Taste Test
Flash back, oh, about 30 years ago or so, to a time of food trays with dividers designed to keep your Sloppy Joe separated from your fruit cocktail. The cafeteria ladies wore hair nets and peered menacingly through cat's eye glasses on long chains as they scooped up their culinary punishment with giant ladles.
Cinnamon Roll Day was legendary, Pizza Day was tolerable and Beef Stew Day was, well, I don't think I have to tell you. My school cafeteria experience was filled with weird smells and despite being labeled in my youth as a "picky eater," I don't think even the strongest of constitutions could've withstood some of the things that were heaped upon on those lime-green trays. On the plus side, we had a full "kitchen" and plenty of time to try to chortle down those meals. My best friend often shared her carrot sticks, and on those glorious days when my mom made my lunch, I had Oreos for all.
Do today's kids have it better or worse when it comes to the cafeteria? After reading "Food Fight" in the June issue of L.A. Parent about how chef cum reality star Jamie Oliver went head-to-head with the goliath that is the Los Angeles Unified School District, I was compelled to test out my kids' LAUSD school dining options for myself. The challenges facing the district are many, and despite getting vilified in the press, its food-service officials are trying to spice up (pun intended) and improve the menus.
Admittedly, Jack was stupefied by the sight of his mom at school in the middle of the day, but he humored me. The cafeteria lady had about the same temperament as I remembered from my youth. However, I immediately noticed a key difference: no melamine tray. Jack's school is one of many in the district that doesn't have a full kitchen, so meals are brought in ready to eat. Jack selected the grilled cheese and plopped it out of its baggie. I chose the lasagna, and peeled back the plastic sheet covering it. To my surprise I didn't have to suppress my gag reflex as I so often did during my own first-grade lunch break. And while I'm a considerably less picky eater as an adult, the lasagna was ... good! The grilled cheese wasn't bad, either.
While Jamie Oliver most certainly could've prepared a tastier version, I couldn't complain. And the meal came with a perfectly ripened banana and a little bag of shelled edamame. But here's where Jamie Oliver has a very legitimate axe to grind: the dreaded flavored milk. Even as a fairly disciplined adult, I couldn't turn down the chocolate milk (what am I, 6?). I wanted to go with "plain," but I just couldn't. It was too alluring, with its brown lettering and chocolatey promises. And not a drop of water in sight.
Jack had only a short time to eat and play, so he skipped the banana, gave me a quick hug, and ran off to play with his friends. I looked down at his crusts and my empty tomato sauce-stained paper boat. Sure, it might not be organic, locally sourced, freshly prepared gourmet cuisine, but it was edible, which is more than I can say for the cafeteria of my youth.
I have no doubt Jamie could make some amazing changes in our schools' cafeterias, and I applaud his mission to bring the concept of real food to America's youth. And it's a good reminder that we parents must stay diligent about the food our children consume. And if we can't control everything in the cafeteria, at least we can teach them that there's nothing better than a meal made from fresh ingredients by your own two hands (even if I tend to burn stuff).
And while I still feel a twinge of guilt on those days when I just don't feel like packing Jack's lunch, at least I know I'm not subjecting him to Beef Stew Day.
Reader Comments (1)
I totally relate to this post. I try to drop in to eat lunch at school with my kids at least once a year. They like it and it gives me a chance to see exactly what they're eating AND how they're doing socially. I agree, the food isn't too bad but I noticed a lot of kids steering clear of the healthier options and going for the fun stuff - the carbs. I can't blame them because I did the same thing at their age. I noticed your son was drinking chocolate milk in the video. I saw on the news last night that LAUSD banned chocolate milk from the lunch menu. Jamie Oliver recommended it because of the sugar and extra calories. This produced a heated argument and it was close but it got the boot. I have a feeling it will make a comeback after the get some data next year.