The Food Police are coming after your kids' lunchboxes!

This is a difficult subject for me but I'm adamant that I don't want government dictating how we raise our children, no matter what the subject! I have a great-nephew who is being raised by a mother whose father let her be raised by her grandparents who needed someone to take care of them in a small town where nobody ever leaves. Few people even get their GEDs. Now the child is 2 years old and fat. Has his own cupboard full of cookies, chips and macaroni and cheese. It's way past incredibly sad...those people have no idea what good nutrition means, they just get their food stamps and spend them as their families always have--cheap food that fills the belly. If the government is truly interested in preventing or curing child and adult obesity they will educate the people about good nutrition and financial accountability. Drink water instead of pop (soda), yogurt instead of pudding, rice cakes instead of potato chips--you'll notice that all these three things (just a sampling) substitutes the same texture and satisfaction than the unhealthy alternatives. Also, money goes farther by buying unhealthy food. Bellies are filled cheaper with junk food than with healthier alternative. The average food stamp recipient can feed their families and keep the hunger pangs away with high calorie and high carb junk food than if they bought healthy foods that would feed them for half that time. The government is seeking to control our lives and make us dependent, not benefit us. If they wanted to truly help us they would educate instead of mandate.

What is next? Will the government decide that parents can't care for their children properly and just take over raising them? According to one Michigan government worker "Parents don't know what is best for their children" She goes on to state that educators are trained and know what is best (educationally) for the children. http://www.twincitiesnewstalk.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104668&article=9757098 This is getting out of hand and we had better wake up and take our lives back from the government. The government does not know what is best for me or my family, they only know what is best for themselves and their personal power and wealth.

Wow!! Really... and these are sometimes parents just barely able to afford a roof over their heads, and food to feed themselves, let alone having to worry about what they can or cannot feed their child. These are the same ones being denied Food Stamps and help from the schools due to budget cuts or making too much money. Did they ever stop to think about if they are going to make such high demands such as this they need to find ways to help provide them as well?

When I worked at HeadSTart the kids did not bring food from home. Policy. It was a good one. Our nutrition head was required to plan to offer meals that met those guidelines, and more. A certain amount of vitamin A and C had to be offered during a week. Children were not required to eat the food, but it was a good opportunity to learn about new foods. They needed to put a bite of each food on their plate. They could have seconds until the food ran out. If a program receives money from the state or Federal government it needs to be accountable and spend the money wisely. On the other hand, once a child is in elementary school I would hope that food paid for by the family is just fine. When I had a licensed day care, I had to meet guidelines, in my home, as well, or I could not maintain my license. I was eligible for commodity distribution and Federal reimbursement for foods served. I do see that this goes further by being critical of family prepared meals, and that is really damaging to a kid's self esteem and their respect for their family values. Even if kids brought their own food, I did not want candy or junk or chips brought in. It created problems among the children.

Here they already do that in the elementary schools. The parents will complain and especially when it comes to the snacks. It's not that difficult to pack a lunch containing all of those things but it's what they don't allow that has the parents in an uproar. They can pack a very healthy lunch but they are not allowed to throw in a bag of chips or a cookie or anything that is not considered, "healthy". I think it's horrible that our government is now controlling the lunches and snacks we send our kids to school with but ya know what...the parents allow this. I hear a lot of complaints but I don't work for the school or the government. They complain to all the wrong people. They complain, shrug and let it go and soon .It's been gradual but the government has taken over parent's rights but the parent's have let them.

The government shouldn't have to tell people how to feed their kids. This is just sad.

This nanny-state crap is just getting more and more ridiculous every day. Still, this is another load of crap that will get rejected by BOTH sides since such rules would violate religious dietary restrictions as well as requiring vegan parents to feed their kids meat. I can't believe anyone trusts the government to tell us what food is best when they are notorious for changing their minds. Remember when all cholesterol was evil and carbs were wonderful?

This is ridiculous. This is why you use someone for child care that isn't a 'company' and doesn't have to be held to government mandates. You use community center preschools that also are not subject to government mandates. As far as this going on in public schools, I already saw something about this and nobody can tell me the school lunches are that great because they aren't. USDA guidelines are not that wonderful if you actually pay attention to what is served in a school lunch. I have only eaten lunch from the school cafeteria twice and both times it was rather sad and disgusting. No wonder my daughter prefers not to get hot lunch. Also, if they don't offer fresh veggie and fruit options, a lot of kids (including my daughter) will not eat it. She doesn't like canned fruit in syrup or cooked veggies from there because they are mushy and flavorless. She'll eat raw broccoli and carrots and apples, oranges, bananas, etc but it depends on the day whether those are available options or not. They also don't have bottled water, just milk and juice.

Hi ParaTed, this is really really troubling to know that this is happening...What is going to happen next that we are not smart enough make a decision about... I can't believe that anyone would think that any parent would\ not want to provide the very best of anything to their children,, If they can't afford to buy this foods at home what make the school think they are willing to pay them for throwing out the lunch they have prepared for thier children...Whats next after that... This is ridiclous!!!!!!!

I believe it...dont u know we are just to stupid to be able to take care of our own children. sadly i new it was conmin i was paid by the gov to watch my nieces an nephews while my sister n law worked. long story short they kept reducing my check waiving the dollars to me that i would make 3 times more if id get my licence. it was tempting but i turned it down. why? Because they could come into my home anytime they wished. thier meals needed to b planned out weeks in advance an u best b followin it when they get there. activities scheduled every 15 minutes also needed to b followed strictly. also my dog was no longer welcome...each child had to have thier own hand towels in the bathroom even tho they share the same blood line guess its not sanitary to use the wrong towel..they each had to have thier own blanket an they couldnt share this is what i can think of off the top of my head.. sorry keep your cash this is my home...

I believe it...dont u know we are just to stupid to be able to take care of our own children. sadly i new it was conmin i was paid by the gov to watch my nieces an nephews while my sister n law worked. long story short they kept reducing my check waiving the dollars to me that i would make 3 times more if id get my licence. it was tempting but i turned it down. why? Because they could come into my home anytime they wished. thier meals needed to b planned out weeks in advance an u best b followin it when they get there. activities scheduled every 15 minutes also needed to b followed strictly. also my dog was no longer welcome...each child had to have thier own hand towels in the bathroom even tho they share the same blood line guess its not sanitary to use the wrong towel..they each had to have thier own blanket an they couldnt share this is what i can think of off the top of my head.. sorry keep your cash this is my home...

Agreed. I think we can take care of our own kids' nutrition, thank you very much.