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A preschool student at West Hoke Elementary School in North Carolina ended up eating three chicken nuggets for lunch two weeks ago -- because a state inspector declared that the 4-year-old's lunch wasn't nutritious enough.
The turkey and cheese sandwich, banana, potato chips and apple juice, according to the Carolina Journal, didn't meet U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines. The agent was inspecting the entire class' lunch boxes that day.
The state's Department of Health and Human Services requires that all lunches served to pre-kindergarten students -- whether from school or home -- meet USDA meal guidelines of one serving each of meat, milk and grain, and two servings of fruit or vegetables. The regulations also state that if meals or snacks brought from home do not meet nutritional requirements outlined in the "Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care," the school "must provide additional food necessary to meet those requirements."
Unbelievable!!!! I can’t imagine what will be next. The government is getting way too big for my britches!
This story doesn’t sound right at all. If the state guidelines say that a meal will be SUPPLEMENTED if it doesn’t meet the proper requirements, doesn’t that mean they wouldn’t just offer her chicken nuggets. That falls WELL below the standard put forth of grains, dairy, fruit/vegetable, etc. Moreover, I read the original article and the mom said the girl was sent home WITH her lunch which means it wasn’t confiscated and she wasn’t told she COULDN’T eat it. While it sounds like, even IF this story actually happened the way it is written (not taking into account the glaring missing parts) a girl was given THREE chicken nuggets over an entire meal. I’ve never seen ONLY three chicken nuggets served at ANY public school for lunch. Moreover, was this random search and seizure day. If her lunch has always been packed them same all of a sudden THIS turkey sandwich doesn’t meet the mark. It just sounds contrived and lacking due diligence on the part of the reporter.
Lunchbox inspectors? No, the government isn’t out of control. Not at all.
So they replaced the childs meal with chicken nuggets? Sounds like the agent has an inappropriate relationship with a supplier. As a parent I would have been pissed. I sent the meal with the child and that is what I expect her to eat. The FDA or no one else better change it. i dont need the school to approve what I send my child to eat. The government is getting out of hand.
Freedom is precious and is what many millions of individuals fought and died for – this country has let govt officials take this away from us.
i had the same thought. the bureaucracy ought not be used to force children to eat processed food nuggets at all, but especially when a regular sandwich was already in her lunchbox.
Chicken nuggets, really? ew..I will not raise my child on thisfilth.
I am not sure where the problem is. The vegetable requirement should be able to be met with the fruit. As in servings of fruits/or vegetables. Oh I know what would have made the difference…if there had been a dab of ketchup on the sandwich. Cause you know Mr.Reagan said ketchup is a vegetable. This type of silliness is what makes me think our government is administered by numbnutz.
I just wanna make sure I’m clear (disclosure – I’m most alligned with Libertarians)…you’re upset because someone is choosing your child’s food, but you’re okay with them (the busy-body rulemakers) making the decisions about whether or not you wear a helmet, seatbelt, where you buy your health insurance (and that you have to), whether or not you allow smoking in a building you bought and paid for (I’m sure I’m forgetting some obvious ones). If you sent that train down the tracks…I’m not sure why you are surprised when it arrives at the next station.
going to a heathen public school like going to jail, nuggets are processed not natural poultry
The government has no business getting involved in what parents feed their children. Period.
Obesity is the fault of the snack idnustry, convenience food makers and institutional food – like cafeterias — serving nothing but starches and sugars.
The day any member of the state looks at my kids’ lunchboxes is the day I homeschool.
The important thing here is that I think regardless of party, most of us agree that this was a huge mistake that never should have been made?
I’m curious where the agreement breaks down – is there much of a contingent that thinks schools should be reviewing student’s home-brought lunches at all?
It’s got to be Bush’s fault. I’m sure of it!
Really? Really?….I mean….really? I can think of one that starts with an A, and one that starts with a T, and another that starts with an A, and M, and N…really?
The Governor is a Democrat – the Republicans just got hold of the legislature in 2010 for the first time since ’89.
How can the government dictate what our children can eat? This is frightening. When are we going to put a stop to it?
I would take my child home for lunch if they continued those gestapo techniques and encourage other parents to do the same thing. One of my children has food allergies and if someone tampered with her lunch, she could get very ill.
What if the child was allergic to something in the forced substitution? No one should mess with what Mom sends from home. This child is too young to understand if she shouldn’t eat something because it would harm her. Shame on the school system!
This is it, this is the beginning of the end result of the government have TOO much authority and say so in our lives. This is one step away from them coming into your home and saying, "Ma’am, drop the Twinkie!"
A government that is big enough to offer everything is a government that is big enough to TAKE everything. Clearly this is what had happened – A parent’s choice has been taken away.
What is next ? Will there be a study showing children who wear cotton clothing score better on tests ? Then the govt can again create yet another useless over funded division and hire more over paid employees to check the labels of kids clothes. Officials that are responsible for this nonsense should be ashamed of themselves.
North Carolina is probably the most conservative state in the country.
Putting food on a school tray doesn’t mean it gets eaten. I was a teacher… I watched how much got thrown away everyday.. usually the poorly presented fruit and vegetables. I also saw the garbage plopped on their plates. Most kids [this was jr. high school] bought the offered french fries and pizza options instead of the so called balanced meal.
No kid’s home made lunch should be inspected or rejected. Period.
I think this is a Fourth amendment issue. Sounds like illegal search and seizure to me.
As a parent I would be outraged! Chicken nuggets have so many fillers in them, and as I work in a school and see the quality of the food that comes out of their kitchens, NO WAY does my kid buy school lunch unless it’s pizza day. As a matter of fact, my 15 year old refuses to eat the school lunch because it’s always so greasey.
Hi there fascism. Are you having a good day? Tell me, what kind of a day must I have?
this is what it has come to. thank you liberals
How can anyone have a say in what you feed your child!??!
the food that’s served in the school that they can do something about the lunch you bring from home it’s your call what it is they have no control over that 1
Parents really need to complain about this.
"The state’s Department of Health and Human Services requires that all lunches served to pre-kindergarten students — whether from school or home — meet USDA meal guidelines."
OK, they want to regulate what the schools offer? Fine, but stay out of my kitchen! I eat fairly well, nutritionally speaking, but it’s MY decision what finally makes it down MY gullet!