Fluffernutter Threat Level: Red
With all the real problems we are dealing with in Massachusetts, such as high crime in Boston, the loss of population, high taxes, terrorism, etc. etc., isn’t it safe to say that fighting Fluff should not be on anyone’s priority list?
Sen. Jarrett Barrios was so outraged his son Nathaniel, a third-grader, was given a peanut butter and Fluff sandwich at the King Open School in Cambridge, he said he plans to file legislation to outlaw the marshmallow spread in school lunch programs.
“A Fluff sandwich as the main course of a nutritious lunch just doesn’t fly in 2006,” Barrios said. “It seems a little silly to have an amendment on Fluff, but it’s called for by the silliness of schools offering this as a healthy alternative in the first place.”
Barrios said he will offer an amendment to a junk-food bill that would severely limit the serving in schools of marshmallow spreads such as Marshmallow Fluff, concocted by a Massachusetts man before World War I and which still is made by a family owned business in Lynn.
Barrios is wrong though, it isn’t a little silly to have an amendment on Fluff, it’s beyond silly.
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Matt Margolis is co-author (with Mark Noonan) of Caucus of Corruption: The Truth About The New Democratic Majority. He also blogs at The Buffalo Bean. Follow Matt on Twitter.
Hubpolitics.com… all the politics, none of the fluff.
Not like the guy has anything better to do with his time right? What a complete waste of time. And, Barrios, way to stick to the tough issues pal, but it is the people’s republic, so that is a tough issue for his ilk. Get a job.
Forget Terrorism, Let’s Get Tough on Fluff
I kid you not, a state senator in Massachusetts is leading the charge to keep the popular marshmallow spread Fluff out of schools in my state……
OK, here’s the action item:
We should all send one quart of Marshmallow Fluff to:
Senator Jarrett Barrios
State House
Room 309
Boston, MA 02133
Where does Sen. Barrios stand on twinkies?
Isn’t the school lunch program supposed to be for needy kids? Can’t Barrios pack a lunch for his kid?
Even if a fluff-a-nutter (I hope Barrios uses the technical term in legislation) isn’t healthy, at least it was made with free range marshmallow fluff.
Ahahahah, so class of Mass unfortunately!!!
Good timing with the announcement of this crusade too. Just AFTER Howie Carr’s 10 Dumbest State Pols column.
ANd, did you hear hi on WRKO this morning saying he’s a libertarian? Yikes.
Ask not for whom the cuckoo clock tolls, Jarrett. It tolls for thee.
the bill is idiotic for sure — but wtf are they spending money feeding kids fluff for? For the same cost they could n’t find something more nutritious?
better yet, send a prepared fluffernutter sandwich to Barrios’ office. No ice pack, just a plastic bag… in a bubblewrap envelope of course. that ought to stink to high heaven after a day or two of 90+ weather while in postal service transit.
MCNS – I thought Sen. Barrios WAS a Twinkie…
The funny thing is that a Fluffernutter IS nutritious. While the Fluff component may not be, the peanut butter most certainly is. High in Fiber, High in good fats, and high in cholesterol reducing agents. Peanut Butter and Nuts in general are a very important part of a daily diet.
I’m going to make me a bowl of peanut butter and fluff dessert right now.
After this, I’m convinced that the party of Jarrett Barrios deserves the corner office in addition to 87% of the legislature. This guy’s as dim as Mihos. Next stop: “FluffVision” cameras in school cafeterias.
Senator Barrios would eat a SPUNKaNUTTER and he is worried about his son eating one sandwich. How would we get by without the protection and guidance of politicians like him.
Sen. Barrios,
I think maybe the discussion about a fluffnutter should be at home with your partner. You and Him should discuss what you feel is good for your children.
And last I read the fluffernutter in question was an option? So, YOU must teach your third grader how to make the right choice for him. The answer is at least there is a choice. NO ONE said your child had to eat it. There are other choice. And I think in the country. CHOICE is a great thing. Lets not make this about a freakin sandwich . Please spend Mass money on more important things then the freedom of choice of what children want for lunch.
If my child had a choice for lunch then I am more then sure she would pick what I have taught her. What I have taught her to be the right food groups for her. Maybe one or two times a month my child would pick the sandwich. But, having grown up in Mass. Every wed. for all of the years I went to school we did not have a choice we ate soup with PB&J. And let me tell you I am not sure that soup was right up there at the top of the list of what I would call healthy. BUT, I truly believe that at a young age we must teach our children CHOICE. And I think when someone takes that choice away. They are taking away freedom. And as a parent I believe you need to understand that if at the third grade level you cannot teach you son how to make a choice that is good for him. Then you and your partner need to work harder. Children need to make decisions. It is part of growing up in a free country. Please think about what you are doing here.
A fluffernutter is really truly not the reason behind child obesity. Spoiling a child has something to do with it. Not teaching your child has something to do with it. and the world being lazy has something to do with it and lastly genetics has something to do with it. But a FLUFFERNUTTER I do not think so .
I’ve met Jarrett and I have a lot of respect for him. Still, falling into this Fluff controversy is a sign of some political tone-deafness. He should know that this sort of thing is likely to get distorted and whipped out of proportion by bloggers and the media.
Still, for what its worth, I am inclined to agree with Senator Barrios on the substance of his ammendment. I certainly won’t want my kids porking up on sugary deserts, served as a MAIN course. If we are going to offer school lunches, shouldn’t they nourish, not just fill stomachs? It seems to me that giving kids junk food for lunch is an irresponsible waste of money and resources.
I am not sure how many of you have actually met 3rd graders, but most of them are not likely to be able to make sound judgements on what a wholesome meal should be, no mater what their parents teach them. This is doubly true if ‘responsible’ adults, i.e. school food staff, are providing the food.
I would say, however, that is every parent’s responsibility to know what is being served for lunch at school, and if any good comes out of this ridiculous fluff controversy, it will be a greater awareness on the part of parents that the food that their kids are getting in schools is less wholesome than they might hope.
Ohhh I disagree. I have a second grader. Whom I have taught and whom I KNOW would not pick a fluffernutter every day of the week. That at least have a choice and if you ( parents) educate your chidren correctly they to will make the correct choice. When I went to school in mass you did not have any choise one thing was serve like it or not.
20/20 actually did a show where the left kids in a room with fruits, veggies and candy and a high percent picked the fruits and veggies.
I believe that education begins at home. And if He was a good parent he would Know what school lunches were being served to his child. And if he was UNHAPPY then his choice could be to get up early and make his child a lunch.