Are there existing groups advocating for change in school-provided food for FCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if they let the PTAs at each school help organize the lunch options. Our pta has some caterers who would gladly donate at cost.

That's very school specific and definitely not the norm. Check your priviledge.

I don't see Title 1 schools or MS and HS (who typically don't have a fervent PTA) doing this.

[Anonymous]

Either change the system or accept that we shall have another overweight generation will fallen teeth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Either change the system or accept that we shall have another overweight generation will fallen teeth.

Or parents can supply healthier options (like actually parent). It’s not one of the other.

[Anonymous]

I have to say, having a kindergartener this year, the food options seem a lot better than when I was a kid in FCPS. She seems to get a serving of fruit for breakfast and a serving of fruit and serving of vegetable with lunch every day (fresh fruit, not canned in syrup)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.realfoodforkids.org/

This is the organization you’re looking for, OP. They helped usher in the salad bars. Hopefully the bars will return next fall. As someone who works in an FCPS, there are aspects of the meals that have improved greatly: the fresh fruits and veggies. Kids at my Title 1 school actually eat and enjoy them. They’re not canned. They’re fresh cut peppers, carrots, etc.

The issue I have is with the portions. The upper grade kids need more food.

I was coming here to point to Real Food for Kids. The were started 10+ years ago to advocate for better food in FCPS. They have made a huge impact in that area and during the pandemic, flipped their model to actually providing food to food insecure families by partnering with local restaurants. They are an amazing not-for-profit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if they let the PTAs at each school help organize the lunch options. Our pta has some caterers who would gladly donate at cost.

Every day? I doubt that.

To the PTA lady…that’s not how this works. Sigh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm pretty sure we can all agree that the quality of food that FCPS serves our kids is atrocious. Yes, it's free to students, and that's important, but why does it have to be so bad? Bad in nutrition, bad in quality, and even bad in that it is all heated up in plastic!

Though it was not great pre-covid, it sadly has taken a steep decline even from that low starting point. No fresh food is offered where many schools used to have a salad bar.

I would love to see the school board take action on this and hope that at a minimum it's something that someone runs on the next school board election. We need to update the infrastructure in schools to have real kitchens and contract with local farms. This can be done. It would be a hard transition at first, but other places in the US have done it and I think it should be prioritized.

Beyond writing to my school board member, does anyone have other ideas about how to get some action on this?

Honestly, you won’t get anywhere. The school will not provide in house cooked meals. They think that high fructose corn syrup, caramel coloring and artificial flavors and preservatives are all OK and nutritious for kids. I pack my kids lunch and they are forbidden to get lunch at school. Only in emergencies such as mix up lunch with sibling or forgotten lunch. American food is just disgusting. Yuck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm pretty sure we can all agree that the quality of food that FCPS serves our kids is atrocious. Yes, it's free to students, and that's important, but why does it have to be so bad? Bad in nutrition, bad in quality, and even bad in that it is all heated up in plastic!

Though it was not great pre-covid, it sadly has taken a steep decline even from that low starting point. No fresh food is offered where many schools used to have a salad bar.

I would love to see the school board take action on this and hope that at a minimum it's something that someone runs on the next school board election. We need to update the infrastructure in schools to have real kitchens and contract with local farms. This can be done. It would be a hard transition at first, but other places in the US have done it and I think it should be prioritized.

Beyond writing to my school board member, does anyone have other ideas about how to get some action on this?

Honestly, you won’t get anywhere. The school will not provide in house cooked meals. They think that high fructose corn syrup, caramel coloring and artificial flavors and preservatives are all OK and nutritious for kids. I pack my kids lunch and they are forbidden to get lunch at school. Only in emergencies such as mix up lunch with sibling or forgotten lunch. American food is just disgusting. Yuck

This is the FCPS Forum. None of that is in lunches here. You missed the left at Albuquerque.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if they let the PTAs at each school help organize the lunch options. Our pta has some caterers who would gladly donate at cost.

My sister lives in Massachusetts and this is what their PTA does. They coordinate the caterers and serve a healthy meal every day with pizza from the local pizzeria on Fridays.

It’s a small town and they don’t have to worry about as much red tape as FCPS layers on.

I think so many of FCPS’ problems could be solved if it was broken up. It’s too big to administer. Let each community fund and run their own schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if they let the PTAs at each school help organize the lunch options. Our pta has some caterers who would gladly donate at cost.

My sister lives in Massachusetts and this is what their PTA does. They coordinate the caterers and serve a healthy meal every day with pizza from the local pizzeria on Fridays.

It’s a small town and they don’t have to worry about as much red tape as FCPS layers on.

I think so many of FCPS’ problems could be solved if it was broken up. It’s too big to administer. Let each community fund and run their own schools.

Ask your sister what she is paying in local taxes.

[Anonymous]

Some time ago a parent brought this concern to a PTA meeting but the principal and other PTA board members seemed very uncomfortable and responded in a sarcastic tone. The principal wasn’t interested because he enjoyed junk food from the cafeteria. Ugh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some time ago a parent brought this concern to a PTA meeting but the principal and other PTA board members seemed very uncomfortable and responded in a sarcastic tone. The principal wasn’t interested because he enjoyed junk food from the cafeteria. Ugh

I don’t think individual schools have anything to do with this unfortunately. The really frustrating parts of FCPS are the ones that are centralized like lunch stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if they let the PTAs at each school help organize the lunch options. Our pta has some caterers who would gladly donate at cost.

That's very school specific and definitely not the norm. Check your priviledge.

I don't see Title 1 schools or MS and HS (who typically don't have a fervent PTA) doing this.

Why not , if it's important to them they can. If not then don't, that's America.

[Anonymous]

What if they brought food trucks and let them play with fcps my bucks

[Anonymous]

School food is just one more thing made a little worse by Covid.