Lunch Legislation: Nutty or Nutritious?

A little over a week ago, the boys had parent night at school where the nutritionist spoke to us and explained the new federal, state, and local school food regulations and the ban on salt.  The looks on my husband's face during that meeting were just priceless.  We were sitting on the front row, too...facing the crowd (we were seated in the "cafetorium" at lunch tables) so I'm sure others saw him and (I hope) enjoyed a chuckle.  When the nutritionist first mentioned that they would no longer be offering salt, Justin rolled his eyes towards me and half-jokingly whispered, "Am I still in America?  I mean, did you drug me and drag me to another country in my sleep or something?" haha

I found it very telling when the nutritionist mentioned the reaction from the high school students in relation to the new salt ban.  The students are now bringing their own salt shakers to school and selling them to their friends.  This regulation has only resulted in creating a black market for salt!  lol  Further evidence of why banning guns or drugs doesn't solve anything (and I would argue makes things worse) but I digress...

On a less funny note (although the above is both funny and sad), I want the government to get out of my child's lunchbox and to quit micromanaging every aspect of our lives.  I don't understand how, on the one hand, there is so much concern about kids not having food at home for dinner or over the weekends but yet we're going to place maximums on what the kids are served when they CAN eat at school??  How is this helping them???  How does that make any sense at all???

Also, having a child with Asperger's, there are some things that our son simply will NOT eat.  Ever.  We learned this the hard way when he was really young.  He's a little guy to begin with, hardly any fat on him so continuing the "eat this or don't eat at all" plan became dangerous.  Sure, we can pack a lunch for him (which we may have to resort to doing on certain days) but we are currently on reduced lunch so it will cost us more money to do that.  It's really difficult to feed your kid for 40 cents or less (cost of school lunch which includes a drink)!  Helping the poor?  I don't think so.

Not to mention, think of all the food that is being thrown away every day at school.  Food which costs more to start with because, let's face it, healthy food is more expensive.  I visited my kids at lunch today and the rolls are half the size that they were last year.  Seriously.  Half or less.  My question is, is it really better to have starving kids than to have obese kids?  Ridiculous.

Oh!  I almost forgot.  Following the discussion on healthy eating and what sorts of foods our children would and would not be served, we finished the evening with a reminder from the PTO about our current fundraiser and with a strong plea to go out and sell...wait for it...cookie dough!  Maybe next year we should sell salt.  I hear it's in high demand!  ;)