[vendtalk] L.A.'s 'Healthy' Lunches Flop, Junk Food Make Comeback & Seatt...

Thu Dec 29 12:10:07 UTC 2011

I think it is great that these students are getting first hand  experience 
in big government intrusion in their lives.  I hope the students  remember 
this lesson when they become voters. 
Charles Hackney
Florida

In a message dated 12/28/2011 8:37:05 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
isaiah5719 at mchsi.com writes:

is  anyone really surprised at this news?  Yes, kids should eat better.   
No, 
they're not going to eat healthier food out of the vending  machines.  
Adults 
don't; why should kids?

I'm glad to hear  these school boards are wising up.  Maybe inteligent life 
does exist  in these boards after all.

-----Original Message----- 
From:  Vandervoort's
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 5:57 PM
To: 'Vendor  Talk Mailing List'
Cc: 'Josh Dominguez' ; 'harvey stavinoha' ; 'Kevin  Scott' ; 'clayton hell'
Subject: [vendtalk] L.A.'s 'Healthy' Lunches  Flop,Junk Food Make Comeback 
& 
Seattle Schools Consider Easing  'JunkFood' Ban Amid Vending Sales Slump

The following are two  interesting stories about healthy food mandates.
The current status in  Seattle is like here, in Abilene, TX.  The schools
have had a huge  drop in commissions and a big negative hit to many programs
that the  vending commissions funded.
L.A.'s experience with failed lunch programs is  no less than what would be
expected when you tell teenagers what to  do.  Junk food is not good but the
government's trying to force people  to eat differently usually just hurts
the vendor and nothing much gets  accomplished in the long run.  Culture
change is more difficult than  putting the burden on the back of vending
companies but it makes the  politicians look like they are doing something
positive.
Mike  Vandervoort

>From "Ahead of the Times E News"

Story 1
Issue  Date: Vol. 52, No. 1, January 2012, Posted On: 12/28/2011
L.A.'s 'Healthy'  Lunches Flop, Burgers And Pizza Make Comeback

Emily Jed -  Emily at vendingtimes.net

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Unified School  District, one of the largest
districts in the nation, has seen thousands  less students participating in
its school lunch program since it revamped  its menu with healthier fare 
this
fall.
The district removed chocolate  and strawberry milk, chicken nuggets,
corndogs, nachos and other food high  in fat, sugar and sodium from its menu
and added healthful alternatives  like black bean burgers, tostada salad and
vegetarian curries.
Since the  change, students have reportedly been throwing away uneaten meals
and  bringing their own food to school. Hungry students have complained  
about
headaches, stomach pains and even anemia, according to an article in  the 
Los
Angeles Times. The new menu has also spawned an underground ring of  "junk
food bootlegging," according to the paper.
In response to  widespread complaints and dwindling participation, L.A.
Unified foodservice  director Dennis Barrett said the district is amending
the menu. Hamburgers  will return as a daily menu option and the district
will discontinue some  of the more exotic ethnic and vegetarian dishes. 
Pizza
will also be  offered, but with a whole-wheat crust, low-fat cheese and
low-sodium  sauce.
The L.A. Unified School District serves some 650,000 meals daily.  Its
healthy lunch menus were designed to comply with the federal  government's
updated dietary guidelines, which recommend, for instance,  that fruits and
vegetables make up half the plate.
The district banned  soda in 2004 and more recently banned the sale of "junk
food" during the  school day and called for more produce and less salt and
fat to be  served.

Story 2
Issue Date: Vol. 52, No. 1, January 2012, Posted  On: 12/28/2011
Seattle Schools Consider Easing 'Junk Food' Ban Amid Vending  Sales Slump

Tim Sanford - Editor at vendingtimes.net

SEATTLE -- The  Seattle School Board is reexamining its healthy vending
policy in high  schools amid complaints from student governments that 
they've
lost hundreds  of thousands of dollars in funding over the past seven years.

Seattle  was regarded as one the nation's most progressive school districts
when it  enacted the stringent nutritional guidelines in 2004. They limit
vending  machine menus to items like milk, fruit juice, baked chips and
granola  bars. But amid student complaints, as school districts across the
country  and state and federal governments have adopted less restrictive
nutritional  policies, Seattle school board members have pledged to explore
revising the  ban.

Students are reportedly bypassing school vending machines for  nearby
convenience stores where they can buy their favorite snacks and  beverages.
And the trend is taking a large bite out of profits for student  
governments,
which fund athletic programs, clubs and events. In 2001,  before the "junk
food" ban was passed, high-school student governments  across Seattle made
more than $200,000 from vending revenue. This year,  they've made only
$17,000.

Student government leaders say they have  been forced to cut back funding 
for
many activities and cancel others. They  presented a proposal to the school
board last month to amend the healthy  vending policy. Under the current
rules, aside from water and milk, drinks  can be no more than 12 fl.oz. The
new policy would allow drinks up to 20  fl.oz. but would not include soda.

Students are also asking the  district to allow items with slightly more fat
content. Currently, foods  are only allowed in vending machines if 30% or
less of the calories comes  from fat, instead of the 35% state and national
standard.

District  officials said they plan to present a proposal to revise the 
policy
by next  spring. The new rules would likely match state and federal
guidelines and  take effect next school year. Separately, Washington state's
King County  Board of Health in April approved guidelines that encourage
organizations  in Seattle and the surrounding region to provide healthier
choices in  vending  machines.

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