http://seattlest.com/2007/06/06/ladies_who_lunch.php All comments for Ladies Who Lunch en-us 2009 seattle_katelyn Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:00:00 -0800 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss kbhackett@gmail.com kbhackett@gmail.com 60 http://seattlest.com/2007/06/06/ladies_who_lunch.php#comment-1122631 http://seattlest.com/2007/06/06/ladies_who_lunch.php#comment-1122631 Comments Thu, 07 Jun 2007 11:43:39 -0800 <p>Just what Seattlest needs...a serious comment to a snarky post. Any more of this and we'll turn into DailyKos or something. </p> http://seattlest.com/2007/06/06/ladies_who_lunch.php#comment-1122425 http://seattlest.com/2007/06/06/ladies_who_lunch.php#comment-1122425 Comments Thu, 07 Jun 2007 07:23:58 -0800 <p>One person in Chicago does not speak for the nation's school lunches. Especially when the meals involved in that school are from a management company more interested in making money. The research out there is clear on the progress most schools have made in offering healthful and tasy school lunches. Last year a New York based global market research firm - NPD - found that "secondary students are increasingly consuming more healthful food options, such as fruit, salads, and milk and passing by traditional fast food staples at school." The study shows that milk, bottled water, salads, and fruit were among the most highly demanded food items in the 05-06 school year. Typical fast food items, such as soda, burgers, French fries, and pizza saw a decrease in demand. The study noted that students ate more school lunches as a result of the healthful options being offered. Yup - good food offered and kids purchased it. Nationwide. Schools are stepping up implementing wellness and nutrition policies that spark a number of healthy changes; offering greater choices for fruit, vegetables and whole grain foods; revamping menus and cutting fat, sugar and calories; reducing portion sizes; implementing a “marketing push” for greater consumption of healthier fare as well as lifestyle issues (i.e., exercise, nutrition education, etc.); providing interactive nutrition education in the classroom; and encouraging student participation in taste tests of new, low-fat food items. These are the trends in schools and if they haven't happened at a school near you then they are coming. Now... when are parents going to take some responsibility and do their part as well? And when are editorials going to address the parents that send their kids to school with a bag of chips and a soda for lunch everyday? </p>