Our food service is doing a HUGE push about nutrition in our schools this coming school year. They have asked for PTA's involvement in this and I think it's a super idea.
They will be doing free breakfast for all students on the first day of school. I would like our PTA to buy each student something that would get them a bit active. My idea is a jump rope for each of them.
I am also willing to work with some local businesses and see about getting fruits &/or nuts donated for First day snacks. We have a big problem with parents sending in cookies, chips, etc for snacks, even though all the teachers ask in their newsletters that the snacks be healthy. I know that re-education about that issue is needed and our PTA can help with that.
The principal would LOVE to get rid of the cupcakes thing at birthdays, and I'm right there with her on that one.
Another bone of contention is at Halloween. We have a carnival and each family is asked to send in a bag of candy per child. The candy is dumped into teacher totes and as each student plays a game they receive a piece of candy. Last year, the teacher tried to have more of a fall/harvest festival and was shot down by parents. It was all kind of last minute but I think with some more time, that it could be successful.
Our PTA sponsors a Back to School picnic where we serve hotdogs, pretzels or chips. We have the money to really do this up good this year and forsake the hotdogs. I was thinking to contact local restaurants and have it catered. Maybe beef brisket, any ideas?
I would love to hear if anyone else has done or is planning to do these kinds of things.

Our school is shutting down the soda machine and has been ordering baked chips instead of regular potato chips all year long. She also put the cover over the deep fryer and offers baked curly fries only twice a week (it's a huge menu item and that took getting used to!)

We don't have a huge Halloween party but our church offers a game night. Instead of candy we ask for $$ donations to purchase silly toys etc. Father wasn't too excited about this and asked that we have some candy so sugar free candy was ordered.

As far as doing a large BBQ/ picnic have you thought about a pig roast? Very...excuse me....ugh I love hog roasts. Nothing beats the smell and the good hometown feel of a roast. And if your cook is good, they can also roast garden veggies to serve with! OH grilled corn on the cob, potatoes/carrots/squash etc roasted with the meat (separt but in the same heat) ooohhh mercy. SO good! Forgive me, I was back at the Iowa State Fair for a minute...happy happy happy!

We are learning so much about how much the school lunches will have to change in order to qualify for state FDA funding. As a charter school we can qualify for that than purchase the prepackage yuck the district provides.

MMMMM MMMMM good! What a wonderful idea! I will definitely be checking into a pig roast. It might be a bit pricey but we have tons of 4-H'ers around here and maybe I can get a deal from one of them. Or the county fair is the first of August, maybe the PTA needs to bid on one. The ideas are poppin' left and right now. Thanks!

Debbieomi -- baked chips have lots of 'Acrylamide' in them, more than do the fried variety (I am not sure if the latter have any of it or not).

Google that chemical, and maybe 'baked chips and acrylaminde' and see what infos you find. The CDC or FDA or CPSI websites might have some infos too. Or talk to your director of school food service....I have heard baked chips are far worse for the human being than the regular fried kind, not becuase of fat content, but because of the acrylamide that is formed during the baking proces.

Something to look into , if youve switched thinking 'baked is healthier than fried'. I think the jury is not out on that, given that the baked thing is so new and all we hear from is the marketers with vested interest.

Originally posted by mykidsmom:

As far as doing a large BBQ/ picnic have you thought about a pig roast? Very...excuse me....ugh I love hog roasts. Nothing beats the smell and the good hometown feel of a roast. And if your cook is good, they can also roast garden veggies to serve with! OH grilled corn on the cob, potatoes/carrots/squash etc roasted with the meat (separt but in the same heat) ooohhh mercy. SO good! Forgive me, I was back at the Iowa State Fair for a minute...happy happy happy!
Gotta have some collared greens, grits and hush puppies with that (It cant ALL be delicious AND good for you) Everyone needs moderation... Hope all these school systems dont go too far too the extreme.. and face it some of the foods that are good for you (not any mentioned above) taste like @$^%& or tofu.

Healthy eating is great, but at the same time NO candy at Halloween? Doesn't sugar free candy have artificial sweeteners? I won't let my kids drink diet soda (they rarely have any soda anyways), eat diet jello or anything else with artificial sweeteners in it. I thought they were worse than real sugar?