Inspectors Searching Kids Lunches for Healthy Food, China Would Be Proud
A mother in Hoke County, North Carolina, is furious that state inspectors determined that her daughter’s lunch was not healthy enough and made her take a school lunch. In fact he made the whole class do it.
The mother, who doesn’t wish to be identified , made her child a pretty normal sounding lunch which contained a turkey and cheese sandwich, a banana, apple juice and potato chips. the State inspector said it was missing a vegetable and made her take a full tray of food from the cafeteria to supplement. The mother said her daughter was so intimidated by the inspector that she didn’t eat the school lunch or the sack lunch so she didn’t get her vegetable anyway. Like most four year olds she said her daughter doesn’t like vegetables.
She said to the Civitas Institute in an interview,
“I can’t put vegetables in her lunchbox. I’m not a millionaire and I’m not going to put something in there that my daughter doesn’t eat and I’ve done gone round and round with the teacher about that and I’ve told her that. I put fruit in there every day because she is a fruit eater. Vegetables, let me take care of my business at home and at night and that’s when I see she’s eating vegetables. I either have to smash it or tell her if you don’t eat your vegetables you’re going to go to bed. It’s just a headache to keep arguing and fighting. I’ve even wrote a note to her teachers and said do not give my daughter anything else unless it comes out of her lunchbox and they are still going against me and putting a milk in front of her every day.
The mother said she has brought this up with the Principal and the school superintendent. She is tired of the school circumventing her rights as a parent. She also fears that even though they haven’t charged her for the school lunches they are making her daughter take, she knows that won’t last forever.
Do you think the school should be investigating lunches for nutritional content?
Tags : china, china searches, federal guidlines, inspectors checking lunches, North Carolina, state inspectors
Posted: February 14, 2012
![Kate Upton Declines Prom Request, Nina Agdal Accepts [Video]](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Kate-Upton-Nina-Agdal-100x100.jpg)
![Pauly D Shows Off His New Hair, Twitter Weighs In [Photo]](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Pauly-D-New-Hair-100x100.jpg)
Feb 15, 2012
I think it time that the government gets out of your personal lives. For the school or any form of government to circumvent a parents rights to raise their child is just going to far.
Feb 15, 2012
No certainly not! What is the next step? Checking at what time the kids of that school goes to bed?
Feb 15, 2012
I don't think they should have the right to do that. The lunch sounded like a good lunch. Let parents decide what their child should or should not eat. The school isn't raising the child. They are paid to educate the child not worry about what a child is eating. When will the government stay out of everyone's business?
Feb 15, 2012
I agree with Teresa…these people have no right whatsoever how to tell this woman what to feed her child…it sounded like perfectly healthy lunch- and by the way- potato chips are made from real potatoes….just because they are thin sliced and deep fried doesn't mean they aren't a vegetable. I am know I am reaching here- but it's just one more way our "educational system" is trying to tell this mother she doesn't know what she is doing…Stick to your guns lady- they can't keep stealing away our rights.
Feb 15, 2012
If people would take time to go to the schools and have lunch once in a while they would truly understand what this parent is talking about. And I have gone to lunch many times with the Grandchildren. The school lunches are terrible, and we live one County north of Hoke. The high school lunches are pizza and burgers, junk foods. My Grandson refused to eat lunch the other day in school, said the egg rolls they served were so limp he couldn't eat it. SO – No, if a parent sends a child a lunch to school, the School inspectors should not cause any interference. School Officials need to worry about what their serving first as a nutrient.
Feb 15, 2012
If the child didn't have a lunch then give her one to eat. if the parent sends a lunch then stay the heck away!
Feb 15, 2012
AS if parenting isn't hard enough! Now we have to meet some governmental standard for what we put in the kids lunches. Not every child likes carrot or celery sticks. Or tomato slices making their sandwich soggy.
Feb 15, 2012
The lunch on that tray looked pretty unappetizing. What if some one is allergic to that?
Feb 15, 2012
As a mother of 2 very different children( 1 who will eat everything I put in front of her, and 1 who is very picky and refuses to eat most things) I disagree with a school taking a well rounded packed lunch away from a child! I'm sure this mom has come up with some very creative ways of getting veggies into her child. Has the school even considered that the mom is trying to avoid a meltdown at school by giving her child things that are healthy and she knows her child will eat.
Feb 15, 2012
the government needs to get out of a parents right to raise their child. The school needs to TEACH the children and provide a lunch that is balanced to those who CHOOSE to eat it. some kids are special needs. some can not drink milk! They need to be more concerned about the teachers that are not doing there job. my kids lunch in none of thier buisness.
Feb 15, 2012
Did Congress just vote that Pizza is a Vegetable? I'm sure forcing children to take school lunches is just one way to get some extra federal funding on the down-low. Who paid for the lunch that the child didn't want and didn't eat? The school didn't do this without some sort of motivation for a pay-off. Follow the money.
Feb 15, 2012
Did Congress just vote that Pizza is a Vegetable? I'm sure forcing children to take school lunches is just one way to get some extra federal funding on the down-low. Who paid for the lunch that the child didn't want and didn't eat? The school didn't do this without some sort of motivation for a pay-off. Follow the money.
Feb 15, 2012
I agree with all of you… The inspector had no right…. The mother made a great lunch. I could see if the lunch contained candy, soda and things of this nature, then possibly at the parent teacher conferences it could be mentioned a better lunch would increase concentration, but definitely not in this case. The mother made a great lunch and she should be applauded for being a good caring mother…
Feb 15, 2012
I've worked in the schools. I see much of that "healthy" school lunch go into the dumpsters. I say provide lunch for those who can't afford a lunch from home, and let the ones who have a packed lunch from home eat what is provided by their parent regardless of what it contains. Those who can't afford a lunch, this may be the only good meal they get. Those who bring a lunch from home, this is only 1/3 of their meals! Let the parents take care of getting their kids to eat healthy! And, a lot of what I see on the school lunch trays is NOT healthy!
Feb 15, 2012
Not to that extent!
Feb 15, 2012
I am the mother of two very active, healthy children. ANd as most people would tell you as much alike as they are, they are also very different. So meals are a challenge. We (my husband and myself) do everything to ensure a well rounded meal for both children each and every day. However, they sometimes choose not to eat their vegetable or their fruits. Sometimes they will only eat their lettuce or vegetable and not their meat. I have been told by the pediatricians this is normal. I do not expect the federal, state, or local government to tell me how to raise my children and what to feed them. Not everyone is the same. So not every child is the same. They are not all going to eat the same things nor are they going to like the same things just because some politician says they should. Stay the hell out of our personal lives and start doing what you are being payed to do! WHich is not to tell us Parents what to feed our children or anything else in our lives!
Feb 15, 2012
I also think it was a decent lunch.
Feb 15, 2012
instead of being the nutrition nazis how about paying attention to bullying in schools or academic supplies for the children to get the correct updated knowledge instead of books that are 10 yrs old. I would be a smart ass and every lunch period sign my kids out and let them eat a lunch I packed then sign them in when lunch period is over.they cant say what you can do with your kids meal if they are not on campus. school is violating the rights of the parents, if they want a health issue then stop giving chocllate milk and selling candy, or fundraisers that promote the sale of candy for a prize to, no vending machines with soda or other junk food. I think you can eat junk food just moderatly and as long as that kid is healthy it shouldn't matter what is in her lunch.i have had the school take a soda away from my kid at lunch I paid for, excuse it not fair to other kids that cant afford it or cant have one because of health issues…school crossed the line with this and will try to take more if we don't stop it.
Feb 15, 2012
You have to be kidding. I'm speechless
Feb 15, 2012
Think that mother needs to put a boot up someone's rear end for telling her she needs a veggie. WTH she has fruit and she can eat veggies at home. Geesh they would not like my picky eater then….. Those "inspectors" need to mind their own business and focus on kids who don't get to eat… The government needs to mind it's own business!
Feb 15, 2012
True. I am adult and a picky eater.
Feb 16, 2012
First of all school lunches are full of carbs. Look at the data…when did the obesity start soaring? When the govenment started pushing whole wheat and low fat. Now to the point of this…I would personally kick the ass of the inspector and sue the school district. The lunch sounded perfectly fine for the child. I am wondering if the mother would put a pack of ketchup in her lunch box (whether or not she used it would be up to the child), if that would satisfy the inspectors in regard to the vegetable?
Feb 16, 2012
You can't force kids, especially 4yr olds to eat what they don't like. Let them eat what they like & soon they will be good eaters. Been through this. Lots of kids like my granddaughter like the regular milk & not non fat as they are getting now. Rather her have something to eat than nothing if have to eat school lunches which have gotten pretty bad. She used to like them. Now won't even eat the hamburgers or corn dogs! She's thin & needs to eat. Not ALL of our kids are obese! Gov't should butt out of this!