Comparing Kids Lunches

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Networkn
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#688261 19-Sep-2012 15:59

DonGould:
networkn: Personally I'd like to see all beneficiaries get a card with an amount loaded on it that could only be spent on food at supermarkets not on alcohol and cigarettes!

How would you break up the benefit though?

Food costs in Christchurch are higher than Wellington because of transport issues.

How is that fair on those who take the time to grow their food in the garden?

What sort of social message is that sending to DPB parents about their budgeting skills?

I am not in the least bit concerned the message it sends, whilst they are on a benefit at the expense of the tax payer, and they are not acting responsibly, then they can be offended all they like, or opt out of receiving a benefit.

wdoa

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#688263 19-Sep-2012 16:01

DonGould:
wdoa: What if the schools home economic classes made lunch for the entire school? They would learn great skills for the future. in their families and even for job prospects.

Yes, but I suggest that all students should take part in the process form years 0 to 13.

Lesson plans should be worked around doing the work.

Cooking involves a great deal of literacy and numeracy.

I agree, that was the point of my suggestion

crackrdbycracku

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#688264 19-Sep-2012 16:02

DonGould:

Personally I think the answer to this food problem is to provide hot meals in schools, all schools, at breakfast and lunch.

I agree. There is always the Law of Unintended Consequences but I worked in a public school in Japan where they had school lunch. Apart from the whole 'kids get to eat' part the kids all eat together and have a real communal meal and bond as a group. Oh, yeah, and older people in their 60s and 70s do classes at the school because they missed out on education when they were young. It has an amazing effect on class behaviour. Plenty we can learn.

DonGould:

But I also think we should look to growing vegies on site at the schools as well and employing local youth to tend those crops and work in the kitchens and assist in the supervision of feeding.

We have 25% youth unemployment.

We are doing a shocking job of creating employment for our youth and this strikes me as a really obvious and easy solution to both problems at the same time.

I agree with this also. However, one of the recent movements in schools is to have less space and particularly less space which is not covered in concrete.

I guess we are still going to need big scale thinking.

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DonGould

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#688272 19-Sep-2012 16:10

crackrdbycracku: I agree with this also. However, one of the recent movements in schools is to have less space and particularly less space which is not covered in concrete.

I guess we are still going to need big scale thinking.

It's not realistic to grow all the food in the school, in fact, not even a significant fraction of it.

However, it's the benefit of the learning processes that go with it that I think are important.

How many families could then grow food at home and then take that food to school to be part of the table?

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DonGould

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#688275 19-Sep-2012 16:13

networkn: I am not in the least bit concerned the message it sends, whilst they are on a benefit at the expense of the tax payer, and they are not acting responsibly, then they can be offended all they like, or opt out of receiving a benefit.

My sister in law was married and is now on the DPB, bringing up a 6 year old on her own with no help from the father. It's not her fault. Is this the message you'd send to her?

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DonGould

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#688277 19-Sep-2012 16:17

networkn: Wow, any ideas on the cost of something like this ?

No.

Any idea what the cost of hungry children is?

networkn: Where is that money coming from?

Tax on smokes and drink would be a good start.

Then what about the tax benefit of all the youth employment it would generate?

networkn: Should private schools be included?

Yes.

networkn: Schools in Remuera where the quality of the food wouldn't be as good as what the parents would provide?

I don't agree. The food quality should be high across the board. If the parents in decile 10 schools want to pay more to see better food delivered at lunch time then that's ok.

networkn: I don't think you have properly thought this through.

Agreed.

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Byrned

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#688345 19-Sep-2012 17:52

You know what. Screw it.

Forget trying to teach people how to look after themselves. Its not their fault. It must be mine. I seem to be able to look after myself, and everytime the worlds decided to knock me down, I get up and do the better for it.

Let them eat cake?? Worked well for the French.

PaulBrislen

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#688347 19-Sep-2012 17:55

I think there's a lot of confusion about who is at fault and who is being harmed by all this.

I don't care who's at fault.

The children are being harmed by this, through no fault of their own.

I think it's up to us to help these kids whether their parents do or not. I don't know what goes on at home but at school I want them to be safe, to be fed and to be taught.

Otherwise we're looking at a lifetime's dependence on welfare of one form or another and the costs of that far outweigh the cost of donating to Kidscan and getting them the $4m they need to feed all Decile 1-4 kids.

DonGould

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#688363 19-Sep-2012 18:19

PaulBrislen: I think there's a lot of confusion about who is at fault and who is being harmed by all this.

I don't care who's at fault.

The children are being harmed by this, through no fault of their own.

I think it's up to us to help these kids whether their parents do or not. I don't know what goes on at home but at school I want them to be safe, to be fed and to be taught.

Otherwise we're looking at a lifetime's dependence on welfare of one form or another and the costs of that far outweigh the cost of donating to Kidscan and getting them the $4m they need to feed all Decile 1-4 kids.

I watched Parliament TV this afternoon. I don't normally, but I had it going in the background.

Question time seemed to be mainly about $50k donations from Kim Dotcom.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7701720/Kim-Dotcom-visits-Parliament

Really... have we just lost the plot in this country?

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Johnk

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#688438 19-Sep-2012 20:51

I have been to schools overseas where cooked lunches were provided for all, great system. The tax is generally higher, no idea about school fees or anything like that.

I think feeding the kids, all the kids and make it the norm that they don't bring lunches and the school feeds them would be the best outcome for the kids. But I don't see it being implemented in a timely manor, or done at a reasonable cost. Are we to build mass size commercial kitchens on all schools to cook and provide? The cost would be huge. The quickest way to do fix the kids is companies donating food for now, and getting the parents to buy the food needed.

It baffles me the hoops you have to jump through to adopt a child and prove you will responsible yet there seems to be no real testing or checking on people to see if you are doing what you can to provide for your children.

I will admit it must be bloody hard if you are really limited by funds, I am the sole provider in my family of four, and just worked it out, two parents earning minimum wage would earn more than I do. So minimum income families can't say its not possible, I even have the luxury of sky TV, but I know it would be the first to go if I couldn't provide for my kids.

All in all, I don't see an easy option to fix the problem. We all know that feeding the kids is priority rather than changing the goings on at homes, don't see a quick easy solution, but would pay a few bucks each week if it would help.

DonGould

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#688447 19-Sep-2012 21:09

Johnk: Are we to build mass size commercial kitchens on all schools to cook and provide?

No. What's wrong with a bowl of fruit, some hot soup and a roll in winter, sandwiches in summer and a BBQ once a week?

So a $300 BBQ (assuming the school doesn't already have one of those), a bunch of plates, cups, some cutting boards and a sink to do the washing up.

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Johnk

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#688448 19-Sep-2012 21:14

Somehow I don't think a $300 BBQ and a few bits and bobs to cut n prepare will be enough or will it prob met the food standards set out for food preparation areas? Anyone have a hands on experience with preparing food and getting the kitchen area signed off as fit for use?

DonGould

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#688453 19-Sep-2012 21:31

Johnk: Somehow I don't think a $300 BBQ and a few bits and bobs to cut n prepare will be enough or will it prob met the food standards set out for food preparation areas? Anyone have a hands on experience with preparing food and getting the kitchen area signed off as fit for use?

Can't be much. My local Bunnings runs a BBQ every Saturday to raise funds for all sorts of things.

However, when I consider what we're investing, as a country, in running fibre into schools, that many of them aren't even using at all currently, I really don't think $50,000 for a full commerical kitchen out fit, is to much to ask.

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#688455 19-Sep-2012 21:35

PaulBrislen: I think there's a lot of confusion about who is at fault and who is being harmed by all this.

I don't care who's at fault.

The children are being harmed by this, through no fault of their own.

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networkn

Networkn
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#688483 19-Sep-2012 22:28

DonGould:
networkn: I am not in the least bit concerned the message it sends, whilst they are on a benefit at the expense of the tax payer, and they are not acting responsibly, then they can be offended all they like, or opt out of receiving a benefit.

My sister in law was married and is now on the DPB, bringing up a 6 year old on her own with no help from the father. It's not her fault. Is this the message you'd send to her?

At the end of the day, it shouldn't bother her, she should be spending it on food anyway, what difference will it make to her regardless? The suggestion only affects those who aren't making sensible choices with their money in the first instance.

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