When Did Soft Pretzels Become a Healthy Food?
Health Food?
Last night Joe and I went to the Middle School’s back-to-school night for parents. After enduring two hours of rotating through Annie’s classes and listening to her teachers attempt to impress the parents, we were ready for a little snack before we went home. I entered the cafeteria anticipating plates of home baked goodies, brownies, hot coffee, and tea, and instead I’m greeted by a long lunch table covered in trays of soft pretzels. There were also two baskets with sugar cookies, a sheet cake, and a tray of cupcakes (which was almost gone when we arrived). There were also many liters of cola, a few small water bottles, and I saw one tiny coffee urn in the corner. But more than anything else, the pretzels dominated the spread. Why?
Well, a few years ago our school district declared a sugar ban in the school. No food could be served to the students – at parties, for birthday treats, in the cafeteria – that had sugar listed as the first ingredient. They based this ban on the state nutrition law, that they cited as follows: “The law states that food of minimal nutritional value as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture cannot be served, sold or given out during the school day.” I’ve had mixed feelings about that. I don’t have a problem pulling high sugar treats from the cafeteria where kids can indulge without parental guidance. But for parties? I think there’s a lesson to be learned in that there’s a right time and place for everything, including sugary treats. But, back to the pretzels. Since that ban went into effect, soft pretzels seem to have become the substitute treat of choice. And I believe this is why parents were served a disproportionate amount of pretzels on the back-to-school snack table.
What I want to know is when did soft pretzels, with their refined carbs and large portion size, acquire nutritional value?
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4 Responses to “When Did Soft Pretzels Become a Healthy Food?”
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And I suppose those huge chunks of salt covering that oversized refined carb treat are part of a healthy diet too!
Thanks for reminding me – I meant to bring up that point!
To make a good soft pretzel you used to need lye. What could be healthier?
No wonder the schools like to give it to the kids. Might be some kind of behavior management system.