Eagle County School District PTAs are working to improve the quality of the snacks and school lunches served in Eagle County Schools.
Recent studies show that providing children with healthy lunch and snack choices prepared without chemicals, additives, and artificial colors and flavorings improves academic performance and behavior. Unfortunately, most of the food choices available at school contain these ingredients.
Eagle County Schools are great! Let’s continue to create the best learning environment for our kids to succeed based on new knowledge about nutrition. If you would like to see Eagle County Schools to provide snacks and lunches without artificial ingredients and chemicals, please take the time to go to the comments section (and leave your name and your child's school. Feel free to leave comments, too! The comments will be used to demonstrate the support for changing our school district’s lunch and snack programs.
There is strength in numbers. Working together, we can help the district’s administration be more aware of our goals.
Don't forget--leave your name, child's school and any comments to show your support.
If you’d like to be a part of a healthy snacks and lunch committee at your child’s school, please include your e-mail address as well.
Thanks for your support! Forward a link to the Healthy Food for Eagle County Schools blog to others so we can get as many names as possible!
Instructions to leave your name in the comments section:
Click on the word "comments" beneath this post. You don't have to sign up for a Google account--you can just choose the "anonymous" option--but be sure to type your name in the comments section!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
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40 comments:
EES has been piloting a healthy snack program since February. Our focus has been to offer whole foods without preservatives and chemicals. The kids have been buying sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, corn nuts, and fruit leather which is actually made with real fruit, and they're excited about them! We think the whole district deserves healthier snack choices, so please leave your comments here for us to share with District personnel. Tara van Dernoot, EES parent, taranoot@comcast.net
I try very hard at home to make sure that my children eat a healthy meal so that they have a day filled with energy and brain power. I would feel so much better giving my children lunch at school and snack money if I knew they were given healthy alternatives. It has become so apparent in our society that our children need to be learning about food and how to make healthy choices on their own. With most of their day spent at school, this is the ideal place to put that plan into action. I know that it has been successful in other schools in the country, why couldn't it work in ours? And why shouldn't we be in the forefront of a healthy living model?
Leslie Snyder, EES parent, leslie@mtair.net
It is my understanding that our children's generation is dealing with more obesity and eating disorders than in the past. There is so much influence on our children during the school day. I certainly don't think that nutrition and healthy eating habits should be ingnored, in fact it should be part of there everyday learning.
Children eat one third, if not more, of their meals during the school day. Considering school is the place that some children eat their only one, maybe two, meals a day, does it not seem negligible to offer anything less than low sugar, minimally processed, healthy foods to our children? There is enough information out there proving our eating habits and styles are having a direct, and negative, impact on our children. Is it not time NOW to look this issue straight in the face and DO something! By offering healthy alternatives we can only expect to see healthier (both mind and body) children in our county! There are no more excuses for denying the importance of adopting healthy foods into our school system. You may even see more families like mine eating what you offer!
Amy- RSES parent
We live in a valley of very health, active conscience people. Our school district should reflect the same and set a good example for our children by providing them with healthy snacks and lunches. They preach to us parents about healthy snack/lunch choices through their newsletters... they should do as they preach. Sam Gale, RHES PTO President, sgale@buckhornvalley.com
So interesting that this topic popped up ... just today in a Friday morning frenzy there was not time to pack my second grader's lunch, as happens once a month or so in our house--and I of course pray it's a pizza day. But today was not a pizza day, and he came home at 3 pm starved, ate 2 apples with peanut butter, 10 crackers with cheese and turkey,a yogurt and a couple handfuls of almonds. My husband said, "didn't you eat your lunch today,OR DID MOMMY NOT PACK YOUR LUNCH???"to which the response came "NO, I couldn't eat it, it was the grossest dorito(Burrito) in the world--it was s'posed to be a chicken taco-- but I just threw it away". So needless to say I felt like the WORST mom on the planet, and vowed he would not have to each lunch at school ever again!So, I'm in !let's do something about it, there are alot of frustrations surrounding this issue. I'll join a committee, order snacks, you name it! Delia Massei, RHES parent,delia@mgmvail.com
Michelle
My daughter attends Battle Mountain high School
I am in favor of changing our school district's lunch and snack programs.
I have been wanting better food offered at our schools for years. I have two boys at Battle Mountain High School who refuse to eat hot lunch because it is substandard. Vickie Walker
essbusser@aol.com
Wow! I am so glad to see that this is happening. I have one child at BMHS and one at BCMS. I would love to see healthier lunches and snacks district wide. Lesa Childers lkchilders@msn.com
I have a child at Battle Mountain High School and the Eagle County Charter Academy. We support healthier food in our schools.
Sarah Smith Hymes
of course i'm all for it.
liz mac dougald
avon, CO
Why on earth did it take a "recent study" for you guys to do something about the junk food you've been serving our kids?
Laurie Kleisinger
Battle Mountain Track and Field Coach
Mom of one son at BMHS
As a coach and parent, I'm concerned about what the kids eat at lunch, and also what's available in the vending machines. Too much grease and sugar, not enough whole grains and fresh options...that's what I hear from the kids!
I am all in favor of healthier lunches and snacks. I was shocked to find out that cheetos and ice cream are snack options that children can buy (at their own descretion if you have a lunch account)in elementary school. Schools and teachers make such an impression on our children....let's make sure it's a healthy one!
Gretchen Hennum, EVES parent
Sign us up! Its about time, thank you. I have one daughter in BMHS and we pack her lunch everyday. French fries and a mediocre salad doesn't work for her. I will do everything that I can to help, this has been a sad situation for a while. Beth Weiss normabeth@aol.com
I am very much in favor of offering whole foods without preservatives and chemicals. My daughter attends EVHS. She complains that there is not sufficient time to eat hot lunch in the time alloted. She usually takes a cold lunch because of the time frame and also because of the health content. I am very much interested in health options being added.
I have two children one at Berry Creek, with one headed to Battle Mountain. I would love to see healthier snacks and lunches in our schools. My children take their lunches everyday to make sure they eat healthy. It would be great to know that they could, if needed, get just as healthy a meal at school. I am sure the teachers would appreciate teaching children who are not loaded down with fat and sugar too.
Kim Hogfeldt
I have been wanting this forever.
With such a focus on a healthy lifestyle and healthy eating habits it really needs to start when they're young.
Jen
BCES parent
Great idea!
Tracey
I have a daughter at AES.
The lack of healthy lunch options is the reason I pack her lunch daily. I am also disappointed in the snack choices also. This is a no brainer.
Tracey
I have a daughter at AES.
The lack of healthy lunch options is the reason I pack her lunch daily. I am also disappointed in the snack choices also. This is a no brainer.
Hip, Hip it's about time. Healthy whole foods for snacks as well as lunch would be fantastic. My kids take a lunch everyday to make sure they get wholesome food. They actually refuse to eat school lunches. Next year I will have one at EES, BCMS, and BMHS. Sure would be easier.Lulugarton@comcast.net
I couldn't agree more with Leslie. It is our responsability as parents to give our children the best tools to navigate through life and having a healthy diet is one of the most important ones. A lot of children won't learn the wonders of a healthy diet until it's too late and they've aquired habits they will spend their whole adult life trying to change. Lets give them a better chance at success!
Christine Braun, BCES parent,
christinebraun@centurytel.net
I am 100% in favor of providing our children with healthy lunches and snacks. My 2nd grade son loves food and will eat almost anything EXCEPT for the food at Brush Creek ES. Unfortunately, my son has a severe peanut allergy so giving him peanut products are not an option. Why not provide the children with fresh salads in addition to healthy lunch items?
I am wondering why we have to "convince the administration" that this is a positive change? What are the steps needed to take to get this happening? I think this post is great and I am willing to do more. Is there a policy that dictates what the nutritional values are allowed to be or is the purchasing driven by cost? How are the menues determined and by whom in the administration? With these details I would be happy to give more help and input. Kelly Mitchell parent BCES. (3rd and K)
Wow what a novel idea I say way to go Eagle county schools. I have been very concerned with the quality of the hot lunch programs after having lunch with my son at Avon Elementary School. The lunch served was a "riblette" sandwich. Parts and pieces of some type of ground meat product slathered in BBQ sauce then form pressed into the shape of ribs! I was horrified-my sons 2 have carried bagged lunches since this event. This brown bagging has now been going on for 9 years.
Nutrition is key to health and acheivement in school. This is a very important improvement and look forward to the changes neccessary to improve our over health and well being.
Liz Sterling
My children having been bringing their lunch to school for some time now. They complain that the lunches are are not appealing. I always try pack a healthy lunch for them. However since there are "fun" snacks available to them they use their school lunch account to purchase these snack. The evidence shows up in their lunch boxes. I would like to see healthy snacks offered in cafeteria especially since our children are making the snack choices on their own. BCES Mom
This should be a no-brainer. Of COURSE healthy snack options should be the norm in all our schools. We don't serve junk food at our house. (Ok, not MUCH junk food...)I would hope as my daughter enters Kindergarten this year at EES, she will continue to have the option to make the healthy food choices we have strived to instill in her since she could "gum" solid foods!
Kris Friel, future EES parent, kwfriel@yahoo.com
Would love to see this happen, maybe then I would let my daughter purchase lunches and snaccks at school! Andrea BCES-kinder
Healthy lunches and snacks? Yes Please! That would be so awesome!
like many parents, at home we buy organic whenever we can and always check food labels for additives and artificial flavor and coloring (which then get rejected).
Kids get used to what they are brought up on, and my kids do not like stuff filled with unnecessary ingredients.
Good eating habits are best started young!
my husband and i recently popped in at lunch time to take our son his forgotten lunch. we were shocked at the selection of snacks available to the children. if parents and teachers actually watched what their kids ate (and did not eat) - they would realize that healthy snacks are critical. the kids are eating the junk because its there. i know when there is a banana around, my kids will eat it. Let's make this happen!
Laurie O'Connell, BCES, laurie_oconnell@hotmail.com
Great...thanks
I fully support healthier and snacks and lunches at all schools. My son attends Brush Creek Elementary and rarely buys lunch because he says "it is gross". My daughter attends Eagle Valley Middle School - to date she has not purchased one school lunch.
Emalyn Lay, BCES parent and EVMS parent, emalyn1227@gmail.com
As a parent of two children who currently attend BCES, I never let my children buy their lunches from the school due to the fact that the food is of poor quality nutritionally. My kids have finally given up asking to have "hot lunch" because the answer is an unwavering "NO". They recently have taken to repeating my words, calling it junk food, as the often-served deep-fried chicken nuggets, pizza, and waffles aren't famous for their healthy ingredients!
It amazes me that such a menu would be approved for schools anywhere, let alone here! So, the schools are doing a disservice to our children nutritionally, as well as losing revenue from people who refuse to let their kids eat the "junk", like myself and many others. And, given all of the available sugar, how about their behavior in the classroom after lunchtime?
I applaud those of you who have undertaken this effort to make huge improvements - THANK YOU!
Celena
I have two students at BCES, and my comments echo most all here, I would gladly pay more for healthy lunches.
But as for snacks as a school district we spend a lot of time, effort (including monitering the lunch accounts) and money on something that should not even be offered in the elementary schools and possibly not in the middle schools.
There also should not be vending machines in the schools at that age and instead we should only concentrate the effort on healthy lunches.
Ron Niemeyer
Nice work!!! It is a great thing you are doing!!
Linda Miner
Brush Creek Elementary
Check out:
http://www.honestfoodguide.org/
Please e-mail me if I can help for next year at Brush Creek lminer@vail.net.
I have a hard time imagining why getting rid of junk food snacks in school and improving food quality is such a difficult thing to do if the health of our children is important to the district. Already they are taking away recess and PE from our children, and they are dragging their feet on this? I have a policy in my own classroom, only fresh fruit snacks. If they bring a snack I only see watermelon, apples, oranges. Then I take them to lunch and cringe when I see them buying hot "baked" cheetos or ice cream. Yuck. Let parents give them that stuff, NOT AT SCHOOL! That is almost like letting students watch TV in school. Not setting a good example. The kids would be FINE with healthy options. Thank you BCES PTA and EES for going for it and really fighting for this. Hopefully we can have it at Avon next year. You have a lot of teacher support.
When my boys were at BCES, I could pack them a pretty healthy lunch, but now that they are in middle school, they don't want to carry a lunchbox anymore...they'll take a brown bag, but everything in it must be disposable. So, I can't pack many leftovers, or soup, or really anything that needs an icepack to keep it cold. So, if there were healthier and yummier options for school hot lunch, my kids and I would love it! Thank you so much for doing this! Shannon Borasio, EVMS parent, shannon149@aol.com
Heathy foods are a great idea for Eagle County Schools, and all schools. My own children and most of my students get school lunch EVERY DAY, there is no good excuse for the foods to be unhealthy.
Don't make junk food an option.
Kate Turnipseed BCES Teacher, EVMS & EVHS parent.
I am all for healthier foods at school. What a great idea!!!
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