You say you want a revolution

America's eating habits stink. I said it. No going back on it now. They stink.

BUT

Between Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, proposed legislation to change school lunches***, and Michelle Obama's campaign for reducing childhood obesity, it seems like the whole country is talking about food. I think this is good!

If you've noticed, I put a link in the list of blogs I follow about the anonymous teacher who is blogging about her year long commitment to eat her school's lunch every day. I like this blog but find it can be a bit preachy and crabby sounding at times. I enjoy learning about food but sometimes it seems like the only ones that are out there preach only to those people who will only use the organic, free range, grass fed, etc, etc and exclude those of us who are just trying to make a decent meal for your family. Don't get me wrong. I buy organic, non-hormone injected items when able but if the price grossly exceeds what I would normally spend, I just can't do it.

On another note, I think that Michelle Obama's program is great. It's focusing on the fact that we all need to get up and move toward being healthy. However, I think it's missing a key point. JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE THIN, DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE HEALTHY. There are tons of kids (and adults for that matter) running around that are thin which makes them appear healthy. Some of these kids are still not getting the nourishment, the vitamins, the nutrients, the everything they need to help themselves grow but they just happen to be thin and are able to metabolize the junk their body is consuming better than the chubby one. They eat McDonald's for breakfast, pizza and fries for lunch at school, and McDonald's on the way home. You are pumping their little bodies full of food that is nutritionally void! Don't even get me started on Lunchables who have 74% of an ADULTS daily requirement of sodium (which will kill your kidneys) and uses "cheese product" which means that "cheese" is not real cheese, folks. Surprise!

I'm all for having a "treat" on occasion. Heck, sometimes a whole treat day. The problem is that EVERYONE wants to give kids treats. We get bags and bags of candy at any given holiday. It's not just one piece from each person: it's a BAG. I usually end up taking most of it to work from Halloween and Christmas (sorry to those of you who supply this to the kids) unless it's something they really like. You know, like Reese peanut butter cup products. Keep those coming. The kids really like those. The KIDS. (digressing again)

I've ranted enough for one day so let's get voting on what you think.

***As a side rant, I think it's insane that my school (and I say "my school" as a generalization for all schools. It's not a personal attack on the school Ella goes to) can count KETCHUP as a vegetable. Or FRENCH FRIES as a vegetable. I realize that these products are derivatives of vegetables but you would have to be insane (or a government employee) to actually justify this as a vegetable. Today at Ella's school they're having nacho chips and cheese (presumably that weird liquid nacho cheese) and beans and weiners as their lunch.

As a disclaimer, yes I am the same parent who did this.