Helping the Lunch Box Pass Inspection
If you think about it, lunch boxes provide all sorts of opportunities. Granted, they require both shopping and preparation time. But retailers who find ways to simplify the procedure and show parents how to produce tasty, healthy, economical and quick-fix solutions are likely to accumulate brownie points and loyalty from doting parents and their sated children. Pester power can be turned to advantage as children accompany their parents up and down grocers' aisles.
As if this wasn't reason enough, parents fighting with teachers inspecting lunch boxes and confiscating anything of which they don't approve, will be relieved to see peace reign. According to the Daily Mail, teachers in a British elementary school have started inspection schemes, removing items they consider to be unhealthy, such as candy, chocolate, soda and full-fat chips. The report said, "The snacks are returned at the end of the day but only if parents ask."
One particularly irate mother pointed out that her daughter had a sandwich and an apple as well as a small box of candy. The girl's father added, "The whole situation is ridiculous and the teachers are acting like the mealtime Gestapo by going through their lunch boxes. The crisps have to be approved healthy ones and they can cost a small fortune."
Parents were notified in advance and told that the school is trying to follow government healthy eating guidelines advising that "all pupils consume a well balanced meal at midday in order to promote healthy eating and maximize...potential learning in the afternoon sessions."
Going back two years, another school, attended by teenagers, was forced to take action when students called to have sandwiches delivered after being told they could not leave school during the day to visit fast food outlets. Teachers asked the police to stop the deliveryman. All of which could, perhaps, have been avoided had local grocers taken the initiative and tempted students and parents with the wherewithal for more appealing lunch box contents.
Discussion Questions: What's the likelihood that there will be increased oversight of children's meals at schools in the U.S.? Are retailers doing enough to encourage well-balanced, healthy lunch box content? What more can/should they do?