DAY 103 -- School lunches.

My husband told me about a school district where the parents are suing  because the school made it mandatory that kids have to purchase their lunches there.  The school is trying to promote healthy lunches after noticing that many of the students bring junk food to eat.  The parents say it is their right to send whatever they wish in their children's sack lunches.

I can see why the schools would push for healthy lunches since studies show positive affects (academically and behaviorally) of healthy lunches, but it really goes against my grain to have something made "mandatory."  I can see a couple problems with the schools requiring students to purchase lunch there... some will go without lunch because they don't like what's being served... some students suffer food allergies, so how will the schools handle their special needs? ... and some parents might actually want to send what they consider even healthier foods with their child (organic, natural).

It saddens me that obesity and health issues are such a problem for youth, and that parents are not stepping up to the plate on behalf of their children's health.  Sure, they have the right to send whatever they wish in their children's lunches, so why not use that right to teach their children that healthy foods are tasty and preferable for meals?  Let the snack foods be for snack foods and let the majority of their meals be nutritious!