I am appealing to the list for help. On Wednesday, March 7th, our local PTA will be having a meeting entitled "You Are What You Eat". The topic will be addressing the abysmal state of our school lunch program. Surveys were sent home with each student asking the parents to rate the lunch program on a scale of 1-5 (yours truly sent back -5). Additionally, parents were asked to list the 3 most offensive meals and the 3 favorite meals they thought were on the current menu. Finally, we were asked to give comments and suggestions for foods we might like to see on future menus. I won't bore you with the answers I provided, but I will say that when I returned my completed survey to the principal, her hand looked hot!!!! Here's where I need help. I do not have any initials behind my name. I am just a paleo mom who wants to feel like she can make a difference. I have so much information in my head, but don't know how or where to begin when they open the floor for questions this Wednesday. I almost feel as though I have been waiting for this type of forum ever since I became a parent. Now, here it is, and I am tongue tied!!! So, I want to post a few days worth of a typical current menu to this list. I thought if I could get a breakdown of exactly what is LACKING, and exactly what is in this food, maybe the powers that be might listen. If I kept my responses from getting too emotional, they might not brand me a nut, at least to my face (HA). So, Amadeus, if you feel like running your data charts, I would appreciate a breakdown of protein, fat, saturated fat, carbs, calories, vitamins. But more importantly, how can I successfully show this group who is very conservative, that on paper, the food is lacking in nutrients and downright disease promoting? The school dietician knows she is going to be facing some fire this week, but she stands by the USDA food pyramid guidelines. Ironically, did you know that March 5-9 is National School Breakfast Week? Here's one weeks worth of menu for the entire K-12 school district: Monday Italian Dunkers (Hot Dog Bun Deep Fried with Cheese & Tomato Sauce) Hamburger/White Bun Tossed Salad (iceburg) Carrots Cooked White Bread Applesauce-sweetened Fruit, Fresh (Apple, Orange, Banana) Juice (orange, apple, grape) Milk - white or chocolate Tuesday Spaghetti/meat sauce Turkey Sub (white roll, processed turkey breast) Peanut Butter (Skippy Brand) & Grape Jelly (sweetened) Tossed Salad (iceburg) Green Beans White Bread Pears - cooked, prepackaged in sugar syrup Fruit, Fresh Juice, Assorted Milk - White or Chocolate Wednesday Chicken Pattie (Breaded-Prepackaged) Served on Hamburger Bun Sloppy Joe/White Bun Peanut Butter (Skippy Brand) & Grape Jelly Tossed Salad (iceburg) French Fries White Bread Packaged cherries in syrup Fruit, fresh (apples, oranges, bananas) Fruit Juices Milk - White or Chocolate Thursday Garlic Pizza (prepackaged) Tuna on White Bun Peanut Butter & Jelly on White Bread Tossed Salad (iceburg) Corn White Bread Peaches in syrup Fruit, Fresh Fruit Juices (orange, apple, grape) apple & grape have sugar Milk - White or Chocolate Friday Macaroni & Cheese Fish Sandwich (Fried Breaded Fish on White Hamburger Bun) Peanut Butter & Jelly on White Bread Tossed Salad Peas White Bread Apple Crisp Fruit, Fresh Fruit Juices Milk - White or Chocolate Well, there you have it. I am grateful to anyone who might like to help. Feel free to e-mail me privately, unless this list would like to know the results. Writing this menu reinforced how depressing the state of modern food really is. I live in a very rural, economically poor area. Over 85% of our children eat school food, including breakfast. Most get government subsidies, because their parents can not afford the $1.00 per day charge. The breakfast choices are worse than you can imagine. All the breakfast food is prepackaged from fast food chains. For most of these kids, the school food is the best that they eat all day.... Food for thought, indeed. Thank you all! Judy Genova, cavegirl (who will even shave her legs and put on a nice dress for this meeting!!!!!!) _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com