[Sca-cooks] OT - Somewhat amusing in light of recent healthyfoodrants

[King's Taste Productions]

Celia des Archier opined:

> "They shouldn't be allowed to tell the kids what to eat," Mrs.  
> Critchlow said of the school authorities. "They're treating them  
> like criminals."

No, they're treating them like children!  One might surmise that if
their
parents had given these children good choices from a young age, that
they
would have developed healthier tastes... not to mention a little
discipline
about eating what was presented to them. 

<snip really sound and rational rant>



Preach it, sister!  What she said!  

We face the same issues in getting people over the attitude that period
food is yucky, a topic we discuss here with regularity.  

I might add that while you touch on this, none of the news stories seem
to: it is an important part of teaching your children appropriate table
manners to eat the foods they are offered.  Now even I will admit that a
school cafeteria is not one of the top places for fine table etiquette,
although I have seen many schools where the lunchrooms were monitored
for noise level, arguments, trash patrol and more, so it is used as a
place for learning manners even in urban schools.  

If you allow your child to make all the calls in food choices at home,
they will never develop the manners to go to someone else's house or eat
in a business meeting setting or any other 'civilized' gathering.  I
know some kids raised in the SCA that are ever so much more adventurous
in trying new foods because they have served and eaten at feasts so
often. They are often surprised with new foods they love, and know it is
ok to laugh about the stuff you try and don't like without developing a
'hate' for that food forevermore.  

I know the British Lunch Ladies are having a hard time with the switch
as well.  You've got to figure that they were raised by parents that
lived through WWII, when the canned and preserved food was essential.
We still are getting over our post-war love affair with the canned soup
and vegetable here in the US.  The schools are no doubt outfitted with
more microwaves and steamers than steam-jacketed kettles and ovens, not
to mention all of the menus, purveyors, subsidies (I'm guessing they
have some sort of national foodstuff supplementation like we do), etc.
It is tough to switch.  I am sure those districts that take it in stages
do better with the conversion.  

Sorry I turned this into a very long "me too", but it's one of my
favorite soapboxes.  :)
Christianna