An editorial by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel this weekend discusses the important of the Child Nutrition Act, and it's highly recommended reading. You can take a look here: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-school-menus-m083009pnaug30,0,2121497.story
But one of the more interesting lines, which I had to read a few times to see if I was reading it correctly, said the following:
"To be fair, both the Broward and Palm Beach County school systems also offer one vegan lunch entree every day to elementary and middle school students -- tamer fare like tuna sandwiches, tomato soup, whole wheat rolls, grilled cheeses and fruit, yogurt and cheese."A little bit of a head scratcher, right? Vegan entrees...like tuna and cheese?
Now, I'm a meat-eater myself. In fact, my parents and my girlfriend would readily tell any of you that I should focus a bit more on my fruits and veggies. But because I know what constitutes "veggie" and "vegan" fare, perhaps I assume that others know what that means, as well. After reading this paragraph, however, I begin to wonder if there's a bit of a problem. Does everyone, in fact, know what "vegan" and "veggie" means?
Think about it. Some could be preparing options with the noblest of intentions - going out of their way to accommodate the eating habits of vegans and vegetarians - and instead, accidentally preparing food that will go to waste. Especially with the scarce resources provided to make school meals, does this become a problem?
It reminds me a bit of the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. In one scene, the family is horrified to find that the non-Greek soon-to-be in-law is, in fact, a vegetarian. Not exactly knowing what the term means, and with the best intentions, one of the aunt asks, "what do you mean you eat no meat? That's okay, I'll make lamb."
What do you think? Do the right people know what veggie and vegan fare consists of? Are these options made available to you or your children? If you're a food service worker, are your provided with the resources to make meals that accommodate these requirements? Leave a comment and let us know what your thoughts are!
Actually, students can have a wide range of allergies and special food needs. I would hope that there was a system for dealing with these sorts of issues, vegetarian and vegan meals included, so that the example you share doesn't happen. Younger children may not be able to be responsible for their own needs and will rely on the school staff to take care of them.