Kids Reject Vegan “Food Revolution”

[Bazinga!!]

           Kids Reject Vegan “Food Revolution”
           Posted On July 07, 2010

           
     The Congressional battle over regulating school lunch   nutrition has drawn the attention of a number of activist groups that   are trying to influence what’s on our kids' menus. One of them is the   deceptively named “Physicians Committee” for Responsible Medicine   (PCRM), an animal rights organization whose membership includes less   than 5 percent actual MDs. PCRM is pushing a   bill to encourage the adoption of vegetarian and vegan meals into   schools across the country. For the unfamiliar, PCRM's president (a   former president of PETA's parent group) has suggested that eating meat   is “tantamount to suicide” and PCRM’s founder Neal   Barnard has argued that cheese is “dairy crack.”
     With a culinary   prescription that ridiculous, we weren’t surprised to read in today’s   South Florida Sun Sentinel that schoolchildren are voting against PCRM’s menu manipulation with their   lunch trays:
 

          

   

• n a typical day, only   about 16,000 of the 160,000 students buying a school lunch will choose   vegan fare, even though it generally costs the same as more traditional   foods or about 15 cents more.

        The poor showing flies in the   face of a newly-released study of student lunch preferences conducted   in Broward schools by the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible   Medicine. The national group, which espouses the benefits of a vegan   diet, concluded that more than half of students would choose vegan   options if they were offered….
        "There was an initial period   where it was popular," said [Director of Food and Nutrition Services   Barbara] Leslie. "But now it's not really that popular."
          Kids say the darndest things, and sometimes they speak volumes   with their lunch money.


http://www.animalscam.com/news.cfm?id=4210

[Mel]

I wonder if PCRM will be saying that 10 percent of students choosing a vegan meal is a success though they declared that half would do so.

The problem is - they don't know how to make the meals appetizing to kids. And kids know enough to know that vegetables and fruits do not necessarily fill you up and the energy burns quicker, so they're hungrier. This can be dangerous long term, something PCRM really doesn't get (even if some are doctors).

And, for a lot the vegan meal was tantamount to a "fad" based on the one comment above from Leslie. That doesn't bode well for their arguments either.

[spud]

I wonder if PCRM will be saying that 10 percent of students choosing a vegan meal is a success though they declared that half would do so.

The problem is - they don't know how to make the meals appetizing to kids. And kids know enough to know that vegetables and fruits do not necessarily fill you up and the energy burns quicker, so they're hungrier. This can be dangerous long term, something PCRM really doesn't get (even if some are doctors).

And, for a lot the vegan meal was tantamount to a "fad" based on the one comment above from Leslie. That doesn't bode well for their arguments either.

"Complex carbs (carbohydrate) foods are basically those in       wholegrain form such as wholegrain breads, oats, muesli and brown rice.       Complex carbs are broken down into glucose more slowly than      simple carbohydrates and thus provide a       gradual steady stream of energy throughout the day. Natural carbs are also a       better choice when"

http://www.weightlossforall.com/complex-carbs.htm

10% is high.

[doglady]

And kids know enough to know that vegetables and fruits do not necessarily fill you up and the energy burns quicker, so they're hungrier.

"Complex carbs (carbohydrate) foods are basically those in wholegrain form such as wholegrain breads, oats, muesli and brown rice.   Complex carbs are broken down into glucose more slowly than simple carbohydrates and thus provide a gradual steady stream of energy throughout the day.

They might well be but Mel was talking about fruit and veg.

I'm sure kids want a bowl of muesli for lunch - not.

[Angry Dog]

When will people learn that the PCRM is not a credible source of information

[spud]

And kids know enough to know that vegetables and fruits do not necessarily fill you up and the energy burns quicker, so they're hungrier.

"Complex carbs (carbohydrate) foods are basically those in wholegrain form such as wholegrain breads, oats, muesli and brown rice.   Complex carbs are broken down into glucose more slowly than simple carbohydrates and thus provide a gradual steady stream of energy throughout the day.

They might well be but Mel was talking about fruit and veg.

I'm sure kids want a bowl of muesli for lunch - not.

I'm sure a vegan diet doesn't just consist of fruit and veg either.

[Bazinga!!]

I'm sure I'm not paying taxes for some yuppies to tell me what my kids can, and can't, eat..

[Jeni]

Am I missing something here?
I don't understand - surely it's a good thing to try and tempt kids away from "traditional favorites such as pizza, sloppy joes and chicken nuggets" and more along the lines of healthier foods????

[Bazinga!!]

Am I missing something here?
I don't understand - surely it's a good thing to try and tempt kids away from "traditional favorites such as pizza, sloppy joes and chicken nuggets" and more along the lines of healthier foods????

Healthier meal choices, ok. Vegan meals? No way.

I'm sorry but kids need to grow.. not be super skinny, under developed and moody..which is what I have seen of vegan kids.. I'm not that sheltered. We have several in my sons school who tried to pull this same crap menu. Isn't going to happen.

Kids need real food.

Oh and hey vegan parents, your kids are buying burgers off mine for 2 bucks at school! True story 

[Lucy Glitters]

I wouldn't mind schools or other places serving vegan meals as part of a healthy living program. But remember...french fries are vegan too.

The PCRM isn't looking to make kids healthier. They're using is as bait to promote their agenda. It's not simply vegan is good, meat is bad. Or the reverse for that matter.

[Mel]

I wonder if PCRM will be saying that 10 percent of students choosing a vegan meal is a success though they declared that half would do so.

The problem is - they don't know how to make the meals appetizing to kids. And kids know enough to know that vegetables and fruits do not necessarily fill you up and the energy burns quicker, so they're hungrier. This can be dangerous long term, something PCRM really doesn't get (even if some are doctors).

And, for a lot the vegan meal was tantamount to a "fad" based on the one comment above from Leslie. That doesn't bode well for their arguments either.

"Complex carbs (carbohydrate) foods are basically those in       wholegrain form such as wholegrain breads, oats, muesli and brown rice.       Complex carbs are broken down into glucose more slowly than      simple carbohydrates and thus provide a       gradual steady stream of energy throughout the day. Natural carbs are also a       better choice when"

http://www.weightlossforall.com/complex-carbs.htm

10% is high.

WHAT has this got to do with my opinion on the subject? Well, other than I mention just fruits and veggies in a vegan diet.

BTW, even complex carbs burn quicker than protein - let alone can make you feel bloated, and if you feel bloated you don't want to exercise.

[Smilodon]

Am I missing something here?
I don't understand - surely it's a good thing to try and tempt kids away from "traditional favorites such as pizza, sloppy joes and chicken nuggets" and more along the lines of healthier foods????

I don't know if you can see Jamie's Food Revolution where you are, but he shows how to cook healthy meals for schools without going Vegan.

[Jeni]

Healthier meal choices, ok. Vegan meals? No way.

So you'd be happy if a plate of quinoa, black beans and veggies were depicted as "healthy" and not "vegan"???

I'm sorry but kids need to grow.. not be super skinny, under developed and moody..which is what I have seen of vegan kids..

So you're suggesting that vegan kids are moody, under developed and skinny because they are vegan??
That's very narrow minded of you. Without knowing the kids you're referring to personally I can't possibly comment but the vegan kid (yeah I only know one) that I know is far from under developed and/or skinny. They are moody but so are their meat eating friends.

Kids need real food.

That offends me. I know you can't help how I feel about something you've posted but you are suggesting that I don't eat real food and that is not the case at all.
I'd put money on it that I eat better than you.

Oh and hey vegan parents, your kids are buying burgers off mine for 2 bucks at school! True story 

These same kids that you referred to as being under developed, skinny and moody?????

[Jeni]

The PCRM isn't looking to make kids healthier. They're using is as bait to promote their agenda.

Ahah!
This is the problem - an ulterior motive not about kids eating healthier at all.
I get it now.

[spud]

WHAT has this got to do with my opinion on the subject? Well, other than I mention just fruits and veggies in a vegan diet.

Just that.

BTW, even complex carbs burn quicker than protein - let alone can make you feel bloated, and if you feel bloated you don't want to exercise.

I'm not sure you understand the relationship between energy and proteins. Carbs and proteins are not the same.

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/nutrit.htm