Interesting short film about the School Lunch Program in the 1960s.
Look at the people -- the children and the adults. With the exception of one boy towards the end, no one is overweight -- and that boy isn't very heavy by today's standards. Another interesting thing: no kid food.
I graduated from high school at the end of the 1960s and well remember the school lunch program. I don't remember much about the food except that it wasn't exceptional. It's where I learned to hate cooked cabbage (took me over 35 years to give it another try).
It Happens Every Noon
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It Happens Every Noon
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
Interesting film and good point about the normal body weights of the vast majority of children and adults featured in it. I graduated from high school about ten years after you did, and I can only remember a few very overweight kids in my class.
I was also struck by how tiny the portion of cake for dessert was. Today, each piece would be at least double the size!
I was also struck by how tiny the portion of cake for dessert was. Today, each piece would be at least double the size!
While I agree that the '60s and '70s had us on portion sizes, the state of school lunches in America was terrible (and for the most part, still is--though things are starting to change). In fact, I think the state of food in general was pretty bad in this country. Yes, things might have gone too far in the other direction now (people seeking out way too much advice from scientists and nutritionists, huge portion sizes and the encouragement to graze constantly, obsessions with "health" food, antioxidants, and whatever else) but I think now more people are aware of the importance of eating real, unprocessed food and more whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables.
My point I guess? A lot of people who push smaller portion sizes and moderation have a nostalgia for the decades in which they grew up--but that time period had its food flaws, too, and in a lot of ways we've improved.
My point I guess? A lot of people who push smaller portion sizes and moderation have a nostalgia for the decades in which they grew up--but that time period had its food flaws, too, and in a lot of ways we've improved.
That was fun to watch, and very informative. The USDA food chart has really changed. I remember the "new" one in the early 70s. It had 3 "square" meals of breads, meat, fruits/veggies and dairy. We were told that we needed to eat from each of the corners of the square for it to be a good meal. In my mind, I then figured that if you didn't eat from ALL of the categories, it didn't really count 
because you didn't get one of the sections to call it "good". I may have just wanted to hear that, but that's what I got out of it.
And in the film, you're right, they were all skinny. The P.E. class was all skinny. They had no chocolate milk either. The milk containers had brown on them, so I paid close attention. My kids can have chocolate milk every day. I hate that. They were given much smaller portions too. Near the end they were dished up 1 spoon of what I think was rice, and it didn't even look big enough to be a serving spoon. It looked like a table spoon. They all got bread too. I was born in 1967 and we always had bread with lunch, and much smaller portions than they serve now. Now my kids also have snack time through grade 6. AND, now P.E. is optional and up to the school district! That overwieght kid near the end, they probably had to find him, and you're right, he wasn't very overweight compared to today's standards.
Thanks for sharing, very interesting.
because you didn't get one of the sections to call it "good". I may have just wanted to hear that, but that's what I got out of it. And in the film, you're right, they were all skinny. The P.E. class was all skinny. They had no chocolate milk either. The milk containers had brown on them, so I paid close attention. My kids can have chocolate milk every day. I hate that. They were given much smaller portions too. Near the end they were dished up 1 spoon of what I think was rice, and it didn't even look big enough to be a serving spoon. It looked like a table spoon. They all got bread too. I was born in 1967 and we always had bread with lunch, and much smaller portions than they serve now. Now my kids also have snack time through grade 6. AND, now P.E. is optional and up to the school district! That overwieght kid near the end, they probably had to find him, and you're right, he wasn't very overweight compared to today's standards.
Thanks for sharing, very interesting.
I guess this doesn't work unless you actually do it.
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Please pray for me
Oh, I agree about the food of the times. The lunches themselves looked pretty unappetizing. But overall the kids in the film looked far healthier than many of today's kids, at least in terms of weight. For that we can blame the prevalence of snacking, the increase of portion sizes, and the decrease in active recreation in favor of tv and video games.
In another thread someone posted a link to a fascinating article about French school lunches:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/ ... 60,00.html
Now, those are the kind of school lunches I wish we had here!
In another thread someone posted a link to a fascinating article about French school lunches:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/ ... 60,00.html
Now, those are the kind of school lunches I wish we had here!
I remember some weird combinations -- chili and peanut butter sandwiches was one. But I think what was offered in school lunches during the 50s and 60s was a lot better than my kids got in the 80s and 90s -- and much better than now. I think every decade you step back, the quality of food improved -- even JUNK food! And every decade we move forward with increased manufactured foods, the quality of food decreases and health issues and obesity increases.
I was noticing the cheese going on the sandwiches in that film. I remember that cheese. It's American cheese, but not plastic cheese individually wrapped in plastic.
Another thing I remember from growing up -- it was very rare for anyone to be allergic to anything and things like ear infections and asthma were almost non-existent. I don't remember any of my friends having allergies or asthma.
I don't remember a lot of whole grains except oatmeal, shredded wheat, bran flakes, Grape Nuts, and Roman Meal bread! But most white bread was more like the artisanal breads now -- even Wonder Bread wasn't as "squishy."
The first fast food restaurant came to town towards the end of my high school years. We used to go there on Saturday afternoon and get a burger, fries, and a cola. I think they were probably the size of kid's meals now. It took another 15 years or so for any more fast food restaurants to appear. We did, however, have root beer stands and drive-ins. They were also a treat and reserved for the warm months. There weren't any chain restaurants.
I remember knowing of one man who was diabetic and extremely few people with heart disease or cancer. I remember only a few people being overweight -- my grandmother was one of them, but she was an invalid confined to a wheelchair. And she wasn't nearly as overweight as the average person on the street now.
I was noticing the cheese going on the sandwiches in that film. I remember that cheese. It's American cheese, but not plastic cheese individually wrapped in plastic.
Another thing I remember from growing up -- it was very rare for anyone to be allergic to anything and things like ear infections and asthma were almost non-existent. I don't remember any of my friends having allergies or asthma.
I don't remember a lot of whole grains except oatmeal, shredded wheat, bran flakes, Grape Nuts, and Roman Meal bread! But most white bread was more like the artisanal breads now -- even Wonder Bread wasn't as "squishy."
The first fast food restaurant came to town towards the end of my high school years. We used to go there on Saturday afternoon and get a burger, fries, and a cola. I think they were probably the size of kid's meals now. It took another 15 years or so for any more fast food restaurants to appear. We did, however, have root beer stands and drive-ins. They were also a treat and reserved for the warm months. There weren't any chain restaurants.
I remember knowing of one man who was diabetic and extremely few people with heart disease or cancer. I remember only a few people being overweight -- my grandmother was one of them, but she was an invalid confined to a wheelchair. And she wasn't nearly as overweight as the average person on the street now.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
Ah, school lunches. I went to a Catholic grade school with about 500 students in the late 60s, and the lunch program was run by three tyrannical old women. But boy, could they cook. Everything was made from scratch - if we had hot dogs, they were served in buns baked that morning. My two favorite meals were creamed chicken in toast cups, and split pea soup. Sometimes they would make donuts, and the smell of those donuts would rise up through the entire school from the basement cafeteria. We could go back for seconds, and on donut days kids would get their lunch and head right back to the end of the line, which stretched around the entire cafeteria.
Girls in 7th and 8th grades (and yes, ONLY the girls) had to help out in the kitchen for a couple weeks each year, and we would absolutely dread being at the mercy of those women, who had apparently been drill sergeants in their former lives. But looking back, it's amazing what they accomplished each day.
Girls in 7th and 8th grades (and yes, ONLY the girls) had to help out in the kitchen for a couple weeks each year, and we would absolutely dread being at the mercy of those women, who had apparently been drill sergeants in their former lives. But looking back, it's amazing what they accomplished each day.
I went to school in late 70's / 80's. I remember the 4 food groups. We had a milk break in the morning, where we got a carton of milk and for lunch we could pick chocolate or white milk. I don't remember ever having salad. We had pizza once a week and fries every day. I don't remember the desserts in elementary school, but starting in jr. high, we had an awesome strawberry pie and delicious fudge pie! Mmm... What we didn't have though, was snacks. The milk break was just milk. We didn't have snack machines or coke machines. Actually, the only drinks were white or chocolate milk or water from the fountain.