Today on CNN there was a story about the quality of meat in children's school lunches. Apparently fast-food outlets such as Jack In The Box have a higher standard for meat selection than those buying for school cafeterias, leaving the kidlets to eat "old hen meat" and other undesirables that would otherwise be destined for the compost heap. This was very much one of those Helen Lovejoy "won't somebody please think of the children!" type of stories that amuse me so. If people are really so concerned about the standard of meat being fed to schoolkids - why not lobby congress [or whomever] to raise agricultural standards...or...crazy thought...why not encourage a vegetarian option? Now, I'm hardly one of those militant vegetarian/vegan types who goes around preaching that my way is the best way [I would have to start that with myself as I can't seem to kick the fish habit, so I'm not even entirely vegetarian]...but it does grind my gears when people don't seem to think that bad meat is acceptable to no meat at all. Also, at my previous job people were always going on about how expensive it was to be a vegetarian - I can tell you from almost ten years of buying my own food that this is absolutely not true. Generally our weekly shop costs approximately $40 [and this does include some meat for sandwiches for Joseph]...if you were to add in meat for most/every dinner, it would be much more costly. In conclusion - go green - go veg!
In other related news, I'm always mystified by the notion of free school lunch. I always wonder if it's commonplace? This story seemed to be suggesting that it was and that many poorer families rely upon it as their child's main meal of the day. I've never experienced this. In elementary school we had no food available to us [not even milk - we did have a pop machine though, which attracted quite a queue @ lunch] on a regular basis - we could pay 50 cents for a hot dog on Tuesdays and $1 for a square slice of pepperoni pizza [from Pizza Delight!] on Thursdays. That was it [and obviously really healthy]. In high school we did have a cafeteria and, eventually [when I was in grade 11] we got food vending machines in addition to pop machines [today I have burned my mouth on Fuzzy Peaches and I am reminded of all the joy that the vending machine brought to my life]. The cafeteria food selection was pretty terrible - with French fries being the main draw from both an economics and taste point of view. They introduced nachos with "cheeze" sauce a couple of years after I started school and it really changed the life of me and my best friend [by which I mean we had an alternative to our standard ham & cheeze on a kaiser - I still remember the feeling of microwaved cheeze dripping onto my leg, bared by my mini-skirt]. So yeah, as terrible as the food was - we paid for it [and everyday, too - I never once brought a packed lunch in high school - I still rebel against packed lunches]. What say you? Is there such thing as a free lunch?
In still other news...
- The volunteer party was a success - I ended up meeting up with someone who I've volunteered with a few times and we hung out. For the second year in a row, I won a door prize - a gorgeous cookbook by local celeb chef David Rocco - however, I already got a complimentary copy when I volunteered @ the opening of the new Renaissance exhibit - I wish I knew people that cooked - I would have a great Christmas gift! I got some great ornaments though @ a great price - hopefully others will want shoes on their tree.
- I got another migraine on Monday night/Tuesday morning. This would be my third migraine since my birthday [Halloween]. I'm not sure what's bringing them back with some degree of regularity - I've changed little in my life [working? is that it? should I just not work?]. It surely sucks though.
- We got our first Christmas card on Monday! I was psyched to start on our cards/letter, but then...I dunno - deadly combination of migraine + availability of video games. Animal Crossing is the best procrastination device to come into my life in a long time.
- A vaguely interesting storm type of thing hit Toronto overnight. It started with snow and wind...then while I was @ work it turned into rain...and later tonight it will turn back into snow. This morning @ 6:15 when I was on my 10-minute walk to the subway I got trapped in between the snow and rain - ice slush bits pelting me in the face. I had to take off my glasses and fumble my way to the station - in the process I got "smooshed" by two cars - so much slush on the road [there's a special place in hell for those people]. Then it rained on my all the way home and for the first time in the two years I've owned them my boots leaked. Brrrrr. More snow, less smoosh.
- My kettle broke this morning, too. Completely out of the blue. I had the presence of mind to boil water on the stove, but this ain't the 1800s - this can't continue. It pisses me off that small [and large] appliances are so throwaway these days. My grandparents [and parents - to a certain extent] had the same tea kettle their whole marriage...in the 12 years that I've been on my own I've been through at least four kettles. Boo-urns!
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I agree that it should be acceptable for school lunches to be vegetarian.
ReplyDeleteIn my elementary school, we didn't have a cafeteria or vending machines. In fact, most kids went home for lunch - I believe you could only stay if you lived more than 5 blocks from the school.
In my high school, we had a canteen that sold chips and candy, but no actual cooked food. The school was across the street from a grocery store and a mall, so we did have a few food options within walking distance, but most people brought their lunches.
I haven't gotten any Christmas cards this year - nor have I sent any out, so I need to get on that.
I was actually entitled to free lunches for one year in Junior High school. It was the year after my dad died, before my mom found a job and we were living on the Social Security checks.
ReplyDeleteThis was long before computerized payment systems-cash only. It wasn't a bad deal when the regular cashier was there; she knew me and I didn't have to say anything, but if there was a different person taking money I had to announce that I got free lunch. It was SO embarassing!
There are, indeed, "free lunches." I don't remember anyone ever getting them when I was in grade school, but I wrote a story about school nutrition back in my reporter days and they do offer them now to low income families. Some school districts even offer free breakfast to kids in need. There are some charities that pack backpacks with food for children for the weekend, who don't have food at home, too. More often than not, though, students either bring or buy their own lunch. I have to agree with you that buying groceries for a vegetarian diet would be much less costly than incorporating meat. I buy chicken breasts and ground turkey (which is more expensive than ground beef) almost every time I shop and it really adds up. And I totally have to agree that a vegetarian option could/should be added. The meat in school cafeterias is almost always disgusting. I remember the chicken sandwiches usually being gray in color. Talk about gross...
ReplyDeletePS-Hope your migraines calm down soon!
It's entirely possible that there are vegetarian/vegan lunches available as part of these programs [I think the meat applied to the free lunches and the paid lunches]. I just found it funny that even "old hen" meat and other assorted bits are preferrable to no meat at all.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting that there really is such a thing as a free lunch. I'm not sure such programs exist in Ontario, although I know some charity organizations offer breakfasts for school children.