The Movement for a Better School Lunch

Though I work in and am part of the school system, I truly like to tell it like it is, even when it isn’t pretty. The school lunches I have seen throughout my years of teaching (since the age of 21) have been horrifying, and they haven’t gotten any better. I often hear the children talk about the lunches and that they have no clue what they are even eating! It’s sad to hear those words from other kids now because I myself was a parent who was sending her child to school to eat this.

After collaborating with Laura Fuentes of Momables, I knew what I was seeing and what the kids were being served wasn’t right. I was outraged even more so when partnering up with Momsrising at several of their conferences. How could I do this to my son? What type of parent was I? I am in no way putting those parents down who do allow their children to eat school lunch (I was one of them, after all), but this shouldn’t even be a concern for any parent. We should be able to send our children to school knowing that they will be eating a substance that at a minimum, they themselves can identify, right?

 

I also found that when my son ate the school lunch his demeanor, his health and his academic performance were all very different. When he arrived home from school on those days, he seemed wired. He had so much energy that I often questioned what he was doing all day since a child in school all day (especially in Pre K) would run around and play a lot… shouldn’t he be fast asleep? He would also complain of a bellyache and his stool seemed different. Deep down, I knew the amount of “garbage” that was in that school lunch also had a tremendous factor on his academics. In the back of my mind, I just questioned it but taking action was hard.

As a working mom both during the day and at night and writing at night as well, I felt as though my time was non-negotiable. In fact, what wasn’t negotiable was the health and well-being of my children. I had to do something and I had to do it fast. Momsrising taught me so much but especially that myself as a parent, I have a voice and I must use that voice. They have demonstrated that our children are worth so much more than allowing the government and the school system to serve them unhealthy school lunches. As a parent, it is my responsibility to ensure my children receive a healthy lunch and I should have the option of providing it to them myself or relying on my school to provide the best and healthiest option.

 

As parents we need to unite together with Momsrising and fight for the very best for our children. This is exactly the mission of The Good Food Force Bloggers. We work together, join hand in hand and make sure our children get what they deserve. Whether we unite in Washington, DC,  for the #GFFDC14, join forces on the internet or step right into the White House face to face with our president, our voices will be heard and something will be done!