School Food Programs - Essay Example

Solutions to my reflections al Affiliation School Food Programs The availability of cheap junk food is a hazard; therefore, to counter this it would be necessary that the institution subsidies the cost of health foods. Junk food results to the high number of obesity cases currently, therefore, it would be mandatory that the individuals are encouraged to consume health foods. Encouragement may be showing the negative health impacts of junk food in the long run. Food conservation is very mandatory to counter the food wastages problems. Food conservation may be through ensuring that the food served is the right quantity required and not in excess. Inadequate food supply can be addressed through the subsidizing of the food supply and ensuring that the institution gets into a contract with other nongovernmental organization that can be willing to deliver food on a low-cost basis. Fruits and vegetable consumption rates are low therefore a concrete solution to this problem need to be addressed. This is through the subsidizing of the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables. Additionally the most important solution would be sensitizing the school kids on the health benefits that fruits and vegetable consumption has to the body. Fruits and vegetables are a very good source of vitamins that are very good for the growth of kids. The long-term health impact of canned foods such cancer should be highlighted to the kids. The high cancer cases can be blamed on these processed and canned foods. Therefore, such campaigns can be very effective in deterring canned food consumption. Cooking contests are a very good way of inspiring kids to acquire a passion in cooking which can deter them from getting the urge to consume junk foods. Farmer’s Markets The poor income that has resulted from food sales can be addressed through promotion and use of free samples as a way of attracting customers. Additionally trade fair and exhibitions can provide a buyer and seller platform which can boost sales. The local authorities would be required to subsidies the farm inputs so that the farming cost is subsidized this will ensure that the small-scale farmers have the ability to extensively farm. Elimination of middlemen in the distribution of food products would ensure that farmer’s products fetch a good price at the market. This will ensure that farmers are encouraged to farm; further it will ensure that more people are attracted into the farming business. GMOs are renowned to provide pest resistant and drought resistant which can provide a means of increasing the farmers yields. Rotational farming is one of the ways that farmers can use to ensure they avoid the myriad of pest infestation. Rotational farming ensures that the yields are maximized since farming at the same place for long leads to the depletion of soil nutrients. Provision of refrigeration facilities to the farmers at various points would facilitate farmers have a way of storing their produce. This will ensure that the farmers don’t lose most their produce through food spoilage. Establishment of marketing agencies for the farmers will ensure that farmer’s products for the international markets fetch a good price. This should be the government obligation in trying to secure their farmers against the lack of market for their products. The government negotiating on behalf of the customer ensures that the farmers have a better bargaining power compared to when individual farmers sell on their own. The government would also be required to protect farmers against international competition. This is through imposing higher taxation rates to all farm imports, which will ensure that their prices are higher compared to that of the domestic market. Corner Stores The market is filled with many processed food products. This can see in local stores supermarkets and even restaurants. The consumption of junk food has become a normal thing for the society. Some prefer to us junk food rather than prepare their own which is a healthier alternative. However, a perfect solution would b educating the community about the risks and problems that junk food brings to the human body. There need to be the distribution of material, which educates people about the threats that come with consumption of this type of food. Face to face, communication with the consumers could also be necessary to make them aware of the health issues they could be ignoring. Corner stores have a tendency of keeping poor quality processed foods for consumption by the clients. However regardless of the quality of these types of foods, the price usually is high yet the quality of food being sold is low. The corner stores, therefore, play a part in contributing to the poor health of its customers and at a high cost. This menace can be controlled by the establishment of health food stores which are more concerned about the health of the clients. This will help the clients both economically since the prices are also fair, unlike the corner stores. The supermarkets need to bring up stores, which supply fresh foods in the third world countries which assist in addressing this issue. Additionally this would be necessary to prevent cases where the health geographically isolated. The corner stores do not fully satisfy the demand of However to tackle these issues would require the establishment of convenient stores. Corner stores sell pseudo-foods without considering the consumers needs. This requires that there be a method of taking clients opinions to meet customer’s needs. Supermarkets need to be set up in rural areas to help prevent the poor customers from getting poor quality foods from convenient stores. Restaurants Restaurants have increased the amount of junk they provide on the menu, and yet the food being served is of low quality. The types of foods served here have low nutritional quality, which poses a threat to the customers. There needs to be a program, which can help increase the quality of the supplies received by the restaurant so that the quality of food improves. The community needs to stand up for their rights by setting up food policy, which guards the nutritional interest for all. It is of concern to many consumers about how the food is handled before it is presented to customers. The issues raised include hygiene and whether methods used for preservation are of the required standards. It is, therefore, necessary for consumers to be cautious of the restaurants they visit and perhaps stick to one after identifying that they provide quality food. The tendency of selling fast foods is common among restaurants to increase sales. However, this poses a threat to consumer’s health. The restaurants should serve foods that are more organic. The restaurant owners need to be educated about the health issues to save the community. Restaurants have been found to sell products and at the price are not standard as compared to other outlets. The owners of the restaurants sometimes establish stalls, which offer better prices. However the customers of such stall, need to be keen on identifying whether the food products they buy from them are only cheap due to poor quality. Law on how big they can setup their services limits restaurants. Such laws need to be changed so as to allow restaurants to grow. The body governing the restaurants needs to be active. This is necessary to make sure that customers acquire good quality food and that the society is healthy. Food Banks The government is the biggest stakeholder that can provide lasting solutions for food insecurity. The government may undertake initiatives whereby it stores the surplus food quantities when they are in plenty to ensure that the population has enough food reserves during the drought seasons. Additionally the government may encourage small-scale farming to ensure individuals are self-reliant. Construction of dams would also go a long in ensuring that farmers have access to irrigation water (Foodbankrockies.org, 2015). Establishment of food aids by international donors and agencies like the United Nations in the drought-prone countries would ensure that the negative impacts are minimized. It is vital to point out that most farmers suffer tremendous losses due to the spoilage of perishable foods. To counter, this government may be required to establish refrigeration facilities and additionally can opt on buying the harvest from farmers for marketing abroad. A special fund would be required on those areas that are worse hit as a result of farming. An emergency fund may be necessary to ensure that the effect of such famine and droughts does not become severe to the population. It should be noted that a hungry nation is an angry nation which means the chances of civil unrest are more likely due to food shortages, therefore, establishment of food banks would ensure chances of civil unrest are minimized. It is also would be mandatory that food wastages are minimized by ensuring that the government or various agencies ration the available food for future purposes (Foodbankrockies.org, 2015). There exist many cultures that specifically surround food, therefore, to correct this it would be required that awareness and intense campaigns are carried out to sensitize people on the effects of such cultures.   References Healthy Eating | SF Gate,. (2015). How Junk Food Affects Children. Retrieved 7 December 2015, from http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/junk-food-affects-children-5985.html The Non-GMO Project,. (2015). GMO Facts. Retrieved 7 December 2015, from http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/ Foodbankrockies.org,. (2015). Food Bank of the Rockies - Fighting Hunger Feeding Hope Colorado Food Assistance. Retrieved 7 December 2015, from http://www.foodbankrockies.org/ (the Guardian, 2015) the Guardian,. (2015). Food security | Global development | The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2015, from http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/food-security Mayoclinic.org,. (2015). Organic foods: Are they safer? More nutritious? - Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 7 December 2015, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/organic-food/art-20043880 Read More