when I was in school because there wasn't room for everyone to comfortably sit and eat.

 

Oh, and here's a link to a political blog that provides more info:

http://hotair.com/archives/2012/02/...teria-lunch-because-moms-isnt-healthy-enough/

 

That's crazy! Overstepping, much? Geez.

 

Separating the guys and girls is what is discriminatory. That's segregation, which cannot be allowed.

 

I would have my kids cause a scene anytime food was given to them. I am not one to quietly let people bully me. Of course, since I homeschool, I would just pull my kid out. Also, what about food allergies? Not all kids can eat everything the USDA says they should eat. I predict a lawsuit will ensue over this issue.

 

Shaking head.

 

I was wondering if this would show up here -- btw, while it was a state inspector, the meal "guidelines" (is it a guide if they're requiring it?) are federal.

What I find worrisome is the old saw about homeschooling - you don't need to be a registered dietician, and yet you are "allowed" to feed your family, why shouldn't you be able to educate your children? I really didn't think it would be this soon that parents in general would no longer be considered competent to feed their own children.

BTW - the real shocker to me was that, when I posted this on FB, all my friends whose children/grandchild attend public school that responded that they deal with this sort of thing.

 

Unbelievable. I think the government is going a little too far with their regulations.

 

That lunch is way healthy compared to many I've seen.

When my oldest was in child care the caregiver gave her junkfood out of the other kids lunchboxes "because she was missing out." I didn't give her junk because - a. she had allergies resulting in rashes, vomiting, fever, nightmares, and hysterical crying) and b. she didn't need it. The other parents weren't happy to hear the caregiver was taking food out of their children's lunchboxes. The caregiver didn't understand why I took my child out of her care and put her in with another carer.

My mum was called into school about my brother's lunches because his sandwiches were made with white bread. At least he ate his sandwiches.