This was such a fun contest. Congrats Chanelle! That milk in a baggie was tough to beat:) I'm glad your family gets to have a year of organic milk...sans bag!
I can't wait to get my lunchbox system and snack taxi lunch bags! I promised my school's librarian that she could have my prize if I won (she gave some much needed after lunch moral support:). Since I have two, I can keep one!
This is such excellent information! Our food choices shouldn't be informed by fear but rather by awareness and education. I'm learning that eating doesn't have to be feast or famine; instead, a happy medium of balanced nutrition and 'fun' treats (you know what I'm talking about) helps keep the pleasure and joy in being nutritious and healthy.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments. I completely agree with your thinking about what makes something local - the word is bandied about in so many ways that are completely unsustainable it can be difficult to sort out what's what. But if people like you are thinking about it and making conscious choices, that will help a lot.
Great article! I've never believed the nonsense about cholesterol that big pharma has been forcing on the people for years. Hopefully more people will break away from believing that drugs cure all! Eating right goes a long way.
What a great movie. I'll be seeing it opening night in Minneapolis!
I also follow an online weekly documentary series that follows the culinary, agricultural and hunting explorations of chef and activist, Daniel Klein. It' shows us how to appreciate and understand where good food comes from and how to enjoy it.
Great post, thanks. I did have a couple of questions. I've heard from friends in the 'food industry' that sometimes organic meats are a bit sketchy because the animals aren't given antibiotics ever, even when they need it. that means that a sore on a cow in an organic farm may fester while the conventionally raised cow heals. I buy organic whenever I can, I'm just wondering if you have heard anything about this, if you think there's anything to it.
One other questions, if all you say is true, how come our Individual Health Insurance doesn't cover some of these better foods. I would think that some of the people in white towers might determine that it pays better for insurance companies if we were all eating better.
In case my middle school english teacher is reading this(hey Mrs. M)...I would like to blame the grammatical errors above on the aforementioned marshmallow. It has nothing to do with me not proof-reading or the lack of spell check in the comments section...
Hey guys!
I just wanted to toss in my $1.25 about the contest and the above comments. Speaking as a parent who participated, I, and I'm sure the other parents, took the contest idea to heart and did it "in the spirit of being engaged, having fun, building community, opening our eyes, and making a difference in the lives of our kids." Keeping with that mind-set, this platform didn't seem appropriate to act negative towards our schools. We are guests of this blog, and participants in the contest, it's only polite to embrace their concept. Yes, the lunches are gross, but my take on the contest was to really get in there and see it from a child's perspective. The last thing I, and the other parents, want to do is upset our schools on behalf of a contest. We need them to work with us. We don't want to publicly offend or humiliate the very same people that have welcomed us into the cafeteria. They are in the same boat as us. The schools don't want our kids eating this stuff either.
I understand Catherine's frustration. I understand "anonymous's" retort. We are all passionately upset about the school lunch problem. And with that, comes some very, very strong emotions. I appreciate that. It means that we are all collectively tired with a situation that has gotten completely out of control and out of our hands. We, as parents, have to remember to stick together and listen to each others concerns, whether we like them or not. When we lose sight of that, and stop listening, we forget to go after the real issue...which is finding a way to get better food into our schools. Period.
Yes, there wil be parents who never encourage healthy eating habits. Yes, it will be the most frustrating thing to witness. I, myself, will see things like this and think..."are you kidding me???" But, attacking each other doesn't solve the issue of better food in our schools. It only makes people defensive..and it doesn't help our kids. On the other hand, we also have to remember that some parents have no other option but to have their kids eat school lunches. They do not have the money to pack a nutritious lunch. Too many don't even have the money to pack a lunch at all; healthy or otherwise. And sadly, many of them are very aware that their children HAVE to eat these bad lunches and feel very guilty about it. They know its unhealthy. They see their kids get sick. We need to be sensitive to that before we shame them for letting their children eat a school lunch.
Although I have been very open that I do not blame our my school district or the parents, I have been the recipient of some very hateful emails and have been called some very creative and lively names(not the good kind)by the parents, not my school district. I've been told that I should just keep quiet, quit bitching, and stay away from meetings(like that's going to happen;) Yet, if they could get past the defensive, they might see that I'm beyond concerned about everyone's child, not just mine. That I didn't do this contest, write my blog, or insist we serve better food, to make fun of them. They might even notice, that if I do win this contest, the year supply of milk gets donated to our local food pantry. I'm not in this for me. My only response has been to recognize their frustration and ask, "then what can we do, together, to fix this?" I haven't received a reply yet.
We all want child to eat better, be healthier, and grow up happy. It's hard, but we need to do this together. We have alot of work to do, and some very tough obstacles ahead. We do not have time to fight with each other. Our kids are the only victims of our inability to unite and come together.
I'm sorry for the extra long, unsolicited, sitting around a campfire, koombaya message(and sorry Lee, for writing a book in your comments). I just don't want anyone to forget the root of why we are frustrated. It's not each other. We each share a common thread...our children.
Now, could someone please hand me another marshmallow? I dropped mine in the fire somewhere in the middle of all that.
This was such a fun contest.
This was such a fun contest. Congrats Chanelle! That milk in a baggie was tough to beat:) I'm glad your family gets to have a year of organic milk...sans bag!
I can't wait to get my lunchbox system and snack taxi lunch bags! I promised my school's librarian that she could have my prize if I won (she gave some much needed after lunch moral support:). Since I have two, I can keep one!
This is such excellent
This is such excellent information! Our food choices shouldn't be informed by fear but rather by awareness and education. I'm learning that eating doesn't have to be feast or famine; instead, a happy medium of balanced nutrition and 'fun' treats (you know what I'm talking about) helps keep the pleasure and joy in being nutritious and healthy.
Hey Rhena, Thanks for the
Hey Rhena,
Thanks for the thoughtful comments. I completely agree with your thinking about what makes something local - the word is bandied about in so many ways that are completely unsustainable it can be difficult to sort out what's what. But if people like you are thinking about it and making conscious choices, that will help a lot.
i'm also in favor of happy hour.
-Lee
Great article! I've never
Great article! I've never believed the nonsense about cholesterol that big pharma has been forcing on the people for years. Hopefully more people will break away from believing that drugs cure all! Eating right goes a long way.
What a great movie. I'll be
What a great movie. I'll be seeing it opening night in Minneapolis!
I also follow an online weekly documentary series that follows the culinary, agricultural and hunting explorations of chef and activist, Daniel Klein. It' shows us how to appreciate and understand where good food comes from and how to enjoy it.
http://theperennialplate.com/
Made this for friends this
Made this for friends this weekend with grilled lamb. So delicious. And Lady T would love this vinegary treat.
hi there, i'm looking for
hi there,
i'm looking for this tapioca starch shopping bag manufacturer based in Java island, Indonesia (preferebly in Jakarta/Bandung area).
do you have information on this?
hope to hear a good news from you.
thank you.
Great post, thanks. I did
Great post, thanks. I did have a couple of questions. I've heard from friends in the 'food industry' that sometimes organic meats are a bit sketchy because the animals aren't given antibiotics ever, even when they need it. that means that a sore on a cow in an organic farm may fester while the conventionally raised cow heals. I buy organic whenever I can, I'm just wondering if you have heard anything about this, if you think there's anything to it.
One other questions, if all you say is true, how come our Individual Health Insurance doesn't cover some of these better foods. I would think that some of the people in white towers might determine that it pays better for insurance companies if we were all eating better.
In case my middle school
In case my middle school english teacher is reading this(hey Mrs. M)...I would like to blame the grammatical errors above on the aforementioned marshmallow. It has nothing to do with me not proof-reading or the lack of spell check in the comments section...
Hey guys! I just wanted to
Hey guys!
I just wanted to toss in my $1.25 about the contest and the above comments. Speaking as a parent who participated, I, and I'm sure the other parents, took the contest idea to heart and did it "in the spirit of being engaged, having fun, building community, opening our eyes, and making a difference in the lives of our kids." Keeping with that mind-set, this platform didn't seem appropriate to act negative towards our schools. We are guests of this blog, and participants in the contest, it's only polite to embrace their concept. Yes, the lunches are gross, but my take on the contest was to really get in there and see it from a child's perspective. The last thing I, and the other parents, want to do is upset our schools on behalf of a contest. We need them to work with us. We don't want to publicly offend or humiliate the very same people that have welcomed us into the cafeteria. They are in the same boat as us. The schools don't want our kids eating this stuff either.
I understand Catherine's frustration. I understand "anonymous's" retort. We are all passionately upset about the school lunch problem. And with that, comes some very, very strong emotions. I appreciate that. It means that we are all collectively tired with a situation that has gotten completely out of control and out of our hands. We, as parents, have to remember to stick together and listen to each others concerns, whether we like them or not. When we lose sight of that, and stop listening, we forget to go after the real issue...which is finding a way to get better food into our schools. Period.
Yes, there wil be parents who never encourage healthy eating habits. Yes, it will be the most frustrating thing to witness. I, myself, will see things like this and think..."are you kidding me???" But, attacking each other doesn't solve the issue of better food in our schools. It only makes people defensive..and it doesn't help our kids. On the other hand, we also have to remember that some parents have no other option but to have their kids eat school lunches. They do not have the money to pack a nutritious lunch. Too many don't even have the money to pack a lunch at all; healthy or otherwise. And sadly, many of them are very aware that their children HAVE to eat these bad lunches and feel very guilty about it. They know its unhealthy. They see their kids get sick. We need to be sensitive to that before we shame them for letting their children eat a school lunch.
Although I have been very open that I do not blame our my school district or the parents, I have been the recipient of some very hateful emails and have been called some very creative and lively names(not the good kind)by the parents, not my school district. I've been told that I should just keep quiet, quit bitching, and stay away from meetings(like that's going to happen;) Yet, if they could get past the defensive, they might see that I'm beyond concerned about everyone's child, not just mine. That I didn't do this contest, write my blog, or insist we serve better food, to make fun of them. They might even notice, that if I do win this contest, the year supply of milk gets donated to our local food pantry. I'm not in this for me. My only response has been to recognize their frustration and ask, "then what can we do, together, to fix this?" I haven't received a reply yet.
We all want child to eat better, be healthier, and grow up happy. It's hard, but we need to do this together. We have alot of work to do, and some very tough obstacles ahead. We do not have time to fight with each other. Our kids are the only victims of our inability to unite and come together.
I'm sorry for the extra long, unsolicited, sitting around a campfire, koombaya message(and sorry Lee, for writing a book in your comments). I just don't want anyone to forget the root of why we are frustrated. It's not each other. We each share a common thread...our children.
Now, could someone please hand me another marshmallow? I dropped mine in the fire somewhere in the middle of all that.