Lots of great opinions on this thread.

I personally think this is more of a political type "headline getter" to get people to think politicians are actually making a difference in the schools when in fact this is not going to make a difference in the long run. Give the schools more money, now that will make a difference.

Children are exposed to lots of outside influences but they always come back to the morals that we instill in our homes verses what they see another person doing.

One resposnse to the fact that some children's only meal comes from the school. If in fact it is about survival then the kids should be getting as many calories as they can for survival. This is the exception not the rule. In our community there are food banks and other resources for the disadvantaged. Schools do work with these organizations and these families. They just don't advertise it.

Like I said lots of great posts, maybe we can save the world next week!

I have an opinion on this. This is a HUGE topic in our district right now. I agree that pop and candy should not be served in school, it sets a bad example BUT you have to remember that children eat ONE meal a day at school for 9 months, subtarcting out the vacations and 1/2 days it's more like 8 months. Now, how many meals does that make that they have at HOME? A lot! Our children are not overweight because of what they are eating in school...it's because of what they are eating at home. And when did educators become nutritionist any way?

choice -- i couldnt agree more with LUVMYKIDS:
'As for bringing your lunch, that isn't an option for the many children we have on the free and reduced meal program. So here are kids who are probably at the highest risk of not getting their nutritional needs met............and what may be the only decent meal they get during the day is filled with fat and sodium'
i would only, add "TRANS fats"...the worst kind of fat is everywhere in school lunches...the PHOs the partially hydrogenated oils...a menace to cardiovascular health (see FDA sites and bantransfats.com for infos)
our school has 40% reduced and free lunches. those parents simply CANNOT bag a lunch for their kids, for less $$. its NOT a choice we are giving our public, AND for the more affluent, who CAN bag a lunch, what do those kids learn when they see trays full of hi salt, hi fat, fast food like stuff 'condoned' by the school, becuase it is served there daily? kids learn by SEEING, not just by eating. thats what role modeling is all about, and schools dont always provide the best role models about food. and we affleunt healthy bagged lunch parents,,,will be PAYING in our health insurance preimiums, the costs of the illnesses the current generation will encounter in just a couple three decades. SO,,,,bad shcool foods affect ALL the society in which we live, not just those kids who by choice, or necessity, eat the school lunch food program food daily. we all (bagged lunchers or not) need to be concerned about getting better foods in all our schools, for our nations' health and economy. imo.

Getting junk food vending machines out of schools is just the tip of the iceberg.

I have a friend who is on the Wellness Committee for the school district. It's a nightmare to try to get the menus changed. It pretty much comes down to money-there is only so much so the head of food service has to buy what is cheap and that's the processed chicken and fried potato items. The menu has improved this year, but there is still much more to change.

As for bringing your lunch, that isn't an option for the many children we have on the free and reduced meal program. So here are kids who are probably at the highest risk of not getting their nutritional needs met(I'm not talking obesity, I'm talking hunger)and what may be the only decent meal they get during the day is filled with fat and sodium.

It's all just a huge nightmare that makes me angry every time I think about it!

In our school you have a choice. Bring your own lunch to school. Does not get any more basic than that.

see your child's cafeteria fare...ours looks like any fast food restaurant..tehy dont HAVE options.....and learn that FOOD equals chicken nuggets, burgers, fries ,,,we even have an offering called SUPERSIZE FRIES for 25c extra!! i think the sodas and vending machines are just a part of the problme, how can kdis learn tomake good choices if there is 'no' choice? ie in cafeteria. we parents need to scrutinize the cafeteria foods, and get the funding for lunches increased so better options can be made availbale. how about fresh fruit instead of canned? how about no more rice krispy treats that come 'free' with every lunch tray? simple things can help in the long run. and, basically, if you saw the movie SUPERSIZE ME (now at your public library), the message there was (dont know if true) that big business/fast food industry is priming our kids for a life of fast food consumption, thru the school lunch program. just some food for thougth. was an excellent movie (NOT for kids though). check it out at your public library.