Parents hungry to get public schools to offer healthier options

[urbanity]

A group of health-conscious parents are hungry to get public schools to offer healthier options | OKG Scene.com

[KTB]

I ate at my daughter's school last year and they were serving cheese nachos. How did that ever get a dietitians approval? I threw it in the trash and shared the lunch I brought. Now I look at the menu before and send a lunch much more often.

[possumfritter]

I don't know what kind of meals they serve at the Middle Schools or High Schools (Punam City School District), but the Elementary Schools leave alot to be desired. Ever notice that the teachers and administrators don't eat cafeteria food?????

There's much more food going into the trash cans than the bellies of the kids!

[ddavidson8]

I work at a public school and I have to tell you, the fattest people in the building are the adults. If you don't like the food your cafeteria serves, pack your kids lunch. I can't be any more expensive. Quit trying to nanny everyone. Good lord.

[oneforone]

Schools used to serve nothing but healthy food. However, Cafeterias were going into debt because of low sales numbers. The majority of students brought their lunch or ate off campus. To make up for the lost revenue they started serving fast food options. It all went down hill from there.

It all comes down to parents encouraging their kids to eat healty. The school cafeterias are ran like businesses or they are ran by businesses. I know Sodexo runs all of Putnam City's cafeterias.

Anymore Cafeterias are just like every other eatery under the sun. They carry what the customer will buy not what they should be eating.

[bandnerd]

I have noticed some small changes in our kids' lunches at my school. I teach in a high school in OKC, so it's the Central Nutrition Services with OKCPS that is in charge of getting the food there.

The vegetable options have branched out from obviously canned and oversalted varieties, and there is a lot of fresh fruit...mostly apples and oranges, but also bananas, peaches (sometimes but also sometimes frozen), pears, strawberries, and grapes.

On the last hot dog day, the buns looked like whole wheat; they obviously were not the typical Wonder white.

They also offer a lighter sandwich meal with things like fruit and Sun Chips--the kids just have to ask in the morning and they'll make it up special for you. Sometimes they also have baked potatoes.

However, the funniest thing we've seen them try is fried green beans. I think they were baked (I've been in the kitchen for spaghetti suppers and haven't noticed a deep fryer).

[possumfritter]

The majority of students brought their lunch or ate off campus. To make up for the lost revenue they started serving fast food options. It all went down hill from there.

That's why there were so many teenagers at Arby's, Braums, McDonalds, Taco Bell, etc. during the lunch hour over by Putnam City North High School?????

I noticed that Ralph Downs Elementary was serving free lunches for two weeks in early May. I imagine they were just trying to get rid of their inventory.

Student's were not allowed to leave the campus during lunch back when I went to high school. But, school lunches were pretty good way back then before chicken nuggets came on the scene.

[rcjunkie]

Norman North considered going to a closed campus, then the task of providing lunch for close to 2000 students made the decision to remain an open campus easy. They do restrict freshman from leaving during lunch.

[Midtowner]

I wonder if these parents would be willing to foot the bill for the cheaper food for both their own kids and those on free and reduced lunch.

I'm guessing not.