N.J. High School Students Planning Cafeteria Boycott To Protest Obama Guidelines
PARSIPPANY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Students at Parsippany Hills High School held a strategy session on Thursday to discuss a potential lunch strike, on Friday, over what they have called inadequately sized meals.
"This year you're eating lunch and you're like 'Did I even eat?' You're not even full," senior Brandon Faris told CBS 2's Derricke Dennis.
New federal guidelines stemming from first lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign have resulted in limits on protein and bread, and an increase in vegetables and fruits. The changes have also come at an increased cost.
All of it has also sparked a student campaign that has included online parody videos of students falling sleep in class and performing sluggishly in sports.
They hope to further their efforts with a cafeteria boycott that will cost the school money, and students like Faris said they want to know why they are paying the price for other people's problems.
"If somebody's obese why should someone like me who's not obese have to suffer, and eat a small meal when I'd rather have a bigger meal?" he said.
Members of the food service industry told CBS 2 that new federal guidelines have caused a significant shift in portion size.
"There's a lot less turkey on the sandwich, there's 33 percent less turkey and the size of the bread has been reduced by a third," explained Mark Vidovich, who runs Pomptonian Food Service.
The changes have caused some parents to step in and subsidize the small school lunches with brown bag meals from home.
"I certainly don't want him to feel hungry," said Kelly Caccavele, a parent of a Parsippany Hills student.
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