Jamie Oliver - Forums / Most schools in Canada don't have a school Lunch program

Aliciab · Fri 10 Sep 10 4:51am

Hi all I live in Edmonton Ab Canada and my stepkids have always gone to school with a packed lunch. I am origionally from the states and since joining the family 2 yrs ago and learning how the canadian school systems work. I was sad to see that most schools here dont offer a lunch program.
So after browesing the net, I started cramming their lunches with nutritious and home made food. Instead of crappy old cold sandwiches every day. My problem is this, they don't control what any of the kids are bringing into school and the students may walk across the street for junk at the local store. As long as they return to eat it. And they are giving it to my kids, pop, chips, ect.
Even the school my stepdaughter went to last year was suppose to be junk free, as in what they could pack in lunches. However the teachers had candy drawers stashed away for them and the kids were still bringing and sharing it. As well as assignments in which they had to make dessert and translate the recipe into french. WHAT GIVES WITH THIS CRAP and any idea how I can make the schools accountable with what my kids are eating. And how to keep the junk from being shared, when Im not there?
angry

cengland · Fri 10 Sep 10 5:38am

It's similar in Australia. There's no school lunch program in any schools that I know of, and the students can bring almost anything they like to school (pretty much so long as it's not addictive). There are also teacher practices of bribing (sorry - 'positive consequences') for good behavour or work with junk food.

Until there is a coordinated approach from school authorities and government, I suppose the best that can be done is to teach our own kids plenty about food and what different types of foods will do to them. That way, we can encourage them to make their own responsible choices about what they accept from others or buy for themselves.

dmfootycoach · Fri 10 Sep 10 6:40am

Welcome to Canada Aliciab. Up here parents are left to be responsible for their children. While I cannot attest to the goings on in Alberta. There are alot of pros to being up here and all are state run paid for by your taxes which I suspect you now realize are so very much higher than they ever were stateside. Even if they are hidden in Alta. Here in Ontario it is the same yet... certain school boards have nurses and dentists that go in and check on the kids. God forbid any child is found with too many cavities or dental health issues or in poor health. A visit from children services is not pleasant because of any of the above just ask myself or my ex wife. Children can very rapidly become wards of the state. It is there you just may not see or know of it.

The White Rabbit · Fri 10 Sep 10 8:04am

No school lunches in Australia but we have canteens or tuck shops which when I was a kid mainly sold junk. I used to have pies, chips (as in crisps) and soft drink...but this was rare. I was not given money to buy lunch very often and even when I had some money in my teenage years it wasn't enough for me to want to spend it on food over CDs etc.

Aliciab · Fri 10 Sep 10 8:35am

Yea there is a store across the street from my kids present school and apparently parents don't mind letting most of my sons friends buy there own lunches everyday.
One of his friends lunches consists of a couple large bags of chips, some candy bars and a few cans of pop.

I wish it was rare for this here, but at the school he was in last year students from 12-15 yrs old were allowed to leave at breaks and lunch with parental permission. So they would go to the coffee shops and buy sugary iced coffee drinks, donuts, ect.
And they had concessions in the school which sold processed junk, chips, candy, and slurpees.

My daughter would come home with sugary bar wrappers in her bag given to her by the lunch staff. (p.s the lunch staff here consists of people who are paid by the parents to watch our kids eat home packed lunches) Odd huh

Last edited by Aliciab (Fri 10 Sep 10 12:36pm)

Aliciab · Sat 11 Sep 10 2:49am

Haha so today they swapped options around, so my son took cooking today. They made chocolate cake in a cup with ice cream.

cengland · Sat 11 Sep 10 2:59am

Which will really be so handy one day when he wants to move out of home for the first time and survive by himself in his own little flat ... hmm

Last edited by cengland (Sat 11 Sep 10 2:59am)

cengland · Sat 11 Sep 10 3:03am

White Rabbit, my school tuckshop had a fair bit of junk too. But they also sold some healthy stuff. I remember they'd cut oranges in quarters almost right through to the bottom of the orange, but so it was still held together by the bottom. Then they'd freeze them. They were so good - the best ice blocks ever. I still do it sometimes in Summer. My first pocket money was 20c a week. I couldn't get CDs with that, but it bought me a couple of oranges. smile

Aliciab · Sat 11 Sep 10 3:05am

lol Yea he can make his girlfriend and dinner guests cake in a cup with what school has taught him

Thank goodness I have shown him some other things to cook big_smile

Aliciab · Sat 11 Sep 10 4:35am

So I got both my kidlets prepping and cooking Chicken fajitas tonight, so take that cup o' cake big_smile

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forum: Jamie's Food Revolution

#1 Fri 10 Sep 10 4:51am

Aliciab

Most schools in Canada don't have a school Lunch program

#2 Fri 10 Sep 10 5:38am

cengland

Re: Most schools in Canada don't have a school Lunch program

#3 Fri 10 Sep 10 6:40am

dmfootycoach

Re: Most schools in Canada don't have a school Lunch program

#4 Fri 10 Sep 10 8:04am

The White Rabbit

Re: Most schools in Canada don't have a school Lunch program

#5 Fri 10 Sep 10 8:35am

Aliciab

Re: Most schools in Canada don't have a school Lunch program

#6 Sat 11 Sep 10 2:49am

Aliciab

Re: Most schools in Canada don't have a school Lunch program

#7 Sat 11 Sep 10 2:59am

cengland

Re: Most schools in Canada don't have a school Lunch program

#8 Sat 11 Sep 10 3:03am

cengland

Re: Most schools in Canada don't have a school Lunch program

#9 Sat 11 Sep 10 3:05am

Aliciab

Re: Most schools in Canada don't have a school Lunch program

#10 Sat 11 Sep 10 4:35am

Aliciab

Re: Most schools in Canada don't have a school Lunch program