Plum Crazy

A Connecticut school is turning itself into a junk food free zone. While I can't get behind confiscating candy bars from kids, I think that changing the options offered in the vending machines and the cafeteria menu is not just fine, but a good idea.

First of all, I don't know when schools even started having vending machines. My schools certainly didn't, until I hit college, and it's not as if I was attending high school while dinosaurs still roamed the earth. But if the schools wish to offer vending machines to students, then it is up to the school to decide with what to stock the vending machines. I wish that the company where I work would stock the vending machines with healthier options too. But any way you slice it, access to junk food (or healthier food, for that matter) in vending machines is not a right we all possess, so if the school wishes to stock granola bars instead of cookies, that's their call. They're the ones paying for the vending machines.

As for the cafeteria, school food sucks no matter what they're serving. I mean, come on, who can forget mystery meat? But even were that not the case, it's still up to the school to decide what foods to serve in its cafeteria. A restaurant isn't forced to offer things on its menu just because you want it. You can't go to Jean-Georges and expect to get hot dogs with sauerkraut. You want hot dogs with sauerkraut, go to the hot dog cart on the corner (or however you non-New Yorkers get hot dogs with sauerkraut). Same thing for school cafeterias. You want a hot dog, bring it. The school shouldn't confiscate it from you if you do, but it doesn't have to provide you with one either.

Ultimately what this comes down to is that childhood obesity is a real problem in this country. So is adult obesity. The schools can't influence what kids eat at home, nor should they be able to. But if a school recognizes the problem and wants to do something in its power to help, then it should be applauded. Obesity is a real, serious health problem with significant consequences for individuals and the country. Sometimes it's a medical issue, but more often than not it's a lifestyle issue. The challenge is changing your lifestyle, which isn't easy. Easy is going to McDonald's on the way home from work to get dinner for you and your family. At least it's easy in the short-term. At least it seems easy in the short-term. But when you're always tired, get out of breath from walking medium distances or climbing a flight of stairs, never feel quite right, ask yourself how easy is it really? Maybe, in the long run, changing your lifestyle actually is easier. That's what I'm banking on.

But what's real easy is starting to eat well when you're young. Then you don't form the bad habits that are hard to break later in life. The schools can't really make that happen at home, and, let me stress once more, they shouldn't be able to. However, they also don't have to be a part of the problem by feeding the kids junk food too. On that score, I say good for the school.