Ooops! Forgot to post the thread title which is "14 year old wanting to change school dinners"

The bottom line is that you can eat the junk outside of school if you are mature enough to make that decision and affect your health. If you want to get fat and do lasting damage to your internal organs then fine - it's a free country, your choice.

The thing is alot of children don't have the choice when they get home, they have beans on toast or chicken dippers for tea every night so their school dinner is the only real nutrition they are getting all day. So thank Jamie's campaign for these poor kids.

And if you don't like it, wait until you have your own children or you grow up into your late teens or twenties and see small children in a park who aren't necessarily overweight but can't run the length of a field because they are so unhealthy. It's heartbreaking.

As a mother, I will add my tuppence worth here.

My son's school is imposing a healthy break policy in which the kids can only drink water or milk and eat a piece of fruit. Whilst I would encourage any child to eat healthily, I feel that it is starting to be taken too far.

For a start, not all children like fruit, water or milk and surely there are other healthy alternatives which they could eat instead of having to stick to such a strict eating regime.
I had to sit down and explain to my son who is only nine years of age that this is going to be implemented in his school and he was inconsolible as he hates fruit. I suggested yoghurt or a plain biscuit. Other parents suggested juice and these were a definite 'no, no'.

I dont agree with the amount of chocolates and fatty junk foods that kids get but to me the Government is starting now to dictate what we should and shouldn't eat whether we like it or not. My son is not obese, he eats a reasonably healthy diet which includes fish, chicken, pasta, and vegetables, gets plenty of exercise and is healthy. Does the parent now no longer have a choice as to what they can give their child to eat for school? If so, that is pathetic.

quote:

Originally posted by ashura:
I am one of the children who is being affected by this attempted food ban, and it seems to me that everyone who put their names down on the petition wouldn't be seriously affected by the consequences. Children all over the UK will get affected, and it is only fair that they get a say in what happens to them, and i intend to do just that. I am outraged by this attempt to take away childrens free will, namely what they are allowed to eat, and will strongly oppose any attempts that people make to take that choice away. We have every right to make our own decisions, and we are NOT going to listen to the government if they try to take that away. Post your names here if you agree, and PLEASE, if you disagree with me, give your reasons why. I want to keep an open mind, if possible, so I need to know both sides of the argument. Thanks in advance,
Ashura

Let me start off a little tough because although your idea of free choice is not a bad idea your metrics for measuring it seem to be way off.

So basically you want the choice to squander the tax money your parents are paying in order for you to receive medical treatment for a self-imposed disease later in your life?
When you talk about FREE CHOICE have you considered that your free choice at the momnent is limited to what you can choose from the present selection? You don't have free choice at all, should you choose to eat Zebra tomorrow is that on your list of choices?

Zebra's of course are rare in England and it would necessitate a zoo break to give you this choice but there is also of course the number one protein source of dead babies. Would you suggest adding this to the free choice menu as well?

Probably 1:25 of your school mates do not have free choice in what they eat for medical reasons and a further large percentage through religious reasons.
Should free choice not be universal or do you merely mean you should have free choice for what you prefer and everyone else can choose from what you want.
Many of your schoolmates may merely want a healthier choice but that means taking one unhealthy choice off the menu unless you are willing to stump up the difference personally.

Since 1:25 people will be allergic to peanuts, tree nuts (pecan, walnuts etc), shellfish, eggs, milk, soya , celery or wheat these people do not have a choice.

Further by demanding these items are in the same food preparation area you are risking the lives and health of these people.

The point is you see that you are not alone in society and society has to cater for society not individual choice. You right to eat turkey twisters or whatever you miss is unimportant compared to someone dying because of your right to eat these.

If you want these for lunch then why not go home to eat where your choices will not be threatening the health of others? If you can't do that because of distance or because your school does not allow it then you have free choice to choose another school, although below the age of majority it is actually your parents choice not yours.

If its any consolation I would have said exactly what you are saying 25 years ago but unfortunately I spent most of my life being poisioned by a toxin neither I nor my parents had ever considered a toxin. You can consider yourself lucky that you are living in a generation where these items are actually labelled and that if you do have one of these allergies you are 1000 times more likely to have it diagnosed than I was at your age. However a price comes with the knowledge and that price is that if you want to benefit from the research that has been made then you cannot simply choose to ignore it when it is inconvenient.

Free choice is a wonderful thing until someone elses free choice wrecks your life or that of someone you love.

You spoiled little brat. Yeah, I'm talking to you Ashura. I've seen the food you're eating now, and you know, I wished they served that at myschool. Why should the gormet meals be wasted on you ungrateful lot? But alas, that would never happen, since I live in the U.S.

I'm not a parent. I'm not even an adult. But I'm also not stupid. I know what good food looks like, and 'chips' (we call them fries, at least we don't try to hide the truth there!) don't cut it.
Shortly after reading your post, I asked my friends at school what they thought, and most said they would definatly want the stuff you're getting. Almost all said they would like at least some healthier options on the menu. In the words of one of my friends: "Sure, I like the pizza and burgers, but it would be nice to have a choice.
You have as much choice as you always did. It's just that now, the choices are healthier.
Eat up!

ps, Ever see the movie "Super-size Me"? If not, you should. 'Course, you might never eat at MD's again...

Ashura I totally understand where your coming from, as like adults, you dont want to be tarred with same brush as others. As you probably feel you can make your own informed choices. And to be quite frank I can understand why you should not want to listen to any adults, as too many of them have set such a poor example in this country, you only have to look at the statistics on alcohol abuse. Maybe you feel they should practice what they preach and for them to look at their own over indulgences first. The understanding of food and food groups and its affect on the body is important knowledge for every child and adult to learn.The learning process should start at home!! On a recent shopping trip at a well known express supermarket store, at the checkout my cabbage was picked up by the young man, no more than 19yrs of age, who had to ask me what it was, as he did not know, and needed to punch in the correct price before weighing it. This for me was a shock and very worrying. I am happy to say my sons have a healthy attitude to food and a healthy diet and they are encouraged to cook, and have always been involved in food choices ever since they were young. For us moderation is key with regards to certain types of foods and drink, and not to make such a big issue over food, as we have seen this can also cause problems with chilren at the other extreme.

i totally agree with you im one of the children involved of this food ban crap!
One time the dinner ladies gave us this pi with god knows whats inside in it had green and brown stuff in and it didnt taste that good either.
the thing is the goverment is trying to make us healthy and i can see why becuase alot of us are fat-not me im perfectly normal(i think)! anyways the goverment are trying to help us but we also have a choice either to go to scholl dinners or make a packed lunch that i personally do thank you very much! Se the goverment dosnt force us but force the schools to serve healthy stuff but we have a choice aswell.

And dont forget that

Of course, parents must try to influence their children to eat healthy food. Members of society also have a responsibility to help each other to stay healthy and do the right things. We delegate part of this responsibility to the government, asking it to draw up health guidelines, etc. We also delegate to the government some powers to safeguard us from the consequences of our own various stupidities. Persuading our children to eat healthy meals is part of this general task, surely a normal and proper duty of government.

Matthew Pollock
http://www.globalpropertyguide.com

If ashura is 14 he shouldn't be using channel Four forums!! you have to be 16 to use them. Now go and eat your greens.