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February 21, 2006
Parents in the lunch line
Electronically, anyway. Hey kids: Mom can now monitor what food you buy at school, reports AP.
A student slides a tray toward the cafeteria cash register with a healthful selection: a pint of milk, green beans, whipped sweet potatoes and chicken nuggets — baked, not fried. But then he adds a fudge brownie.
When he punches in his code for the prepaid account his parents set up, a warning sounds: "This student has a food restriction."
Back goes the brownie as the cashier reminds him that his parents have declared all desserts off-limits.
This could be a common occurrence at Houston schools when the district becomes one of the largest in the nation with a cafeteria automation system that lets parents dictate — and track — what their kids get.
The system, which will cost the Houston district $5.3 million, also serves as an accounting program that enables the school district to plan menus and allows for faster enrollment of students in free and reduced-price lunch programs.
School officials and nutrition experts say this type of monitoring program could help tackle child obesity.
Posted February 21, 2006 3:40 PM
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