Bill Would Ban 'Junk Food' From Schools

[Thurston Howell IV]

TRENTON, N.J. - "Junk food" from candy bars to soda would be prohibited from all public elementary and middle schools in the state under legislation approved by an Assembly committee Monday.

The bill would ban the sale of foods that are defined as having minimal nutritional value by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (news - web sites) from being sold until 30 minutes after the end of the school day.

Schools would only be allowed to have vending machines that sell whole grain foods, juice, water, milk and similar products available during the school day.

"Public schools need to be a place where both healthy minds and bodies are created," said Assemblyman Craig Stanley, D-Essex, a co-sponsor of the bill. "Sugary, fat-laden foods have no place in our schools."

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040915/ap_on_he_me/junk_food_schools_1

[Ohio Dem]

1. I'm for it.

For health reasons, but also any teacher knows what a pain in the ass the sugar is in the afternoon. And, there's nothing to sneak into class.

It's time corporations like Pepsi and Lays are stopped from having contracts with public schools.

[Krupskaya]

2. Me too.

It burns me up the way communities don't fund their schools enough and then all the junk food corps come in with cheap food and a new scoreboard for the football field. :mad:

[fortyfeetunder]

6. Amen to that

This will be a new soapbox for my kid's elementary school. If anything the communities should be instead endorsing food from local farms, but then we don't support those hardworking people either....grrrr....

[MountainLaurel]

3. Sugary, fat-laden foods

Have no place in schools? Someone should tell that to the middle school where my buddy taught: During the state standardized tests, they handout out free donuts and chocolate milk every morning.

[dweller]

4. 'what will we tell the children?'

Pepsi/Coke/TacoBell/Dominoes is not a food group, for starters.

They are a corporatist conglomeration built on bilking you of your health, and you and your parents of their $$.

for gods sake, pack a sandwich. An apple. A day.
dp

[osaMABUSh]

5. Today my son, on the 8th Grade Student Council, said that

at his school the new principal this year banned most vending machines sales. They still have fruit juices on sale during school hours.

He agreed that it is the right thing to do. There is, however, Coke (or Pepsi) machines - I guess Coke and Pepsi are too powerful - but sales are prohibited during school hours.

Kind of reminds me of the old marketing of cigarettes to kids - get them hooked young on Coke and Diet Coke and you have a (unhealthy) customer for a life.

[onecent]

7. What??? No more tater tots, no more corn dogs?

No more pizza????? booo hooooooo....

[Ilsa]

16. It depends on how these items are made...

Corn dogs are fine if the weiners are made with 100% beef (I like Hebrew National) and not soaked in oil. Same with tater tots and pizza: they can be prepared in a delicious and healthy manner.

[richmwill]

8. As for the vending machines...

I'm all for taking those out, they shouldn't be there- they have no place in a school. But the segment that bans "junk food" from being brought to the school from home? I have a huge problem with that. It should be no business of the school what a parent decides to send their children to school with for lunch. What's next to be banned- sandwiches? Are only tofu-based, organically grown foods going to be allowed for lunch? Going too far here, in my opinion.

[booksenkatz]

9. My son's school

My son is in Kindergarten at a Montessori school where the kids only drink milk or water or (in moderation) 100% fruit juice. Meals from home are strictly monitored for candy and cookies. The daycare ladies really ride the parents on this! I can't BEGIN to describe how different their classrooms are. The kids, these young kids, are so quiet and calm and focused all day long, even in large groups. I do think that the school has a right to monitor what comes from home, because the teachers are the ones that have to deal with the result. Some of the new parents usually complain a bit i.e. "but it's ALL he will eat." A young child only knows about junk food because a parent brings it into the house. I made sure that my son's early eating patterns were healthy. These days he won't even finish an Oreo cookie, but will reach for an apple instead. He can take or leave chocolate. He picks yogurt over ice cream 90% of the time. His favorite food is broccoli. In other words, those early eating patterns win out even as a child starts getting involved with peers who don't share his healthy appetites. Offer children healthy choices. When they're thirsty, and all they have to pick from is water or milk, they'll drink, believe me!

I definitely support this bill in NJ and would love to see this sort of thinking spread nationwide. Why do so many people hold on to this idea that if a child doesn't have easy access to junk food and Cokes that he is somehow deprived? Go ahead and ask my child if he ever feels deprived because he doesn't drink Cokes, and maybe he'll answer you after he finishes his 3rd glass of milk and asks for another! LOL

[thebigidea]

10. when did NJ schools start selling candy & soda?

I just remember tiny cartons of milk, tater tots, and a bready concoction that was called "pizza."

[DaveSZ]

11. Great idea

At least ban it from vending machines, etc.

[LifeDuringWartime]

13. vending machine pizza!

delicious

[Skeet]

At my elementary/middle/high schools

the vending machines were not turned on until after school. And even then all we had was nasty RC Cola.

[Skeet]

12. N/M

Double post.

[noonwitch]

14. This is probably a good idea

As long as the school isn't telling parents what they can pack in lunches from home.

My school cut out junk food from the cafeteria when I was in high school. I was bummed-only because they no longer sold pop. The teachers used to let me go into their lounge and buy Tab from their machine. My elementary and junior high schools never sold us pop, only milk.

[Ilsa]

15. I don't think you can make rules to tell

parents all they can and cannot send with their kids to school. Some parents cannot afford 100% fruit juice, etc, and my understanding is that the WIC rules are still based on nutritional information from the 1970's! But the school can and should remove the junk food vending machines and attempt to serve more nutritious meals. Only nutritious snacks should be available.

My sons' public school cafeteria has each item on the menu rated as either a "go" or "slow" to help them learn how to make good choices. There is alot less junk, and parents cannot throw parties with sweets every day for the kids.

It is very different in the private preschools my kids have attended. I complained to the teacher about the nearly daily parties being thrown with cupcakes and blue fruit juice (WTF?), and her only suggestion was to withhold the goodies from my child or for me to pick him up early. Public school is alot healthier!

[BiggJawn]

17. Oh, there goes a "Revenue Stream" for the schools!

No more stuff like Pepsi buying uniforms for the volleyball team, or Coke paying to have the football bleachers rebuilt to replace those unsightly broken boards...

And why did the schools have to kneel in front of the Corporations and lick slowly? Because George Bush gave y'all back MO of yer OWN money!