22 replies to this topic

[Zinix]

A New York City elementary school cafeteria is one of the first in the nation to go meatless.

Students at P.S. 244 , the Active Learning Elementary School, are being treated to eclectic fare, including black bean and cheese quesadillas, falafel and tofu in an Asian sesame sauce.

“It’s been a really great response from the kids, but they also understand it’s about what is the healthiest option for them,” principal Bob Groff told ABCNews.com. “Because we teach them throughout our curriculum to make healthy choices, they understand what is happening and believe in what we’re doing too.”

When the school opened in 2008, they started serving vegetarian meals three days a week. The campus became a vegetarian test kitchen for the city, Groff said.

“We then started to try out recipes with small groups of students, see what they liked, see what they didn’t like,” he said.

The recipes were a hit, Groff said, prompting the school to expand its meat-free meals to four days a week and then adopting a 100 percent vegetarian kitchen in January.

“The big thing I would like people to know is, this isn’t just about a vegetarian menu,” Groff said. ”It’s about living a healthy lifestyle and educating students on what options are out there.”

All meals have to adhere to USDA standards, he said, making sure students get plenty of nutrients, including protein, for their growing bodies.

That means nutrient-dense foods such as chickpeas, kidney beans and tofu.

If the herbivore-friendly grub doesn’t suit students, Groff said they’re always welcome to pack their lunch, including meat.

The school operates on an application and lottery system, meaning it’s not zoned to a particular neighborhood. It serves 400 students from pre-kindergarten through grade three.

 

 

 

http://abcnews.go.co...oes-vegetarian/

 

 

[BrosBeforeGardenTools]

There is nothing wrong with trying new dietary habits such as vegan in my opinion. What matters more is the question of, how good is the food?

[Big Boss]

I'm sorry for your loss, P.S. 244

Ugh, the Gov't is just trying to dictate our lives more and more every day.

Edited by Big Boss, 03 May 2013 - 01:39 PM.

[meitantei_conan]

You lost me at "USDA at standards". If this isn't done properly so many of these kids are going to have B vitamin deficiency's. Also like the note that animal protein is easier for the body to adsorb than plant protein, and  without saturated fat they wont be able to absorb calcium properly. Also the soy products they are feeding them will cause these kids to have hormonal imbalances.

Edited by meitantei_conan, 03 May 2013 - 09:28 AM.

[Alph]

That's bad...

[Gaymer]

Gross. I would've been mad if they tried to pass that stuff off during my school years.

[routerbad]

You lost meat "USDA at standards". If this isn't done properly so many of these kids are going to have B vitamin deficiency's. Also like the note that animal protein is easier for the body to adsorb than plant protein, and  without saturated fat they wont be able to absorb calcium properly. Also the soy products they are feeding them will cause these kids to have hormonal imbalances.

No one ever thinks about what humans are designed to ingest before they force these ridiculous diets.  They tried this in California, and what ended up happening was several students were taken to the hospital for undernourishment after a while, not because the food wasn't good, but because no one wanted to eat it, so they started a junk food black market in the school, so everyone was eating potato chips and other junk rather than a decent lunch.  My kids will go to school with bagged lunches, I will dictate what my child eats, not some moron at the school district that's looking for a kickback from the organic food grower unions. 

[Hank Hill]

Poor children. Poor....poor, children.

 

Bet they go home and pig out on hot dogs now.

[routerbad]

Poor children. Poor....poor, children.

 

Bet they go home and pig out on hot dogs now.

On something, you know they aren't going to be eating at school.  What a waste of taxpayer money, on initiatives that 99.999999% of the taxpaying public would never agree to.  Bloomberg really thinks he knows what's best for everyone, and his subordinates are just extending his overreaching policies to new territory.

[Byakuya Togami]

Damn vegans, always shoving their beliefs upon us.

[magiciandude]

Those ***** vegans behind this idea have gone too far. 

No one ever thinks about what humans are designed to ingest before they force these ridiculous diets.  They tried this in California, and what ended up happening was several students were taken to the hospital for undernourishment after a while, not because the food wasn't good, but because no one wanted to eat it, so they started a junk food black market in the school, so everyone was eating potato chips and other junk rather than a decent lunch.  My kids will go to school with bagged lunches, I will dictate what my child eats, not some moron at the school district that's looking for a kickback from the organic food grower unions. 

Funny you should mention that. I remember reading an article last year about a girl who got in trouble bringing in turkey sandwich because it wasn't nutritious enough, so they gave her chicken nuggets instead.

 

Source

Edited by magiciandude, 03 May 2013 - 10:25 AM.

[routerbad]

Those ***** vegans behind this idea have gone too far. 

Funny you should mention that. I remember reading an article last year about a girl who got in trouble bringing in turkey sandwich because it wasn't nutritious enough, so they gave her chicken nuggets instead.

 

Source

Yep, if I were the parent I would be so far up the district superintendent's butt they would either change the policy or elect me to the school board. 

[Xiombarg]

Look at all this hostility, man.  Where was this hostility when the schools continued standardized testing that has never worked, continued the failure that is the no child left behind crap, or encouraging teachers to have "higher standards" (more F's mean higher standards).

 

It's alright to have a system that is fundamentally flawed, taking more and more money away from schools, blaming teachers for having to put up with the bullcrap they have little say in, but god forbid the schools have a vegetarian meal plan.

[Alianjaro]

Damn vegans, always shoving their beliefs upon us.

I know right? 

 

I'm a carnivore, I would have left the place if I was there. But you know all the way over here in Canada, cafeteria food is healthy because of how tight law and norms are concerning that.

[Big Boss]

Mournblade, on 03 May 2013 - 7:43 PM, said:Look at all this hostility, man.  Where was this hostility when the schools continued standardized testing that has never worked, continued the failure that is the no child left behind crap, or encouraging teachers to have "higher standards" (more F's mean higher standards).
It's alright to have a system that is fundamentally flawed, taking more and more money away from schools, blaming teachers for having to put up with the bullcrap they have little say in, but god forbid the schools have a vegetarian meal plan.
Ummm. No one knows about that cuz we were educated by that system.

[SoldMyWiiUAndLeftTheForums]

While I understand that it's healthier, people don't need dictating to, we can make desisions for ourselves you know even though most might be bad, but that's our own fault, WE HAVE RIGHTS TO MAKE SH!TTY DESISIONS!!! No-one should be able to take away free will.

[Xiombarg]

No-one should be able to take away free will.

What are you even talking about?  How does a school implementing an vegetarian meal plan take away free will from anywhere?

You do know that the students could choose with their free will, or get their parents, to bring lunches instead (which in some cases actually save more money than a school meal program).

[Dragon]

What are you even talking about?  How does a school implementing an vegetarian meal plan take away free will from anywhere?

You do know that the students could choose with their free will, or get their parents, to bring lunches instead (which in some cases actually save more money than a school meal program).

 

You make a good point. But can't schools regulate what you take to school? It's been a while since I was in school, so I don't remember.

[Xiombarg]

You make a good point. But can't schools regulate what you take to school? It's been a while since I was in school, so I don't remember.

In the article it said the students could still bring food if they wanted.  I was just questioning how this affects free will. 

It doesn't always matter to me what sides people take, as long as they actually know what they're talking about.

[AegisReflector]

Many people here didn't even read the article. The school isn't banning meat from being brought in. Any student can still bring in a ham and cheese sandwich from home. It's just that the food that the school serves will not contain meat in any form.

 

Also, how is this the government infringing on our rights? This was entirely the school's decision to test out these vegetarian policies and there seems to be no outcry from students or parents alike.