Junk food on the brain!
It’s the week after Easter, and our kitchen table here at The Mailbox is covered with chocolate (aka junk food). Although I think chocolate is the most amazing substance around, I have to concede that it fits the definition of junk food— a high-calorie food that is low in nutritional value.
So what foods are considered junk? I don’t know about you, but as I get older, the mental list of junk food is expanding. When I was a child, the list contained potato chips and candy. Now I’m up to these:
chips
candy
ice cream
pudding
cookies
pasta
bread
packaged meals
almost all crackers
Should we ban junk food in school? Here’s an article on the topic, and here’s my personal opinion on the whole matter: I don’t think piles of junk food should be available for kids to purchase during lunch. It just isn’t necessary, and it certainly won’t help children who are having their outdoor playtime cut. But I also think that there’s nothing wrong with having junk food for holiday celebrations. What’s a fall festival or the December holidays without some cookies? Sadness, that’s what it is. So I’m advocating moderation in all things.
What do you think?
On regular school days we have fresh fruit and veggies. We do serve a child’s serving of pretzels and goldfish about once a week with fruit. But no seconds on the dry snacks only the fresh fruit.
But we do serve cookies and junk food along side of healthy choices on party days.
I do think schools are going a bit overboard with healthy choices only. Moderation and teaching healthy choices are best and teach life long habits.
Here in Texas, we area allowed 3 FMNV days (foods of minimal nutritional value) during the school year – Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. If a parent wants to bring cupcakes or other treats for a child’s birthday, it is only allowed after 2:00 p.m.
Students do bring their own snacks, however, and they can bring whatever they want — as long as it is eaten after 2:00 p.m. Most of my students bring healthy snacks. At the beginning of the school year, I always send home a list of healthy foods for parents to consider for their children.