If a certain Chicago school district gets its way, brown bag lunches (including lunch boxes and those goofy zip-up lunch carriers as well) will be a thing of the past. That's right, every student will be getting their lunch from the cafeteria. I don't know about you, but I don't have any fond memories of school lunches. I never find myself with a hankering for mystery meat or the unrecognizable meal of the day. I know school lunches have come a long way, but I don't think they've come that far.

I know that it's a lot cheaper and easier for the school to make one meal for the entire student body, and that the cost goes down when there are more students sharing the meal, but that doesn't automatically make the meal healthier. I don't know about you, but I never felt healthy after a school lunch. I wonder if school officials (or the First Lady) would be so excited about pushing school lunches on our children if they were the ones who had to actually eat them. I'm working as a substitute teacher at several schools, and I'm not very impressed with the lunches I've seen.

Apparently this Chicago school knows more about taking care of your child than you do. Parents can't be trusted to provide a healthy meal for their children. In some cases that is true, but that doesn't make every parent unfit for the job. Another concern for parents? The cost. Sure, lots of students qualify for free or reduced meals, but what about the parents who don't qualify? The school in question charges $2.25 per meal. A thrifty parent can pack a lunch for a lot less than that on average. Is it fair to add this kind of expense just so the school can decide what makes a healthy meal?

Honestly, there are bigger problems than what kids are eating for lunch. Schools across the country are cutting back on 'special' classes like art, music, and gym. Students have less and less activity in their lives. More and more spend time sitting in the classroom and playing video games or using the computer. I think there are bigger concerns about why our kids are getting bigger in the wrong way.

What's really making our kids fat?