France Bans Ketchup in School Cafeterias

[Adam Went]

Limehouse:

Precisely, which is why parents need to be responsible and feed their children healthy food as much as possible when they are younger, and then the education system needs to promote and educate healthy eating in schools as well, perhaps without going to the extreme of banning certain food items that kids can buy from the shop just up the street anyway.

Besides, all of this will help them much later in life, otherwise they can end up with all sorts of health issues from not eating enough healthy foods beyond their school years.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Robert]

Hi Magpie

The trouble is, according to the article the parents do NOT have the right to pack the kids a lunch - not in France anyway.

Maybe the French government should try to rectify it's disastrous currency experiments instead of poking their noses into what children eat - sheer culinary bullying.

[Limehouse]

Schools have a 'duty of care' toward their students/children and therefore have a responsibility to provide a safe and healthy environment and promote healthy lifestyles.

However, every working day I see the results of young people not having a proper breakfast and filling up on high sugar, high salt and high fat foods on the way to college. The rubbish they eat makes them hyperactive and prevents them from applying proper focus to their studies. The college knows many young people do not have a proper breakfast and will eat rubbish instead and in response it provides a free healthy breakfast (cereal, toast, fruit juice) to anyone who can arrive at the youth centre by 8.30am. There is a low take-up. So, I would say that you have to offer healthy options and encourage healthy options and then it's up to the individual (once they are 16 and over).

[Adam Went]

Not so surprised by this. Our soft drink vending machine was banned from our school and replaced by a "healthy options" vending machine with water and juice....that was about a decade ago. At the end of the day if kids want to eat and drink unhealthy things then they are going to do it, whether it's at school or not. The parents are the ones who need to have the influence.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Magpie]

Problem is Magpie: at what point do the government stop interering in people's lives and the job of parents?

Operating a cafeteria is alreay "interfering" in the job of parents--if the government is running the cafeteria, they should be allowed to run it the way that best serves the kids as they see it. If the parents object, they have every right to pack their kids a lunch instead.

[Fleetwood Mac]

On the one hand, it's stupid--on the other, it's no secret that the "institution/industrial" ketchup used by cafeterias, fast food restaurants etc. have a lot more sugar than the bottle of Heinzy you pick up at the supermarket for home use.

Problem is Magpie: at what point do the government stop interering in people's lives and the job of parents?

What next? A compulsory taken tablet that coerces people into eating 5 portions a day?

[Magpie]

On the one hand, it's stupid--on the other, it's no secret that the "institution/industrial" ketchup used by cafeterias, fast food restaurants etc. have a lot more sugar than the bottle of Heinzy you pick up at the supermarket for home use.

[c.d.]

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/france-bans-ketchup-in-school-cafeterias/

c.d.