NY Father Shares Photos Of His Son's Ridiculous School Lunches, Gets Other Parents Concerned
Are these servings enough for high schoolers?
Children in school not only need to be nourished mentally through their lessons but also physically. They must eat the right kinds and amounts of food to keep up with every school activity.
Schools prepare meals in accordance with the strict guidelines from the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) regarding the National School Lunch Program. But the question is, do school meals adhere to these requirements and provide adequate nourishment for children?
This concern was raised when Chris Vangellow, a father from an upstate New York high school, sparked conversations by posting photos of his son's meals on Facebook, which have been served over the past months. He pointed out that the meals were insufficient and that his son, who is an athlete, was complaining about his school lunches.
Vangellow wrote in his post, "It really is ridiculous. Don't come at me with the 'you get what you pay for' or 'just send them with food' nonsense either."
He also mentioned how many children in their area rely on these meals to survive throughout the day. "In my opinion, this is failing those kids," Vangellow explained, noting that inadequate and unappetizing meals will affect each child's learning and performance in school.
Christopher's deleted post on Facebook about his son's lunches.
Vangellow stated that all of his children attend the Parishville-Hopkinton Central School District. At that time, he posted about his 16-year-old son's meal, which consisted of four chicken nuggets, a side of carrots, a side of rice, and a carton of fat-free chocolate milk; however, one of his other children was unable to get any of those carrots when he arrived during his lunch break.
Christopher Vangellow / FacebookChicken nuggets, a lump of rice, and a handful of carrots for lunch in a school under USDA guidelines.
Christopher Vangellow / FacebookA slice of pizza with three slices of oranges and milk.
"The problem is that not all families can do that. We don't live in a very affluent area," Vangellow emphasized, noting that not every child can buy additional lunch or bring something from home.
Christopher Vangellow / Facebook
Egg and a bread roll, with three orange slices.
Christopher Vangellow / Facebook
Another free lunch provided by the school.
Christopher Vangellow / Facebook
The school's reply to the viral Facebook post.
In response to Vangellow's viral Facebook post, Superintendent William E. Collins posted a public message on the Parishville-Hopkinton Central School District's website. He mentioned how they are addressing the problem and forming groups of students, parents, and representatives from the Wellness Committee, including himself and the Cafeteria Manager, to work on meal preparations.
"The concerns expressed clearly resonated with students and parents, as evidenced by the number of comments and shares. In fairness to the cafeteria, students are allowed one additional serving of fruits or vegetables and one extra nugget than appeared in the photograph; however, this doesn't change the fact that many students and parents are dissatisfied with school lunches."Parents and schools should work hand in hand to provide children with the education and health they need. This event will serve as a reminder for everyone to keep in mind that proper nutrition for the body is equally important as nutrition for the mind.
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