The Milken Diet
Gabi Kamran
Staff Writer
“At Vicki’s Lunchbox, we support and encourage our children to make smart food choices, empowering them to embrace a healthy lifestyle,” reads the Vicki’s Lunchbox website.
Smart food choices? Healthy lifestyle? Vicki’s Lunchbox? Those things definitely don’t belong in the same sentence. Every day when lunchtime rolls around, the campus is filled with clear plastic lunch containers. But the food in those containers is far from healthy. Fries, hamburgers, chicken strips, pastrami sandwiches — it all reads like the menu of a local fast food restaurant. There’s always a salad bar option, but each day the wilting lettuce sits lonely in the corner. It’s obvious that when given the choice between healthy and unhealthy, the majority of students are not able to make the smarter decision.
Maybe students don’t realize how unwise their decision really is. A three piece serving of chicken tenders can add up to 741 calories, 44.3g of fat, and 222 mg of cholesterol (that’s 74% of your daily value!). Add a serving of fries and you have a meal that’s the opposite of healthy.
We see a similar pattern in the Milken Mart. Students are free to buy ice cream, candy, sugary drinks and instant noodle soups on a daily basis. Bagels and Snapple have become staples in the diet of the Milken student. Chava’s fruit is a nutritious alternative during snack time, but it is not available year round. And Fern is not completely at fault either. Healthy options like apple chips and yogurt do hide among the Bissli and chocolate spread, but how often do you see students lounging around with a bag of freeze-dried apples?
It raises the question: as a school that genuinely cares about the well being of its students and faculty, why does Milken tempt its students with an endless array of unhealthy foods? Should the school be more forceful in guiding students toward a nutritious lifestyle?
Gary Shapiro, Jewish Studies teacher, also wonders if the school can do more. “One of the things that struck me the most about our school lunch is how often and how much there are fries. I’ve also seen hamburgers and hot dogs. Don’t get me wrong, I love those things. I’m not against eating them. It just makes me question why they get served so much to students and teachers,” he said.
Ariel Bina ’15 notes that the salad bar also fails to provide an exciting variety of healthy lunch options. “I think it would be better to have more salad options,” she said, “I personally like to keep healthy, and to be honest the school lunch makes that a little difficult.”
Stephanie Monteleone, Health teacher, has noticed a similar lack of diversity in student’s snack choices at the Milken Mart . “From a nutrition standpoint, the snacks that I see coming out of the Milken Mart are discouraging,” she said. “I see a lot of refined sugar, a lot of salt, and a lot of high fat items.”
Monteleone agrees that this is something that should change. “I think there are a lot of students who would buy the healthy options if they were available, especially if the unhealthy options were not available.” she said.
Ariel Bina confirms Monteleone’s theory. “I don’t shop at the Milken Mart that much because there are not that many healthy options. If they did offer more healthy options, I would feel less guilty about buying food from there.”
Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s time Milken Community High School went on a diet. We need to stop the endless stream of fries, noodle soups, and Fruity Pebbles. Milken strives to prepare its students to make smart decisions in the future. Why shouldn’t that apply to the lunchroom as well as the classroom?
Milken Student • Oct 11, 2013 at 11:30 am
I totally agree! I think the amount of unhealthy food choices that are available to us are unbelievable. Not to put anyone at fault, I think it’s time for Milken to start being more conscious about what is being served at Vicki’s and on the shelves of the Milken Mart.
Fern DuBow • May 24, 2013 at 3:56 pm
I don’t totally disagree with what has been said. However, when presented with items such as frozen yogurt, sliced apples, whole apples, tangerines, a variety of other freeze dried fruit crisps they remained on the shelves and expired. I have asked about cut veggies and students old me they wouldn’t purchase that. We always have Hummus, Greek Yogurt, Apple Crisps, Fresh Sushi, Bananas, String Cheese, and a Grilled Chicken Plate lunch option. Nothing is hidden and is always in plain site. I try very hard to offer a variety of cereals including plain instant oatmeal. We have a filtered water cooler and provide cups so you can just come in and take some water and talk with your friends. We have low sugar Honest Tea/Ade drinks and water bottles. When going off to college, each of you, our Milken Students, will be faced with choices and challenges on a daily basis. What friends to make, what foods to pick, to drink, to study, to join Greek life. It is my hope, that the Milken Mart is part of the training that helps you make the right choices for you. Somes days it is okay to eat a Koldike Bar and some days you should grab a banana instead.
AS • May 18, 2013 at 11:51 am
The author said that their are healthy options available. It is up to Milken students to take advantage of them. Also, not everyone gets Vicky’s everyday. I get it once a week, and love indulging in my hamburger and fries. Their is a salad bar and while not many use it, it is still there. Regarding the student store issue, if the snacks were changed to healthier options, there would be an outrage. I for one, would not be happy. I love eating my Klondike bars and Sour punch straws. It shouldn’t be up to Milken to determine the diet of students. The school should have healthy options available, but not force feed healthy foods down our throat.
That said Great article Gabi!
Anonymous Student • May 16, 2013 at 5:25 pm
Milken doesn’t necessarily need to go on a “diet,” though… more like a perspective shift. Health should be put in the forefront of our attention. The word “diet” simply makes me cringe. And the fact that students litter all around campus is inextricably linked with this issue, too – when we start caring about what we put in our bodies, caring for the earth is only a natural step in the right direction.
Anonymous • May 14, 2013 at 9:03 am
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I wished that I could write this article but I am not in the Milken roar. I also am hesitant to voice any opinions regarding health and the unhealthy amount of carbs everybody at Milken consumes on a regular basis, but I am overjoyed that this article was written. The sheer number of sugary snacks the MIlkenMart provides is outrageous, and makes maintaining a healthy lifestyle impossible. Thank you again for bringing this to the forefront of our minds.
Anony • May 20, 2013 at 2:24 pm
You need to do some more research. “Carbs” are not inherently bad for you at all. Your body actually needs carbohydrates in order to function and supply you with energy. What makes you fat is actually eating more calories than you expend daily.