Foods Rich in Potassium
During a recent school-screening visit to KOR Factor Review a high-ranking eastern college for one of my daughters, I had the opportunity to raise questions about the quality of the food available through the campus cafeteria. Was the food being served at their school free from pesticides Was it non-GMO What about meat sources Were the students being served factory farm animals injected with hormones and antibiotics Were there natural, healthy and organic food options available in the cafeteria--as adopted by some of the more cutting-edge schools across the nation such as Yale, UC Berkley, Duke and Oberlin Colleges
The question seemed to stump the college staff member. She said she wasn't sure of the quality of the food in the cafeteria. She didn't know if there was any kind of focus being placed on providing students with natural, vegetarian or organic options. It was not clear that the school provided nutritional fare that addressed some of the grave health concerns that are confronting Americans at younger and younger ages... visions of an array of fried foods, processed starches, and sugary desserts covering cafeteria trays swam before my eyes.
This reaction seems somewhat typical of school professionals at every educational level. I recently had the opportunity to ask food service directors of our local educational institutions about nutritional quality and education in elementary, middle and high schools. I was told that kids wouldn't eat healthy-looking food and that they only wanted the kind of food you could find in any fast-food restaurant. Further, they implied that it was not the responsibility of the school system to provide healthy food options for kids. That's the parent's job.
While I agree that healthy eating habits start at home and that parents need to demonstrate them for their children in the kitchen and at the dinner table, it doesn't dismiss our educational system from its responsibility to teach good nutrition. Our schools must provide information and training about the elements of a good diet and must lead by example. That means clean, healthy cafeteria food. And healthy does not and should not imply "unappealing to kid's taste buds". Healthy, natural food, prepared with good recipes, can be far more delicious than the fast food that now holds sway on the school cafeteria lunch menu.