The law is good but <onevoice> why should my helthy no obese kids suffer because other parentsarent involved/smart enough/caring too help their children eat correctly and excersice (sp?).

The punish everyone because some are ignorant is blantantly ignorant, school generally have healthy food, getting rid off snack and soda machines, no fast food is fine but when its mandated what I can send my child 2 school with, were bordering on Naziism/Facism/ and disctatorship.

If I want 2 send my childs lunch with a non nutritional item once or twice a week, this is the USA, I SHOULD HAVE THAT RIGHT...

I should hope the PTO, a PARENT teacher Org, would want whats best for the kids. And the new food rules try to make kids bodies healthier, or at least, less sick (less obese etc).

And I would hope my PTO also be supportive of the districts new rules to show support to the district/school and the kids health, regardless of what the leader of the pto thinks in private.

In private you can still feed your kids anything you want but as PTO leader you are in the public eye and need to think about appearances and politics and what is the message youre sending.....are you trying to find the loopholes, or show serious interest in what teh new law is trying to accomplish, and learn some new stuff about nutrition while youre at it.

Kids welfare is what the law is about. But even at our school most parents are upset about no more homebaked goods and such, and seem to completely miss the overall picture and goals of the law and obesity epidemic in our nation (doesnt seem hard to miss, but its true) and are more worried about oh me and my favorite snack foods I want to keep on bringing them and i WILL find a way. We wil have a food war next year at our school, guaraenteed!!!

We were having the same problem here in Ca. with Arnold our Gov. being so concerned about the childrens health. However our Principal studied the rules, and laws and found out only the school districts must follow the rules. We are seperate from the school as we are a non-profit as a PTO. We do not have to worry about sugar. So check and make sure your PTO is a non-profit (it should be)and start planning for those Donuts and Cookie Dough idea's!

I will say, the parents at our school get more interested in the food policy (and what THEY as parents, can and cant bring to class parties and school functions -- I have no problem with those restrictions since those foods are shared and we paretns need guarentees about food handling safety etc ) than with other important areas of school focus, such as curriculum etc.

When the school made the cafeteria foods a bit healthier, in came the junk food parents and said, we want the 'less healthy' (they didnt call it such, though) choice back!!!

It seems to be (at our school) more about ME parenting, than about true concern for the KIDS and EDUCATIONAL matters.

I wish our 'we demand our cupcake party' parents (thats fine, we all have rights and i dont fault them for voicing theirs) would expend as much time and energy in other areas too, though.

I agree with expressing views and voicing concerns, but at the end of the day, the 'new' food rules are only trying to keep our nation healthier, and what parent doesnt want THAT?

As for what one packs in the brown bag for lunch though, the government should NOT be able to muck around in there, that is too big brother-ish. But what the tax payer money funded cafeteria offers, that can be regulated, if you dont like the changes, send in a lunch everyday.

youve gotta be kidding,,water brought to school must be from an approved VENDOR? WHY? do we not live in AMerica, is this not the public school system????? WHere is free choice?? DO paper bags also have to come from a certain vendor (the one who gives teh school kickbacks for purcahsing certain items , maybe???)

are their restrictions on how much mayo you put on their ham and chesse sandwich??

Not more than 8oz MILK????? 600 cal(the federal guideline for elem school lunch) of pure white milk is much healthier than a pint of milk combined with a lunchable tray a parent might send in or ham sandwich and chips and cookies and (all of which our snack bar sells, by the way)

Yes the food svc IS a profit center at some schools, at least, the snack bar is. It must fund any deficits in the cafeteria food program, and at schools wehre there are lot of reduced and free luches handed out, they make up the $$$ with junk foods sold at snakc bar (and i dont mean candy and soda, i mean potato chips and other 'junk' that is not forbidden by the new rules)

I'm in NJ and we just had new policies set in place regarding food items. Our policy goes so far as to say children can't bring whole milk to school unless it's 8 oz or less and they cannot bring water bottles unless they are from an "approved" vendor. Still waiting to see that list! I can't remember exactly what the percentage is but food items must be under a certain percentage of fat. I think it's crazy and quite frankly wonder if it's got something to do with the fact that the food service department is not making enough money-they are hoping parents just give up on trying to send in the "right" food and have the kids buy from the cafeteria. My kids asked me what would happen if they did bring goodies to school were the food police going to be there everyday checking kids lunches before they eat! LOL Sometimes it's just to much. I'm all for eating healthy but honestly if a parent gives their child a goodie to eat then the school really has no say on if that child can eat it or not.