The elimination of potatoes from school meals? Say it ain't so.

bassrique · #1 05-17-2011, 09:36 PM

Long story short: Bureaucrats want to reduce the use of spuds in school meals. Yeah, I know potatoes can have a high glycemic index. I will also agree with the potato lobby's opinion that spuds can be a "gateway vegetable". When I was a boy, I hated vegis, but learned to love them partially from mixing them with potatoes. Broccoli on a baked potato topped with cheese? Yum. Some garlic spinach mixed in with mashed potatoes? Heaven. Try giving kids plain vegetables for lunch and they will likely end up in the garbage.

I guess pasta will be next on the hit list of the nanny staters.

Quote:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing to eliminate the “white potato”—defined as any variety but the sweet potato—from federally subsidized school breakfasts and to limit them sharply at lunch…

Proposal to Cut Back on Potatoes in Schools Causes a Food Fight - WSJ.com

Spud Wars: Potato Farmers Prepare to Battle New USDA Guidelines - DailyFinance

Then there's this:

Quote:

Under an interim rule, the USDA agreed to bar WIC participants from buying potatoes with their federal dollars. Potatoes are the only vegetable not allowed. Next year, the agency will roll out a final rule on the WIC program, which last year served 9.3 million children and pregnant and breast-feeding women considered at risk for malnutrition.

USDA considers limiting potatoes offered to kids - IFT.org

I again am outrageously outraged.

EDIT: My subject line is not entirely accurate - yet.

**Staccato** · #2 05-17-2011, 09:40 PM

It's true that we live in a 'free' country and many rights should go without saying, but...

French fries have about 44% fat. French fries are packed with calories and it's no wonder that they are closely related to obesity...

fmoore200 · #3 05-17-2011, 09:40 PM

My healthy side says yes...my Irish said is outraged

Selta · #4 05-17-2011, 09:43 PM

I didn't read the articles.... Stacatto... do they say they're cutting back/limiting french fries, or potatoes? If it's French Fries... eh, I still don't "get it", but whatever, it might make sense somehow. If it's just mashed/baked potatoes etc., then I don't get it at all. What's next, chips?

MEKer · #5 05-17-2011, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

I didn't read the articles.... Stacatto... do they say they're cutting back/limiting french fries, or potatoes? If it's French Fries... eh, I still don't "get it", but whatever, it might make sense somehow. If it's just mashed/baked potatoes etc., then I don't get it at all. What's next, chips?

More and more you are not being allowed to be responsible for yourself. Ahhh, so wonderful. Yessirree, that's what freedom is all about.

And late at night I eat shoe polish too------hope no one tells on me as I do not wanna go to jail.

DigMe · #6 05-17-2011, 09:50 PM

Our cafeterias in my school district had all of their fryers removed a few years ago. Now all fries, tots, etc.. are usually baked. Overall our menus have gotten way healthier and as far as my school goes I think this potato thing is unnecessary.

bc

GregC · #7 05-17-2011, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MEKer

More and more you are not being allowed to be responsible for yourself. Ahhh, so wonderful. Yessirree, that's what freedom is all about.

And late at night I eat shoe polish too------hope no one tells on me as I do not wanna go to jail.

LOL, isn't that just a wee bit dramatic? Kids can still bring their lunches to school and eat whatever they want.

I do think they're going a little too far--I can see eliminating fried potatoes in school lunches, but not baked ones.

bassrique · #8 05-17-2011, 10:04 PM

I can kinda see the anti-french fry feeling. One reason I don't like them is they are often cooked in OLD OIL. Not good. Baked fries are almost as tasty. Baked potatoes are flat-out awesome.

**Mark Wilson** · #9 05-17-2011, 10:18 PM

Why don't they just replace Potatoes with Cupcakes?
That'll probably make you Americans happy.

bassrique · #10 05-17-2011, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Indeed, much is heaped on the potato. At the annual Eastern State Exposition last fall, the state-run "Maine Building" served up 47 tons of baked potatoes, smothered with 10,500 pounds of sour cream, 8,040 pounds of cheddar cheese, 4,670 pounds of butter and 560 pounds of bacon bits over 17 days.

**Staccato** · #11 05-17-2011, 10:43 PM

Was just thinking about the fried version that our high school would sell to anyone in line for 50¢ and what they do if eaten often.

stevetx19 · #12 05-17-2011, 10:43 PM

well, the idea is to give kids the choice to eat healthy. They tried adding healthy options to the Dallas schools, but the reports are that kids don't pick them because fried chicken and mashed potatoes taste better. So, make all of the options healthy! It's not too difficult...grind up veggies and other nutrient rich sources and add them basic "red" sauces = healthy food kids will eat. It would be great if they still had vegetables for kids to choose. That way, kids can learn to eat well for the sake of eating well, but if they don't make that choice at least they are still getting the nutrients they need.

The thing is, potatoes are healthy. Fried in oil or mashed with cream/butter they are less attractive. It's not the potato that is unhealthy- ax the butter, cream, and oil.

as for axing pasta next- if its mac and cheese, you better believe it's next on the cut list. I don't think they would cut spaghetti, though.

Kids go home and can eat whatever their parents give them. Schools need to assume that parents want their kids eating healthy and ensure that balanced meals are served.

tastybasslines · #13 05-17-2011, 10:50 PM

I was a healthy, active kid. We had no computers, - we were outside all day, everyday. I remember very few fat kids, if any.

I was soooo happy for tater tot day. Everyone loved when it was that day at the cafeteria. I would be so disappointed to never have tater tots as a kid!

It's too bad, we live in a different time, where physical activity is not a priority anymore, so this becomes important.

GeneralElectric · #14 05-17-2011, 10:53 PM

Why don't they get rid of corn instead?

Blort · #15 05-17-2011, 10:53 PM

Gotta love the government telling us what we can and can't eat. No trans fat? Maybe I like trans fat.

bassrique · #16 05-17-2011, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

Why don't they get rid of corn instead?

hehe

stevetx19 · #17 05-17-2011, 10:55 PM

In 1 week, kids eat 5 of 7 lunches and 0 of 7 dinners at school, generally. That's 9 chances a week for tater tots.

Gomeztool · #18 05-17-2011, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregC

Kids can still bring their lunches to school and eat whatever they want.

Google Little Village Academy in Chicago

Jon_West · #19 05-17-2011, 10:59 PM

Didn't read the article, but isn't a high glycemic diet really only supposed to be taken into account if you're diabetic?

What high glycemic foods are they going to ban next? Cereal? Toast? Watermelon?

ehque · #20 05-17-2011, 10:59 PM

I haven't had fries in forever. It's not the potatoes that will kill you, its that they are pretty good fat sponges, and if fried become blocks of fat. Baked (or in Asia, also commonly boiled) I can't imagine they would be less healthy than rice, since both are almost pure starch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MEKer

More and more you are not being allowed to be responsible for yourself. Ahhh, so wonderful. Yessirree, that's what freedom is all about.

I am fine with people under the age of consent having *some* of their choices made for them. Especially in a school lunch setting, where there may be little alternative to what is being served.