Lunch Hour, The Movie: An In-Depth Look At The Lack Of Nutrition In School Food

LUNCH HOUR, THE MOVIE: AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE LACK OF NUTRITION IN SCHOOL FOOD (Issue 24)

by Diane Gold

School food is an important part of our children’s school day. It is a developmental tool that enhances young minds, builds mental focus and gives the right amount of energy needed for children to consume knowledge at a high capacity. But wait. Under further examination, we find the nutrition part of the food is often very much left out. Lunch Hour, the movie, simplifies the complex story of school food, its results and how we can help now.

Here is a movie review. The trailer is below.

Lunch Hour, the Movie, is a fresh, new look at an age old problem that affects the health, mindset and the future development of our children. This captivating documentary offers experts in the fields of school food, psychology, finance, government and education who give their insights as to how we can work together to change the nutrition in our schools, be able to afford this change as an industry and empower our children through healthy food in school.

What we see is a bird’s eye view of what goes on in the schools, including the perspective of school administrators, who feel some responsibility for the less than nutritious food that elementary school students are being served daily.

This movie is a call out to all of us to take notice and take action. We see the history of the school food industry, including how the government began offering food programs to assist our farmers. We hear about past and present financial struggle. We are exposed to complex relationships between food companies and politicians as well as government regulations that restrict all but the largest suppliers.

The greatest thing in Lunch Hour, though, is its passion. From celebrity chefs to sitting U.S. Senators, we hear how the state of our school food must be changed so as not to impair our children, contribute to obesity or give them the wrong message about their own nutrition through a mismatch between what’s good for them in theory and what schools deliver.

The film shows pioneer thinkers in the food and restaurant industry and how their passionate involvement has helped. There are also definite action steps suggested for every parent, teacher and community member who wants to be cooperate toward solution.

Of course, the film talks about how important it is to make these same changes at home and how much fun it can be to eat nutritiously.

James Costa’s Lunch Hour points out that parents and teachers must get involved should change be made to happen. It is my suggestion that every parent-teacher association, school board, teacher’s union, student and mayor’s association throughout the United States would do well to see it.

As a former teacher, I recall the Professional Day in which mundane information was disseminated slowly. It was not the purpose to test our patience, but it seemed that way. Maybe the next professional day in every school should include a viewing of this very film. This is an urgent film with a timely message that must be heard for the sake of our children and our future.

CONCLUSION

If we take one small step, progress is made. If each person in each of our 3,000 or so counties in the United States makes one small effort, progress is made on behalf of our kids. We have to start now, using this movie as our catalyst.

ACTION STEPS

1)    We, parents, teachers and students, can change what is currently culturally acceptable food to exclude junk food.

2)    We, parents and teachers, can provide a fruit at playtime or snack time.

3)    We can all ask our local chefs, nutritionists, restauranteurs, food experts to come to our school to help.

4)    We, parents and teachers, can join the school wellness committee of teachers and parents or start one.

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DIANE GOLD, AUTHOR

Diane Gold, Founder of Warriors of Weight, Moms For Healthy Daughters, is a mentor in tai chi, kung fu and meditation, a music and stress expert and a dedicated mom. She has learned that patience brings power. She says, “If looking at a whole task seems insurmountable, look at the first step only. Then, the entire task does not seem so big.”

LUNCH HOUR, THE MOVIE: TRAILER