8 mo. ago • 98%

Free school meals for all may reduce childhood obesity, while easing financial and logistical burdens for families and schools

theconversation.com Free school meals for all may reduce childhood obesity, while easing financial and logistical burdens for families and schools

Since nutrition standards were strengthened in 2010, eating at school provides many students with healthier food than is available cheaply elsewhere. Plus, reducing stigma increases the number of kids getting fed.

47 comments

Why is feeding children so controversial?

49
- Because once we start doing socialism for kids, people will start asking for socialism for everyone, and the ultra rich wants to keep that under control.
  
  30
- "Socialism! Marxists!"
  
  6
- Because it's being called "free" when it is not.
  
  -19
  
  You're right. It's better than free. It sets those kids up for a healthier life, making them more well rounded into adulthood. It's a highly returning investment in our future.
  
  28
  
  How much will the children have to pay each time they get a lunch? Or is it more like a subscription where they pay per month or something?
  
  5
  
  Not shit Sherlock, taxes would pay for it. Better to have our money feeding fat kids than buying more bombs for the IDF.
  
  2
- Because they're obese
  
  -23
  
  Your weight loss solution is starvation then? That'll kill 'em faster than obesity will.
  
  15
  
  Fuck it, I’ll publicly admit I found this funny
  
  -7
This is such an obvious non partisan no Brainer. So it definitely will never happen in the US on a meaningful scale.

28
- Alas, it is partisan. Republicans love to see the poor people suffer because it makes them feel superior.
  
  16
  
  What's the point of selling your soul for comfort if some of that comfort could be provided for others for free. No no. Others must suffer for the conservative to enjoy what they've got
  
  2
You idiots. Kids with fewer financial burdens don't want to work in the factory farms! Plus when they do their fancy learning they start to figure out that there could be a better way of life than getting their limbs removed by machines last serviced when they were in diapers. It's almost like you think kids are white men the way you're talking about about taking care of them

23
No shit sherlock. News break: sending the equivalent of one little merger in the US to countries who cant provide their people with food would make us all live better.

8
This is an area the the US is far ahead of Canada in as far as beneficial social programs go and as a former kid who struggled to have a midday meal, I hope y’all protect this with your lives.

4
My wife works at an elementary school, and a fair number of the kids depend on those school lunches as the only food they might eat that day. The school is in a mixed and low income neighborhood, and for some of the families this is how their kids get most of their meals.

4
I'm not sure about this. The governor said no free lunches because of childhood obesity.

Do I believe science or politics? 🤔 ⚖️

3
If only we could get something healthy that isn't a piece of pizza in disguise.

2
- You didn't read the article.
  
  It linked to a study that refutes you.
  
  By 2017-2018, foods consumed at schools improved significantly and provided the best mean diet quality of major US food sources, without population disparities.
  
  The large improvements at schools were associated with increased whole grains and less saturated fat, SSBs (Sugar Sweetened Beverages), and sodium.
  
  Source: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2778453
  
  7
  
  Um I read the menu at my kids school daily. Read whatever study you like.
  
  -1
- Seeing the free meals provided by our schools over COVID they would cover their protein requirements by cheese there was rarely meat in any of the meals.
  
  0
  
  Use punctuation.
  
  1
  
  I don't think that's a bad thing on its own. Meat isn't the only source of protein that exists and Americans probably eat too much of it.
  
  Starting from an early age to not expect meat at every meal otherwise it's not a meal is probably a good thing.
  
  1
- BuT pIzZa Is A vEgEtAbLe /s
  
  https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/us/politics/congress-blocks-new-rules-on-school-lunches.html
  
  -1
- They literally declared pizza vegetables
  
  -4
  
  Reagan declared ketchup a vegetable after he cut school lunches to Make America Great
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchup_as_a_vegetable
  
  4
Turkey 2-hydroxy Tetrazzini.

2
Why 'may'? It's literally proven if you look over your own border.

0
Permanently Deleted

-16
- Most of what a kid eats is what their parents eat
  
  Did you read the article? What if most of what a kid is eating isn't what their parents are eating?
  
  Since that time, there has been a substantial increase in schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision, a federal policy that allows schools in high poverty areas to provide free breakfast and lunch to all attending students.
  
  So these kids are eating two meals a day that aren't directly provided by their parent. Sounds like most of their meals aren't what their parents are eating.
  
  Also, if they are in extreme hardship, they may not even get to eat dinner with their parents.
  
  13
  
  We're still talking about obesity, right?
  
  -16
- If kids are getting fed at school, that means the family can afford better stuff. Even if they keep buying garbage, the kids will be exposed to the idea of healthy eating.
  
  6
- How can they eat the same thing twice
  
  -2

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