NY public school to serve only vegetarian meals

[green73]

Idiots.

There's no “mystery meat” at one Queens public elementary school.

Public School 244 in Flushing is the first public school in the nation to serve all-vegetarian meals for breakfast and lunch, according to city education officials.

Chefs at the Active Learning Elementary School have swapped chicken, turkey and ham for black beans, tofu and falafel, and kids are digging in with delight.

“This is so good!” squealed 9-year-old Marian Satti, devouring her black bean and cheddar cheese quesadilla Tuesday at lunch. “I’m enjoying that it didn’t have a lot of salt in it. ”

The students are pioneers in a citywide effort to make healthy food a staple of every child’s day.

Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott, who often crows about maintaining a fit lifestyle, said the launch of the vegetarian food-fest should be duplicated in schools across the city and country.

“I don’t eat fried foods. I don’t drink soda. I try not to have sweets too often,” said Walcott, who tested the veggie victuals. “And that’s what we want for our students ... to make sure they eat healthy both at home and school.”

A-rated PS 244 partnered with nonprofit New York Coalition for Healthy School Food to design recipes for appetizing plant-based grub.

“We believe that, if we taught kids to make healthy choices, it would help them to grow as students and well-rounded children,” said Principal Robert Groff, who helped found the school in 2008.

City public schools have undergone a “revolution” in cafeteria fare since Mayor Bloomberg took office, according to Eric Goldstein, chief executive of the Office of School Support Services for the city Education Department.

The ongoing evolution of cafeteria grub has led schools to serve only whole-grain breads and pastas. Salad bars have been installed in 1,000 schools, and they’ll be a fixture at all 1,800 facilities by the end of the next academic year.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.1331690

[PSYOP]

Vegetarianism is the biggest fraud movement since global warming.

[green73]

And at the same time this is in the news

Eating Disorder Orthorexia On The Rise

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/04/3...a-on-the-rise/

[PSYOP]

And at the same time this is in the news

Eating Disorder Orthorexia On The Rise

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/04/3...a-on-the-rise/

Nothing a few FDA-approved pharmaceuticals can't fix, right?

[dannno]

Vegetarianism is the biggest fraud movement since global warming.

I disagree, I think vegetarianism is potentially much healthier than the Standard American Diet of eating animals that eat grains all day, then loading up on grains and sugar.

That said, I'm philisophically paleo, so I eat A LOT of meat.. But I almost never buy any meat at the grocery store, I'd probably go back to being vegetarian again over eating meat that was sitting in a carafe it's whole life. You are getting a lot less unhealthful grains if you are eating rice and veggies than if you are eating an animal that ate nothing but GMO corn and soy its whole life.

I am guessing these kids will come out healthier, in this case they probably did improve their diet because you know the meat they were serving before is the worst meat you can buy.

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

I am guessing these kids will come out healthier, in this case they probably did improve their diet because the meat they were serving before is the worst meat you can buy.

Pretty much this. I wouldn't classify school meat foods as meat. But the vegetables are probably going to be exclusively monsanto.

I was lucky to have parents that got me my own food for lunch, not from school

[PSYOP]

I disagree, I think vegetarianism is potentially much healthier than the Standard American Diet of eating animals that eat grains all day, then loading up on grains and sugar.

That said, I'm philisophically paleo, so all I eat is meat.. But I don't buy meat at the grocery store, I'd probably go back to being vegetarian again over eating meat that was sitting in a carafe it's whole life. You are getting a lot less unhealthful grains if you are eating rice and veggies than if you are eating an animal that ate nothing but GMO corn and soy its whole life.

I am guessing these kids will come out healthier, in this case they probably did improve their diet because the meat they were serving before is the worst meat you can buy.

As someone who was at one point a school-lunch eater, then a vegetarian, and then finally where I am now, paleo -- I tend to think that the first two are both lose-lose situations for the human race long term. But yes, I would agree that the vegetarianism is SLIGHTLY better then the grain/sugar packed animals.

[Spikender]

I guess balanced meals are a thing of the past.

To be fair, though, school food sucks where I live, so I only packed lunch anyway. And you bet your sweet bippy there was a turkey sandwich in there.

[jbauer]

My mother says they are pushing VERY hard for this in their town in Minnesota. The school has been letting vegetarian groups come in for a couple years now indoctrinating the kids teaching them that meat is bad.

Thank God I live in Dixieland!!!

[FSP-Rebel]

Thank God I live in Dixieland!!!

[jmdrake]

I disagree, I think vegetarianism is potentially much healthier than the Standard American Diet of eating animals that eat grains all day, then loading up on grains and sugar.

That said, I'm philisophically paleo, so I eat A LOT of meat.. But I almost never buy any meat at the grocery store, I'd probably go back to being vegetarian again over eating meat that was sitting in a carafe it's whole life. You are getting a lot less unhealthful grains if you are eating rice and veggies than if you are eating an animal that ate nothing but GMO corn and soy its whole life.

I am guessing these kids will come out healthier, in this case they probably did improve their diet because you know the meat they were serving before is the worst meat you can buy.

I have to agree with Dannno here. There's nothing wrong with vegetarianism. There's plenty wrong with public schools. And parents should be ultimately making the choice for what their kids eat. I'm really less concerned about this story than I am regarding the story where parents were told they couldn't pack their kids a lunch.

This is what you should be mad about.

http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclu...e.html?id=8762

Preschooler’s Homemade Lunch Replaced with Cafeteria “Nuggets”
State agent inspects sack lunches, preschoolers purchase cafeteria food instead
By Sara Burrows
Feb. 14th, 2012
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on favorites Share on print More Sharing ServicesMore |

See editor's note at end of story.

RAEFORD — A preschooler at West Hoke Elementary School ate three chicken nuggets for lunch Jan. 30 because the school told her the lunch her mother packed was not nutritious.

The girl’s turkey and cheese sandwich, banana, potato chips, and apple juice did not meet U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, according to the interpretation of the person who was inspecting all lunch boxes in the More at Four classroom that day.

The Division of Child Development and Early Education at the Department of Health and Human Services requires all lunches served in pre-kindergarten programs — including in-home day care centers — to meet USDA guidelines. That means lunches must consist of one serving of meat, one serving of milk, one serving of grain, and two servings of fruit or vegetables, even if the lunches are brought from home.


I don't care what your view is on meat versus vegetarianism. A turkey sandwich, potato chips, banana and apple juice >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> more healthy than chicken nuggets.

[jmdrake]

My mother says they are pushing VERY hard for this in their town in Minnesota. The school has been letting vegetarian groups come in for a couple years now indoctrinating the kids teaching them that meat is bad.

Thank God I live in Dixieland!!!

Really? It was in North Carolina where a pre-schooler had to throw away her turkey sandwich and banana for chicken nuggets.

http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclu...e.html?id=8762

Oh but it's all good because she ate meat. Vegetarians on average live longer than meat eaters. Maybe "paleos" who avoid processed, factory farm raised meat might to better, but the data isn't in on that yet. But your run of the mill chicken nugget and hot dog eater isn't doing better.

[jmdrake]

I guess balanced meals are a thing of the past.

To be fair, though, school food sucks where I live, so I only packed lunch anyway. And you bet your sweet bippy there was a turkey sandwich in there.

Protein is protein. You can have a balanced diet without eating animals.

[luctor-et-emergo]

“I’m enjoying that it didn’t have a lot of salt in it. ”

That's one opinion, how many kids did they have to ask before they got this quote ? If they didn't make it up...

“I don’t eat fried foods. I don’t drink soda. I try not to have sweets too often,” .... “And that’s what we want for our students ... to make sure they eat healthy both at home and school.”

I don't want to guess here, but maybe if that guy would have eaten some fried meat he wouldn't be such a statist.

“We believe that, if we taughtforced kids to make healthystupid/uninformed choices, it would help them to growbe obedient as students and well-rounded childrenfuture taxpayers,” said Principal Robert Groff, who helped found the school in 2008.

Really...

PS: I have no problem with vegetarian food, in fact I know a couple of people who only eat vegetarian meals... Forcing it on kids however ?

[Todd]

Pack your lunch.

With a bucket of KFC Chicken and a ribeye steak.

[jkr]

1:30



for some reason...i *think* this belongs here.

[Restore America Now]

Vegetarianism is the biggest fraud movement since global warming.

I think that's a bit overboard, as a vegetarian myself. I haven't been defrauded into anything.

[asurfaholic]

Vegetarianism is the biggest fraud movement since global warming.

I'm definitely a carnivore, but have you ever seen the documentary "forks over knives?"

It tells a convincing tale using lots of research that the current diets of fried foods, grain fed beef, dairy products, and other things are directly responsible for increased risk for cancer and obesity.


Now I have always been skeptical of vegetarian movements, but I believe that all these processed foods and unhealthy living conditions for the animals we eat are measurably bad for us.

I have big problems with a govt that tries to regulate what private businesses sell, or what people put in their mouths. But if a public school chooses to ditch the fatty greasy fried foods in favor of healthier goods, then I fully support that. However, anyone should be able to pack a lunch from home and eat it unmolested by their wise overlords, which I fear may be the next step.

[jmdrake]

That's one opinion, how many kids did they have to ask before they got this quote ? If they didn't make it up...


I don't want to guess here, but maybe if that guy would have eaten some fried meat he wouldn't be such a statist.




Really...

PS: I have no problem with vegetarian food, in fact I know a couple of people who only eat vegetarian meals... Forcing it on kids however ?

The problem is forcing it on kids belonging to someone else. And that's the problem with public schools in general. This is just the latest example.

[asurfaholic]

The problem is forcing it on kids belonging to someone else. And that's the problem with public schools in general. This is just the latest example.

My problem with this is the logic just seems kind of redundant. If they are not forcing veggies on other people's children, then they are forcing meats. The schools provide food, and can't cater to every child, so someone it's pretty much always going to get shafted.

The only solution i can think of involves school cafeterias shutting down, parents pack all lunches.

[jbauer]

Really? It was in North Carolina where a pre-schooler had to throw away her turkey sandwich and banana for chicken nuggets.

http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclu...e.html?id=8762

Oh but it's all good because she ate meat. Vegetarians on average live longer than meat eaters. Maybe "paleos" who avoid processed, factory farm raised meat might to better, but the data isn't in on that yet. But your run of the mill chicken nugget and hot dog eater isn't doing better.

Good find on the article. They parents should sue the $#@! out of the district.

As for vegetarians. Is it your position that its OK for the government to tell kids what they should and shouldn't eat at a public institution paid for by collective taxes?

[jbauer]

Protein is protein. You can have a balanced diet without eating animals.

Or you can eat animals. I've got no problem with offering a vegetarian option. I do have a problem withholding the primary source of protein that humans have been eating since God or Science put us on this Earth.

[Restore America Now]

As for vegetarians. Is it your position that its OK for the government to tell kids what they should and shouldn't eat at a public institution paid for by collective taxes?

No, but since we don't trust government to do many things properly, why should we trust them to cook our children's meat?

[jbauer]

My problem with this is the logic just seems kind of redundant. If they are not forcing veggies on other people's children, then they are forcing meats. The schools provide food, and can't cater to every child, so someone it's pretty much always going to get shafted.

The only solution i can think of involves school cafeterias shutting down, parents pack all lunches.

My kids go to private they get meat. The school district where I grew up (MN) had a vegetarian option even way back in the 90s. You can't tell me that NY hasn't had the same thing for years.

[jbauer]

No, but since we don't trust government to do many things properly, why should we trust them to cook our children's meat?

You're welcome to pack it. Although that article that was posted said the school threw it away. At the end of the day, if you can't trust the government to cook your child's meal then they shouldn't be in public school. Their education is quite a bit more important then their lunch.

[Restore America Now]

I do have a problem withholding the primary source of protein that humans have been eating since God or Science put us on this Earth.

Well, if you believe the Bible, which I do, humans were only permitted to eat meat after the Flood.

[RonPaulFanInGA]

“This is so good!” squealed 9-year-old Marian Satti, devouring her black bean and cheddar cheese quesadilla Tuesday at lunch. “I’m enjoying that it didn’t have a lot of salt in it. ”

This sounds like nothing more than parroting what she heard in class. No way a 9-year-old cares about her salt intake. "Oh no, my hypertension!"

[jmdrake]

Good find on the article. They parents should sue the $#@! out of the district.

As for vegetarians. Is it your position that its OK for the government to tell kids what they should and shouldn't eat at a public institution paid for by collective taxes?

I thought I made my position clear that I think the problem is public schools....period.... At any public institution there is a menu that is planned by somebody, so regardless of what you think of vegetarianism versus non vegetarianism, somebody is telling kids what they should and shouldn't eat. In some countries they eat dog for instance. I assume that's still not allowed at any public school in the U.S. And there are budget considerations. Maybe some parents prefer all organic, but their kids can't have that, at least not as part of the school lunch program, because it's too expensive. Lot's of paleos in this thread. What's the chances of getting grass fed beef in public school?

[Ender]

I disagree, I think vegetarianism is potentially much healthier than the Standard American Diet of eating animals that eat grains all day, then loading up on grains and sugar.

That said, I'm philisophically paleo, so I eat A LOT of meat.. But I almost never buy any meat at the grocery store, I'd probably go back to being vegetarian again over eating meat that was sitting in a carafe it's whole life. You are getting a lot less unhealthful grains if you are eating rice and veggies than if you are eating an animal that ate nothing but GMO corn and soy its whole life.

I am guessing these kids will come out healthier, in this case they probably did improve their diet because you know the meat they were serving before is the worst meat you can buy.

Disagree.

Have you heard of the Blood Type diets? I had a stomach ache all my life until I discovered this way of eating. I was eating "healthy" but then found that my stomach aches came from my inability to handle grains, especially flours- common in Blood Type Os. Since the majority of the US is Blood Type O, this could prove to be a bigger health problem than we already have. Flours turn into paste in the digestive track of a Blood Type O- hence, weight gain and bowel problems.

Eating store bought meat is still much healthier for me than eating GMO grains etc. Nowadays if I have a stomach ache it's a shocker.

I eat Paleo and I am rarely sick.

[Todd]

Disagree.

Have you heard of the Blood Type diets? I had a stomach ache all my life until I discovered this way of eating. I was eating "healthy" but then found that my stomach aches came from my inability to handle grains, especially flours- common in Blood Type Os. Since the majority of the US is Blood Type O, this could prove to be a bigger health problem than we already have. Flours turn into paste in the digestive track of a Blood Type O- hence, weight gain and bowel problems.

Eating store bought meat is still much healthier for me than eating GMO grains etc. Nowadays if I have a stomach ache it's a shocker.

I eat Paleo and I am rarely sick.

+1

Most of the the studies done on healthiest, longest living people on earth are not vegetarians. Eating primarily a plant based diet is healthy, but there is indeed a place for lean meat proteins procured by natural methods.