More School Lunch Woes

[TheFreud]

I had gotten a letter from someone at HQ regarding the kid's lunch programs in DoDDs schools. They are supposed to be putting in place an online management system for the school lunch programs- which includes being able to monitor the lunch account balance, add funds, and see what your kids are eating. He said it should be in place "soon"- and hinted at it being this school year. This would be avery helpful tool- not only to know what and how much they ate- but find out where the extra bits of money go- from them buying cookies and other junk. I would love to be able to see if they are getting the balanced meal on the monthly menu... or side stepping it for crap food.... that way I can talk to them about it- or place a restriction on the account for them to only be allowed certain items.

Apparently AAFES is test driving a new way to make a profit at Osan... They are selling Pizza Hut and Subway to the kids.... then leaving it to the teachers to preach to the kids about healthy eating and good nutrition. AAFES gets the last word in what the kids are served- and for the "cafeteria food" they serve they have to give a nutritional meal meeting USDA standards... but the fast food/vendor/junk does not fall under regulations. AAFES "hopes" that the education of healthy eating will have the kids make healthy choices... WHATEVER!

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=55689&archive=true

[Cirein]

Still being in high school myself, I can tell you that sometimes Pizzahut and certainly Subway is a lot healthier than tha crap they feed us in school. 

I've gotten food poisoning from the fries and some of the tray lunches look inedible. No, let me rephrase that. Some of it IS inedible.

I wouldn't be surprised if one lunch at school had over 1,000 calories in it or something.

[iamnobody]

would agree with the high school kid, pizza hut and subway are way healthier than fries. Really, school lunch program with the put money on account managed by aafes has been very difficult, I tell the customer hold onto your payment receipt we will see you again when you want to track where the money went to.

[yustaworkthere]

How in the world did AAFES ever get into the school lunch program?  They don't even operate their own snack bars anymore.  Who in their right mind allowed them to venture into this racket?

What will they convince the military to let them operate next, the downrange dining facilities?  Do they have to meet some customer satisfaction goals or are they allowed to do as they please?

 I have been to the High School AAFES cafeteria, and I have to say that it is the most poorly run, smelly and disgusting place I have ever seen.  I told my son that I refuse to let him eat there, and the women working there were really the rudest most apathetic people alive.  I spoke to the High School Principle about it, and she said "Sorry, my hands are tied, and it is a pure AAFES issue."  AAFES said "Sorry, we have to meet the military specified contract requirements, and we can't change it." 

No wonder the kids go to the burger king and waste their money there.

Another AAFES rip-off, school linches.

[poppy]

I used to work in the lunchroom 2007 to 2009.  AAFES by law is not allowed to sell that sort of food to the kids.  I understand that the lunches AAFES provides are not at all what I would feed my child.  BY law they have to go by the US standards.  If your child is getting fried foods and other foods brought in by Pizza Hut and Subway that cafeteria cannot do that.  ALSO let it be known that your childs school principal has the right to say NO to certain foods in the cafeteria.  Our principal would not allow cookies, Powerades,large waters (sm. were ok),chips, cup of soups, and any al a carte items to be sold to any child in the elementary school.  BUT at the school not 10 minutes away another AAFES run cafeteria their principal allowed the kids to walk away with $2 worth of cookies or any other assortment of crap. 

[TheFreud]

Mostly I am just curious if they ever made good on that promise to make it possible to manage the kids lunch stuff online... or if that had been another crock of shit email from HQ to shut me up.

[Cowboy]

If it happened, they didn't tell us about it here.