Doughnuts vanishing from NYC schools

Wednesday, June 25, 2003 Posted: 12:08 PM EDT (1608 GMT)

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Soda, hard candy and doughnuts will disappear from vending machines in the nation's largest school system this fall under stricter nutritional guidelines designed to fight childhood obesity, officials said.

New York schools, which serve about 800,000 meals a day, will also serve lower-fat versions of foods such as tacos and chicken nuggets. And beef ravioli and macaroni may soon be history.

By 2008, the city expects to abide by federal recommendations that no more than 30 percent of the calories in school lunches come from fat.

School vending machines will continue to sell cookies, potato chips and pretzels, among other snacks, along with all-juice drinks and water, school officials said Tuesday.

The changes come amid alarm about poor diets and fitness among children. About 13 percent of children are overweight, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

California has mandated what schools should serve in cafeterias, and Texas set new guidelines on student exercise.

This is a mixed can of worms. They are getting rid of doughnuts...But, why are they leaving potato chips. We know both are junk food ??? I'm glad to see the macaroni go. But, why are they retaining fried foods, since we know that Trans-Fats are bad for you ???

The 30% fat requirement is a mixed can of worms in and of itself. There are two ways this can be achieved and one of those is the way the schools do it now: more sugar. That is the last thing school food needs is more refined sugar. They need to approach this by replacing the junk food with fresh fruit and green veggies.

Actually I think just cutting out soda is a BIG improvement.

My boyfriend just came back from Texas. One of the things he noticed was how big were some of the people, the children in particular. (They were square, was the way he put it). This particular boy was walking along with his parents munching away from a bag of donuts (just for himself) and sipping from a big gulp soda in the other.

That seems in a nutshell to be representative of everything that is wrong about modern eating habits.

So seeing donuts and soda removed from the menu is a very positive thing.

Yes, it is amazing here - we've got some of the hottest women (and men) you've ever seen, yet it seems like every other person is grossly obese. About 40 out of the 100 people in my office are eating Atkins these days.

I just posted something similar on another thread, but it actually fits better here. Repairing the diets in our schools is a much needed issue. However, it is going to do very little to fix the problems. Obesity is not caused by school lunches or vending machines. It is caused by an improper lifestyle that begins and ends outside of the classroom. Most schools do not allow eating in class, and most only have a long enough break to snack twice a day. (a break, and lunch) this does not give anyone enought time to become obese (unless they gorge themselves daily, which would be a gross exadderation of what actually happens in our schools. I think what actually happens is that they snack in the afternoons when they are at home watching tv. Kids today live an overly sedentary lifestyle, and we wonder why they are gaining weight. It is a bigger problem that is not going to be fixed by changing school lunches, especially if they do it wrong. What they have done is to satisfy the loudest voices. By removing sodas, and donuts and leaving the other things on the menu, have they improved the school diet? I say no. The quest to remove vending machines from schools is also one that makes a subsantial hole in the already strapped school budget..... however, that is a whole other issue in itself

Bacon, it is not uncommon for school lunches to have over 100g of carbs...mostly from sugar, while being very low in calories. The food keeps them satiated for the 2 hours left in the day. But, these kids get hungry again shortly after the school day ends. They get home, with 4 hours until their parents get home for Dinner, and the sugar high has worn off and they're craving carbs. What do they do ??? They snack.

A school lunch needs to satiate a student for 6 hours, and not cause sugar highs and cravings. If they fed them a lunch that left them satisfied until Dinner time, they'd do alot less snacking. Also, by feeding them junk food in school...they are fostering bad eating habits. When a kid eat junk food at school everyday, he's going to want junk food at home.

The schools control what foods are available to kids during the school day. If we teach them to healthy at school, they will take that healthy eating home with them. There are many fruits, vegetables, and legumes that would be perfect for school lunches. They taste good and they are healthy and satisfying. If we show these kids that low-glycemic fruits, green vegetables, and some legumes (peanuts/string beans) can taste good...then, we can slowly change their eating habits.

Who wouldn't agree that a kid who eats a piece of broiled meat, a salad, sides of greens and fresh fruit, and a LC drink at school is more likely to eat healhty at home...than a kid who is forced (is hungry and isn't allowed to eat anywhere else) to eat a piece of fried "meat," sides of potatoes (possibly also fried,) overcooked soggy spinach (which most of the kids throw away,) low-fat milk, and a Sugar Bar err Fruit Bar. What the kids eat at school determines what they are likely to eat at home. So, it is essential to change school food.

I agree that by feeding kids junk food at school is not a good thing. However, i dont think that it will teach them good eating habits if they just restrict the foods they can eat. Every school allows kids to bring their own luches (not everyone has time or money to make luches for their kids, but it is allowed) If we simply remove the majority of things from the menu, kids will either bring unhealthy foods from home (lunchables etc.) or they will not eat much at lunch (because as we all know kids are very picky eaters, and with out options they will choose to go hungry until after school where they will gorge themselves on candy and chips. I think we need to teach kids healthy portion sizes, and offer a desert option at schools. They are forced to make these choices at every other time of the day, we do them no good by teaching them to let someone else to think for them. They need to be educated about the proper nutritional portions of meals. Giving them a very limited menu is (IMHO) not the best way to do this.
You also mention them snacking for the 4 hours they wait for their parents to come home.... this is the biggest problem in my opinion. kids need to be active in the afternoons. this will teach them the importance of exersize, because they will grow to enjoy it.... they will also not be eating because they are bored in front of the tv... if schools would focus on a way to involve more children in afterschool sports, exersize, or any other activity, they would be much better off.... i think this is the battle we should be fighting

Bacon, I never suggested...decreasing the amount of food or variety of food. I just want it improved.

1) Replace fried meats with broiled, baked, or steamed meats. Fish, Chicken, etc...I would not have passed it up in school, just because it wasn't fried. In fact, non-fried tastes just as good as fried.

2) Replace the juice bars and current sugar deserts with fresh fruit. Most kids like fruit. Give them an orange, some melon, berries, etc...as a desert. I never passed up a slice of orange with a meal.

3) Replace the soggy overcooked spinach with a salad. Most kids don't eat the overcooked greens they serve. But, if we replaced them with something a little more palatible...they might eat it.

4) Replace the potatoes with Green Beans. Most kids will take green beans if they don't have the option of potatoes. Green beans taste just as good as potatoes, and don't cause heartburn like potatoes do.

As far as exercise is concerned...I've always believed recess and exercise should be given. Kids will get plenty of exercise if you let them outside every few hours...and they will probably pay better attention in class. As for exercise after school...it's a good thing. But, exercise makes you hungrier. If you are already craving carbs (because of a sugar high,) then exercise will only exacerbate the cravings.

Exercise is great, but it must be combined with controlling sugar intake. A single soda will undo 15-30 minutes of moderate exercise. Add some candy, chips, and a few more sodas...and the exercise won't burn it all off. I know this from experience. 1-2 hours of exercise a day, didn't keep me skinny...because I quenched my thirst with soda. We need to teach them NOT to reach for a soda or candy when they're thirsty/hungry...otherwise, when they exercise they are going to get thirstier and hungrier, causing them to reach for junk food.