Janet Poppendieck, author of Free for All: Fixing School Food in America, recently left a very interesting comment on this site and since most readers probably don’t have the time to peruse every comment, I wanted to reproduce it here.
Poppendieck (whom I often refer to on this site as my “school lunch guru”) was responding to my post “Lessons from a Bowl of Oatmeal” in which I posit that changing lunch menus is only half the battle — if we don’t also educate students about new foods and encourage them to taste new items on their lunch tray, all of our best efforts at reform are doomed to fail.
In response, Poppendieck shared this anecdote:
I recently visited a school in Kalamazoo, MI to talk with parents, the principal, activists and food service personnel, and in the course of our discussion, I heard a fascinating little story–a tale of two schools. In one elementary school, the principal has been working to improve school food for years. Last year, she made chocolate milk a debate topic, The kids took sides, researched the issue and conducted debates. When Chartwell’s, the food service provider withdrew chocolate milk from the menu, the kids adapted. Parents in another school heard about the change and asked for the same in their children’s school. When Chartwell’s withdrew the chocolate milk, milk consumption plunged and stayed low for weeks until Chartwell’s reinstated the chocolate milk. The point–we have to engage the children intellectually and emotionally in their own search for a healthy diet.
I find Poppendieck’s validation of my assumptions both encouraging and discouraging. Encouraging because kids clearly can be led toward more healthful eating when, like the creative principal described above (and like the organization Recipe for Success here in Houston), adults take the time to work closely with them and truly engage them. But discouraging, too, when I think of the enormity of the task and the resources it would take to reach every child in America in this same fashion.
At any rate, I’d love to hear your thoughts on Poppendieck’s “tale of two schools” and the general question of student nutrition education. What do you think is the best approach?
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Bettina Elias Siegel
christa says
Poppendieck’s point about engaging children in the decision-making process is a well-established pedagogical rule. Educators time and time again have proven that the way to systemic change is to involve ALL the stakeholders.
You are also right that changing lunch culture is a a battle within a larger battle — the larger battle is about getting the public to truly value public education, understanding that it is the single-most important public program in our nation, the one that has the power to shape the future in our best (or worst) interests. Of course, school lunch is one part of the larger war that must be waged — against the public’s apathy, lack of awareness, or disenfranchisement from the system.
My suggestion — as a parent of public school children and as a former public and private school teacher — is that we individuals who are “outside” school culture (i.e. not administrators or teachers) become invested in whatever ways we can. In order to affect change, the first task is to take the initiative to pull together of sphere of people who are interested and concerned in the same things, and to then start conversing with the schools or feeder patterns in your community about how to help them improve in the areas of your concern. There are some groups already established, like Recipe for Success, where people can get involved in a pre-existing cause. If there is not a group for your issue of concern: FORM ONE. Once you are well-versed on the school needs and culture, take your arguments to the state level and let the representatives know what you want. The more tax-payers “outside” school culture demand changes, the more those decision-makers elected by the tax payers will have to listen. Unfortunately, tax-payers “inside” school culture (teachers and administrators) are not listened to with the same ethos as parents are. Insiders are considered biased, and they also are usually too busy with the work inside their of schools to have time to think about changing the larger culture.
We are a democracy. Public education has the most potential to safe-guard and promote an informed, compassionate, healthy and pro-active culture, one prepared to lead, compete and collaborate in the global culture.
Public education must be the passion of the public — you, me, everybody we know.
mara says
what a great antidote. It makes so much sense that engaging the kids in the process is going to lead to much more successful change. But on top of that its a great educational opportunity to take a real life issue that effects them and get the kids to research the two sides of the issue, present the opposing arguments and develop a recommendation. What a meaningful learning experience!
Susana says
I’m new to your blog, and I’m thrilled to have been directed here by a friend and fellow food fighter.
I agree that the school lunch program offers great opportunities to teach children (and their parents) how to enjoy eating healthfully. With that in mind, I engaged the HISD nutritionist in a conversation about the adverse message that offering frito pie sends our student population. She explained that she believes in “sneaking” healthy ingredients into foods the kids recognize so she uses baked “whole grain” Fritos and reworked the chili recipe to include more beans. On one hand, I appreciate her efforts to at least update the cafeteria staple. On the other hand, I am frustrated with her unwillingness to be bold in the changes she’s making (though I do understand that she open to suggestions.)
Which brings me to the other two big battles we’re actually fighting. Not only are we up against a school district food system that is set in it’s ways, we’re battling a larger food culture that values high calorie, highly processed convenience food AND huge food lobbies that have great influence over Congress and the legislation that is passed. Fortunately, I think the food culture is beginning to change in appreciable ways. I’m not so hopeful about the food lobbies…
bettina elias siegel says
Susana:
So glad to welcome you to The Lunch Tray.
And I’m laughing because I had exactly the same exchange with the HISD dietician! As you may have seen in my very first post on this site (“Should Children’s Palates Drive the Lunch Menu?”), my concern about this “better” Frito Pie is that every meal eaten in a school cafeteria is a learning opportunity, and what you’re teaching with Frito Pie is that it’s a perfectly acceptable lunch option when in fact it really should fall in the category of relatively rare treats. And I share your pessimism about the outsize influence of food lobbies. More on that to come. At any rate, keep your comments coming and please share this blog with anyone you think might be interested.
Bettina
Lori says
Hey Bettina,
Wanted to make sure you’ve seen this: http://www.facebook.com/lunchlinefilm–it's getting a lot of play right now, seems like something we should definitely check out!
Take care,
Lori
bettina elias siegel says
Lori: Thanks for the link. For anyone trying to access it, use this: http://www.facebook.com/lunchlinefilm?ref=search
Sophia Yen MD MPH says
I just found your blog via the local parents email list (3000 parents in silicon valley) and shared it with my POIG (pediatric obesity interest group) email list of MDs, med students, PhDs, RDs and some community members in the SF Bay Area.
I hope that you and all your readers have seen Jamie Oliver’s food revolution… that is a great model too
My goal is to get out the message “eat your fruit, don’t drink it.” It takes 8 oranges to make a glass of OJ. I could drink 3 glasses in a minute and I would have “eaten” 24 oranges!!
bettina elias siegel says
Sophia – so glad to have you here and I especially welcome your perspective as a doctor and someone who deals with pediatric obesity on a daily basis. Please continue to read and leave comments. And I sincerely thank you for sharing The Lunch Tray with others in your community. The blog is new and will only improve as the readership grows in size and diversity. – Bettina
Brandi Cartwright says
I am the academic dean of a preschool and kindergarten in Ballwin, MO. Our school was founded with the goal of provided a wholesome, culturally diverse cuisine to our students. At the young ages of 3 and 4 years old, our little ones eat sauteed green beans, stir fry with bok choy, kohlrabi, and lentil soup. With a full-time chef on campus and a subscrition to a local, organic CSA. With this plus student-run gardens on the playground, we have full tummies and smiling faces.
BUT…it takes a while. When there isn’t an unhealthy alternative, everyone eats. When it’s delicious food for children and adults alike, everyone eats. When teachers sit beside children at the same table and eat the same food, everyone eats. When parents are invited for “lunch dates” and show their support, everyone eats.
For us, the entire school culture supports healthy food. And the alternative the the healthy food options are…more healthy food options. It works!
bettina elias siegel says
Brandi – your school sounds amazing! I’m going to visit your site to learn more. I hope you visit The Lunch Tray often and share your perspective as an educator and reformer. – Bettina