Despite scores of children at public schools across the nation issuing resounding disapproval of federally-imposed school lunch rules, the much scorned Healthy Hungry Kids initiative, sponsored in large part by First Lady Michelle Obama, has managed to receive funding via Congress’s recently passed $1 trillion omnibus budget deal.
That means rules on what cafeterias can serve will continue to be handed down from the federal level, even though students, health experts and even school district officials have railed against the skimpy meals, with one school official saying, “I wouldn’t eat it either.”
“Universally, it was, ‘We are starving. We are hungry. This isn’t enough food for us.’ But we couldn’t blame them, because I looked at that school lunch and said, ‘I wouldn’t eat it either,’” Wyoming Sheridan County District One business manager Jeremy Smith told Wyoming Public Media.
“All told, seven Wyoming school districts have dropped out of the federal program and are forgoing the reimbursements,” reports Kyle Olson at EAGNews.org.
The low-calorie lunches, which adhere to requirements for an increased diet made up of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, are actually causing less children to eat and leading to waste and higher costs.
They have also been harshly criticized by students. Children actually willing to embark on the harrowing task of consuming the scary-looking lunch room items have taken to posting their opinions and photos of the lunches to social media, often with the hashtag #ThanksMichelleObama.
“It’s basically tree bark now,” one senior at a high school in Missouri told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “That’s all you can eat.”
Below are just a few more examples of what kids are being subjected to inside the public school system. We also documented other despicable examples here.
#ThanksMichelleObama just what a 16 year old girl needs pic.twitter.com/yFtk2BQao1
— Amber Schroeder (@aureviorlune) November 21, 2014
Had a very #healthylunch today. The apple definitely made up for the "mystery mush" #ThanksMichelleObama pic.twitter.com/RWCnQRCxJK
— Hunter Whitney (@huntwhitney4) November 13, 2014
my pizza today was so raw it stretched #ThanksMichelleObama pic.twitter.com/nXBxr7bZE2
— sassie kassie (@kassie_lives) December 12, 2014
Look at all this lettuce. #ThanksMichelleObama pic.twitter.com/NjNLtl1EOE
— cera ♡ (@ceracarlile) December 5, 2014
Sausage at school looks weird … Never used to be this way…. #ThanksMichelleObama pic.twitter.com/oMVIx8Pj8l
— futurebluejay3 (@joshchesler) December 17, 2014
Dear @MichelleObama for my school lunch. Hot dog bun with cheese called "Italian dunkers"? Wth #thanksmichelleobama pic.twitter.com/Dvc9wPfvKx
— Jessica Villalobos (@JessicaTaylor_v) December 17, 2014
I would like to just take a moment to say #ThanksMichelleObama for our "healthy hamburgers" at lunch today! Yummy! pic.twitter.com/Q32KA5IKu9
— Ash (@ashlynnpriest12) December 9, 2014
I'm eating a "pulled pork sandwich" and all of the sudden there's this. #ThanksMichelleObama pic.twitter.com/CH60liqqf8
— sophia maicki (@Sophiamaick) December 17, 2014
Today's lunch left me totally full and satisfied. #thanksmichelleobama pic.twitter.com/x9J2ujgxYT
— Tone Jeff (@JeffGoodwin7) December 17, 2014
#ThanksMichelleObama those fries just taste so good baked in the microwave and basically have no potato in them. pic.twitter.com/Z60ujAbt35
— Maximus Prime (@Maxine_spencer) December 17, 2014
These cookies are harder than my Tiffany diamonds #ThanksMichelleObama @Only_In_Waseca pic.twitter.com/fXoEXDsvhU
— Autumn Miller (@autumnmiller04) December 17, 2014
Wow
The kids school lunch. Really? Hes 17 this is supposed to fill him? pic.twitter.com/wEDxPpjw2L
— Pwannarka (@pwannarka) November 12, 2014
so we got a quarter of a cookie at lunch today, thanks Michelle Obama pic.twitter.com/zJt8vIOXjz
— chan (@chanchilla_) November 7, 2014
Don't mind me, just eating my hollow-out salted turd #ThanksMichelleObama pic.twitter.com/oWDKwjDVzh
— dalton paynter (@The_Rockaholic2) December 17, 2014
#ThanksMichelleObama so glad we get to eat the healthiest food at school pic.twitter.com/WPEskH6yxp
— Kendal (@kendalblumey) December 9, 2014
Eww they served us catfish and mystery mashed potatoes #ThanksMichelleObama pic.twitter.com/FZj8ztFc05
— ✨BossUpLilBITCH✨ (@OnlyOne_Miaaa) December 9, 2014
there was literally mold on my cantaloupe #ThanksMichelleObama pic.twitter.com/aDtMoXM1fC
— lauryn (@laurynxvela) December 15, 2014
*looks at school lunch*
"I've seen more appetizing things on the side of the road"
#ThanksMichelleObama pic.twitter.com/Rxot6dmadA
— alex rayonec (@alex_rayonec10) November 26, 2014
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