Fast Food Schools

With fast food franchises taking over schools nationwide, is it a safety hazard for students to be eating food from school? How have fast food corporations able to sell their products to schools?

Before around my time, my our school lunches looked overwhelmingly more healthier that what school cafeteria food looks like today. We had veggies, fruits, milk, and salad served with our lunches everyday. The portion of healthier foods were served much bigger before than it is today. It wasn't until I reached middle school where I noticed food carts and student snack stores were open with a variety of fast serving foods like pizza, Panda Express meals, cookies, chips, and occasionally some tacos or burritos with nachos on the side.

It amazes me to see how much school Cafeteria food has changed as a new generation came about. Now, in high school, there are soda machines, fast food caters from all over Vegas, ramen cups, and various vending machines serving Candy and chips. 

According to the Public School Review Board (link here: http://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/why-fast-food-is-healthier-than-school-lunches-the-shocking-usda-truth) schools decided to have fast food caters serve their food in our schools for faster money, and it requires less cooking in the kitchen. But what bugs me about this article is she fact the school board seems to be supporting the idea of fast foods catering to schools thinking it is "safer" than those of school food. 

Under the cafeteria food

What is actually contained in cafeteria food?  Is school food actually healthy for students? What can be done to change this problem?

I admit, I love cafeteria food! There are different food choices that I can never find myself eating at home. But are these food really what they appear to be? They may look and sound good, but many of us don't pay much attention to what is really contained in the food.

Students agree school foods should always taste better and so does the government. But these government officials who regulate what is served in our school can care less about the health and only about the money. It is said about 20% of students are diagnosed with obesity just from the food they eat at school! 

As students grow up they tend to buy school cafeteria food more than bringing homemade food to school. In elementary school days kids thought bringing lunch is better than school lunch. Kids thought showing off foods meant better tasting foods. 

According to the news article by the blog food facts (link here :http://thefoodfactss.blogspot.com/2012/05/truth-about-cafeteria-food_28.html?m=1) , most student lunches contain the "pink paste" that many of us see as a health hazard. We may think school foods can be trusted, but boyyyy we were wrong! Nowadays fast food companies flood our hallways everyday as students rush and race to be the first in line.

If only school programs allowed the teaching of food and health, there could have been a possibility for better foods and healthier food choices to be made. Less sugar and more fruits, less fats, and more veggies. Side dishes that are considered "healthy" should have bigger portions than what is actually served.

Fast Food Advertisements

What makes advertisements most appealing to the younger community? What do these advertisements show to make kids more trusting of these fast food?

Sure you see a commercial with a big juicy cheeseburger with thinly cut crunchy fries with a delectably juicy dipping sauce on the side. Sounds tasty right??? But come to think of it the food is the last thing the kids really want. Little do people know though, fast food chains use a smart tactic to attract kids to buy their food that is used in every child commercial when fast food advertisements are shown on tv.

According to Time Magazine's Article about how fast food contain giveaways for kids, this is just a marketing tactic. ( link to the magazine here: http://healthland.time.com/2013/08/29/forget-the-food-fast-food-ads-aimed-at-kids-feature-lots-of-giveaways/) 

Commercials for their kids meals are less likely to advertise the food products and mostly advertise the toys and sponsors that associate with the business. By using this marketing tactic kids are "tricked" to ask their parents to buy the food...but only for the toy! 

I've come to this conclusion because I witnessed it first hand. Like all of you in this world you have a little sibling, whether boy or girl when they see a TV add they instantly go nagging to our parents to buy them it. My parents actually gave in and bought my sister a happy meal with a My Little Pony doll inside. But of course with one look of the doll she throws away the food immediately! 

Parents should explain to their children that these TV ads are not always what they seem. By giving into these requests by your kids, you are contributing to the fast food franchise by buying their products! 

Under the Fast Food influence: Looking into the mind of a child

Marketing Fast Food to Children

 

 

Why do fast food chains mostly market to kids and teens? What makes them most targeted? Why are kids and teens most attracted to these fast food advertisements?

 

 

Each and every day fast food franchises such as Mcdonalds and Burger King are most aimed to children ages six and under. I remember seeing those commercials that advertised Ronald Mcdonald telling children to buy Mcdonalds and their kids meals since their chicken nuggets were made of 100% meat and their fries are all naturally grown and cooked. Little do kids know though, what they eat are high in calories and oil substances that make their food a hazard to children's health.

 

According to Yale's News column (http://news.yale.edu/2013/11/04/fast-food-companies-still-target-kids-marketing-unhealthy-products) In just 2012 $6.4 billion advertisements were all in favor of unhealthy foods. Children ranging from the ages of six to eleven saw 10% of ads for fast food while teens saw five ads everyday on TV. Healthier kids were advertised by few restaurants and fast food ads were only viewed to kids. But fast food advertisements are spread even more today through social media and mobile devices.

 

Kids and teens are attracted to what the food brings to the plate. Since the start of putting toys in every kids meal, fast food that children eat have increased. Although healthier alternatives have been created such as apple slices and milk have been added to the meals, I believe there should be a limit to the amount of advertisements kids and teens are targeted for. Advertisements should be showed in a way so the community can take advantage of their vulnerabilities and choose a healthier choice.