SAN FRANCISCO students will soon say goodbye to snack bar
lunches consisting of nachos or colossal hamburgers washed
down with Cokes in bucket- sized containers.
When school opens this week, San Francisco will begin
implementing arguably the healthiest food regimen of any
school district in the nation.
Oakland has already junked soda sales in its schools, as
has Berkeley. Together, the districts are putting the Bay Area
at the forefront of the battle against childhood obesity.
That's where the Bay Area should be. The healthier "California
cuisine" pioneered here shouldn't only be the province of
patrons of upscale restaurants. A school-based version is long
overdue.
These districts have wisely decided that schools should be
teaching kids healthy eating habits, not endangering their
health by feeding them products of little or no nutritional
value.
Eliminating calorie-laden foods from our schools won't
solve the problem of childhood obesity. But it is a good place
to start.
In the face of the district's own predictions that the new
policies could cost the district as much as $200,000, we
commend Superintendent Arlene Ackerman and her staff for
working to implement the healthy foods resolution passed by
the school board last February. "We are moving ahead on all
fronts," Lorna Ho, a special assistant to Ackerman, told us.
In snack bar lines known as beaneries, students will be
able to buy fresh deli sandwiches, soups, salads and sushi.
Food portions themselves will be downsized. All foods will
have to exceed the federal government's "food of minimal
nutritional value" standard.
These are all positive changes. We're disappointed the
district is moving more cautiously to eliminate junk foods
from vending machines located outside school cafeterias.
Beginning next January, the machines will be emptied of sodas.
And candy bars will be replaced with snacks such as
Nutri-grain fruit bars, Rice Krispie treats and sunflower
seeds.
Fundraising sales of old-time favorites like Hershey bars,
See's candy, and Slim Jims will also be banned beginning next
year.
Now that that the district has embarked on an ambitous path
toward student health, we urge administrators -- and parents
-- to take on the problem of vending machines and fund-raising
sales immediately.
The pioneering food program is the result of pressure
brought by a determined group of parents, and builds on a
successful pilot project at Aptos Middle School. Aptos showed
that kids won't starve when offered nutritious foods, and that
schools can actually make more money doing so.
Some students will grouse about having to eat string cheese
instead of Snickers bars. But we trust school officials,
parents and students will work to overcome whatever obstacles
may come up. Now it is up to other school districts to follow
Oakland and San Francisco's lead.
What You Can Do
If you are a San Francisco parent or student, urge your
school principal to implement the new guidelines immediately.
Call the district at (415) 241-6565 to get a copy.
If you live outside San Francisco and want your local
school to provide healthier foods, encourage school board
members to adopt a policy similar to San Francisco's lead.
