A public elementary school in Chicago has banned students from bringing lunches from home in hopes of making sure that kids don’t eat the potentially unhealthy things their parents pack for them. While I understand the effort for a healthier lifestyle for the kids, I absolutely can NOT get on board with this one. First of all some parents DO make the effort to pack healthy food for their children, and I guarantee it’s probably healthier than the sodium-filled school lunches they’re offering. Next, what about child allergies??? And saving money?? Every parent cannot afford to pay for school lunches daily. This is ridiculous. Read more details after the jump and tell us what you think of this idea!
Principal Elsa Carmona said her intention is to protect students from their own unhealthful food choices.
“Nutrition wise, it is better for the children to eat at the school,” Carmona said. “It’s about the nutrition and the excellent quality food that they are able to serve (in the lunchroom). It’s milk versus a Coke. But with allergies and any medical issue, of course, we would make an exception.”
Carmona said she created the policy six years ago after watching students bring “bottles of soda and flaming hot chips” on field trips for their lunch. Although she would not name any other schools that employ such practices, she said it was fairly common.
