# What would you do if the State substituted your kid's lunch? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 16, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041 "2012-02-16T17:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/21 "2012-02-17T09:10:04Z")
Without inspecting the lunch in question (tee hee), a “turkey and cheese sandwich” would, as i’m imagining it, be made with sliced Oscar Meyer turkey or equivalent (loaded with salt), Kraft singles (loaded with salt and fat), and probably a dollop of mayonaise or Miracle Whip (loaded with cholesterol), so nutritionally speaking it’s probably a wash compared to oven-baked chicken nuggets, and on top of that you’ve got the potato chips (also loaded with sodium) and the sugary apple juice. But that’s neither here nor there, since this entire thread is based on a non-incident. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/22 "2012-02-17T21:13:54Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > So, the child made a choice, told her mother a garbled version of the incident that doesn’t really jibe with what’s been discovered since, and the right wing went batshit insane and used this as an example of how stupid/over-reaching/totalitarian the government is, and how perfect/beyond reproach the child/mother is. > > Got it. I’ll remember this next time somebody pulls out the “we’re the smartest, hippest people on the 'net” line. You’ve gotten nothing beyond the satisfaction of your own political rant. The child’s lunch was inspected, the child was told by an authority figure that her mother’s lunch was not good enough and then they proceeded to give her a fried remix of the same lunch her mother packed. And this isn’t the first time it’s happened at that school. School lunches are far from anything truly nutritional and that’s the reality of budget constraints. In this particular case, they provide “something” in the absence of nothing for children who do not get enough food at home. Not only did the school district override a parent’s responsibility they did so with an inferior lunch. Chicken nuggets are so removed from anything resembling real food that it is morally objectionable to present them to children as anything other than a snack item. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/23 "2012-02-17T21:42:42Z")
The kid didn’t have her lunch taken away. She could have still had the shitty turkey sandwich if she wanted. They wanted to make sure she had a carton of milk, and through what ever inefficiencies, she got a whole lunch tray. Yeah, a real Nazi move, that. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/24 "2012-02-17T23:58:52Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > The kid didn’t have her lunch taken away. She could have still had the shitty turkey sandwich if she wanted. They wanted to make sure she had a carton of milk, and through what ever inefficiencies, she got a whole lunch tray. > > Yeah, a real Nazi move, that. It was a little girl subjected to unnecessary government hyperbole. Ignoring the fact that milk is hardly the fountain of nutrition it’s billed as, there was no reason for the intrusion in the first place. Yes, it is a Nazi move. A small one but unwarranted nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/25 "2012-02-18T00:38:55Z")
First they came for the lunchboxes… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/26 "2012-02-18T01:57:59Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > First they came for the lunchboxes… > > :rolleyes: you think this is a small deal and given the other things we have to worry about you’re right. But on principle it’s a big deal when a bureaucracy sticks it’s nose in your life. Give a bureaucrat an inch and they’ll take your ruler (and probably spank you with it to boot). ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/27 "2012-02-18T02:21:09Z")
Oh for the love of shit. Nobody was taking anything. Nothing was taken. Amount of things taken: none. The sum of things that was taken is equal to the null set. Someone gave a kid some extra food. Big freaking deal. Oh, who will protect us from the jackbooted thugs handing out free sandwiches? Those jerks. What next? Free vegetables? Free noodles? WHERE DOES THE MADNESS END? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/28 "2012-02-18T02:50:16Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Oh for the love of shit. Nobody was taking anything. Nothing was taken. Amount of things taken: none. The sum of things that was taken is equal to the null set. > > Someone gave a kid some extra food. Big freaking deal. Oh, who will protect us from the jackbooted thugs handing out free sandwiches? Those jerks. What next? Free vegetables? Free noodles? WHERE DOES THE MADNESS END? You’re right that nothing was taken but you’re missing the point. We’ve come to the point in society where we now have the lunchroom police. It seems innocuous on the surface but the mindset behind it is mind numbingly intrusive. And given what we’ve seen with all things bureaucratic it will just get bigger and more intrusive if given a chance. What this level of involvement will lead to is a school that bans home lunches altogether. And I see no reason why the madness ends there. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/29 "2012-02-18T03:10:10Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Oh for the love of shit. Nobody was taking anything. Nothing was taken. Nothing but some dignity. > [@Magiver](#): > > What this level of involvement will lead to is a school that bans home lunches altogether. And I see no reason why the madness ends there. If that happened the first thing I’d suspect is a shady deal with a food service company. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/30 "2012-02-18T03:34:06Z")
> [@](#): > > What this level of involvement will lead to is a school that bans home lunches altogether. And I see no reason why the madness ends there. No, this level of involvement is precisely what will _prevent_ that. If the schools want to make sure that the students are eating healthily (which is, in fact, one of the missions of this school program that the parents voluntarily sign their kids up for), then you have to either make sure that home-brought lunches are healthy, or prohibit them. And I’m not sure where the notion came from that anyone took away the kid’s original lunch, since the Carolina Journal article says that the mom found out _because the girl brought her original lunch back home_. She still had it. Nobody took it away from her, except presumably for the mother. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/31 "2012-02-18T05:21:36Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > You’re right that nothing was taken but you’re missing the point. We’ve come to the point in society where we now have the lunchroom police. It seems innocuous on the surface but the mindset behind it is mind numbingly intrusive. And given what we’ve seen with all things bureaucratic it will just get bigger and more intrusive if given a chance. > > What this level of involvement will lead to is a school that bans home lunches altogether. And I see no reason why the madness ends there. Oh no! Not the lunchroom police! If I misbehave they might give me a sandwich! Or a chicken nugget! A _chicken nugget_, for God’s sake! I wish the regular police would give me sandwiches, milk, and chicken nuggets when I broke the law. Do you think I can get the lunchroom police to arrest me instead, the next time I drive over the speed limit? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/32 "2012-02-18T07:51:17Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Oh no! Not the lunchroom police! If I misbehave they might give me a sandwich! Or a chicken nugget! A _chicken nugget_, for God’s sake! > > I wish the regular police would give me sandwiches, milk, and chicken nuggets when I broke the law. Do you think I can get the lunchroom police to arrest me instead, the next time I drive over the speed limit? OK, your sarcasm aside, stop and think about this for a minute. This school system has people inspecting lunches. It’s not a function of giving a child who needs food something that vaguely resembles it so they get through the day. Nobody is arguing this. They are actually inspecting the lunches brought in. The difference between these two acts is profound. There is a place for a school system inspecting their own lunch menu so it meets some kind of standard. This has absolutely nothing to do with lunches not provided by the school. Compare it to airport security. For years we’ve had a system that checked passengers for guns, knives and the occasional vibrator. Then our representatives passed the Patriot Act. when this was first enacted I was in favor of it with the caveat that it was reigned in with something resembling common sense. Alas, as with everything else a politician gets his or her hands on, it turns into a clusterfuck of stupidity. Not only has it not stopped a terrorist act we see routine examples of guns and knives sailing past their inspections while we stand in line like sheep while removing our shoes and belts. It’s been nothing but a reactionary response to each attempted terrorist act. Meanwhile, granny is getting searched because of her colonoscopy bag. It’s nothing but a bunch of poorly trained and poorly paid pseudo police who are trained to make our lives miserable. It’s not that we don’t need a solid layer of security, but this isn’t it. We’ve pissed away our collective dignity and gotten very little in return. And Allah forbid you get on a no-fly list. Then you’re just screwed. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/33 "2012-02-18T07:58:27Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > Very carefully portion controlling food for healthy kids sounds pretty weird and anal. Talk to their parents, and the girls are thriving on it so … Honestly, the FDA wants schools to practice portion control and dietary choices, not that big a jump to do it at home. It is really not that big a deal, if you look at the nutritional guidelines for children put out by the FDA, it is all pretty reasonable. The only thing the kid’s parents want is a lack of overprocessed foods. They don’t feed the kids twinkies, they give them an apple or a certain amount of banana chips or whatever dried fruit is at hand. Last time was raisins. Instead of chicken nuggets, we feed them home cooked chicken - last time I roasted a chicken with lots of garlic since the girls adore garlic. Don’t you try and make sure your kids get a balanced diet or do you let them tank up on junk food? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/34 "2012-02-18T11:47:21Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > … stop and think about this for a minute. This school system has people inspecting lunches. It’s not a function of giving a child who needs food something that vaguely resembles it so they get through the day. Nobody is arguing this. They are actually inspecting the lunches brought in. The difference between these two acts is profound. Good god. The school system doesn’t have people inspecting lunches. You make it sound like all the little tykes are required to line up and hold their lunch boxes up for Fraulein Goebbels, and it’s in the box for you if you brought a cupcake! Some school system rep was there and said, “get that kid some milk.” That’s pretty much it. I looked up the phrase _making a mountain out of a mole hill_ and it said, see this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/35 "2012-02-18T12:18:55Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Yes, it is a Nazi move. A small one but unwarranted nonetheless. Did you just compare giving a kid a bit of extra food to the atrocities committed by the Nazis? Holy _crap_, dude! Have some respect for the victims of those awful war crimes. Also, Godwin. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/36 "2012-02-18T12:54:47Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > You’re right that nothing was taken but you’re missing the point. We’ve come to the point in society where we now have the lunchroom police. It seems innocuous on the surface but the mindset behind it is mind numbingly intrusive. And given what we’ve seen with all things bureaucratic it will just get bigger and more intrusive if given a chance. > > What this level of involvement will lead to is a school that bans home lunches altogether. And I see no reason why the madness ends there. I remember lunchroom police when I was a kid in the 70s. I once got in trouble for eating a bite of cookie before finishing my sandwich and fr not drinking my milk over the course of my meal (waiting until the end). This was elementary school in an urban setting. When we moved to the suburbs it wasn’t much different. Kids who snuck cans of soda in their lunches had them taken away. Lunchroom monitors would check your lunch before they’d agree to open your metal can of chocolate pudding. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/37 "2012-02-18T13:53:33Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > OK, your sarcasm aside, stop and think about this for a minute. This school system has people inspecting lunches. It’s not a function of giving a child who needs food something that vaguely resembles it so they get through the day. Nobody is arguing this. They are actually inspecting the lunches brought in. The difference between these two acts is profound. 1. How else would you determine that a particular child needs supplemental food? Telepathy? 2. Nobody is doing airport-security-style lunchbox inspections as you imply. This was one person looking over lunches on one day as part of a voluntary accreditation program the school applied to. Settle down, Frances. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/38 "2012-02-18T15:22:49Z")
I’d be pretty ticked off, but would accept their sincere apologies without calling in the media. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/39 "2012-02-18T15:39:44Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Did you just compare giving a kid a bit of extra food to the atrocities committed by the Nazis? Holy _crap_, dude! Have some respect for the victims of those awful war crimes. > > Also, Godwin. _First they came to give me chicken nuggets. And I said nothing, because I kind of like chicken nuggets. Especially with honey mustard._ ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041/40 "2012-02-18T16:00:12Z")
Right-wingers: _This story is a perfect example of why we don’t take you seriously._ Even though you’ve been presented with facts detailing why it’s not the jackbooted intrusion you want to think it is, you’re now looking for the slightest details to be enraged by. You’ve cried wolf too often. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-the-state-substituted-your-kids-lunch/613041.md?page=3)