It has become a nationwide trend in recent years for schools to crack down on the sale of baked goods. Apparently, schools don’t allow the sale of baked goods for three main reasons: they are worried about allergies/contamination, it creates competition with the school cafeteria, and they are cracking down on childhood obesity. I will be breaking down each of these so-called reasons for their absolute absurdity.

Firstly, I agree that concern for allergens is warranted at the elementary level. But I would presume that kids are aware of their own allergens at the high school level. If someone is allergic to a common ingredient in chocolate chip cookies, for example (ex. wheat, egg, soy), then they should know not to eat it. Neither the person selling the goods nor the school itself is responsible for making sure students don’t eat foods they are allergic to. The students who are allergic are. I agree that foods should be clearly labeled if they contain common allergens, especially nuts. However, if a student is deathly allergic to common ingredients in baked goods, then they shouldn’t take a risk by eating them at school.

Secondly, I cannot tangibly see how selling baked goods is bad business for the school cafeteria. Sure, the school cafeteria sells cookies, but they mostly sell real lunch food. I don’t know who is substituting a cupcake for a cheeseburger or pizza. Also, one of the fundamental facts of economics is that competition is good. According to the Federal Trade Commission, “[competition] benefits consumers by keeping prices low and the quality and choice of goods and services high. Competition also encourages businesses to offer new and better products.”​​ In my not-so-humble opinion, some competition would be great for the school cafeteria because, yes, I do think homemade baked goods are more appetizing than school food. Also, I would argue that supporting bake sales for a club/fundraiser is more important than giving money to the school cafeteria. Schools should be encouraging and uplifting students to hold fundraisers or improve their entrepreneurship skills, not hindering these skills by banning bake sales.

The last argument is by far the most atrocious one: “selling baked goods promotes childhood obesity.” I remember last year when the sale of baked goods at any school events was completely banned (apparently across the whole county, but not all schools enforced it). This was cited as the main reason. Apparently, food sold by the school is held to “strict nutrition guidelines,” and selling high-calorie, poor-nutrient food is “bad for students’ health.” According to NPR, some school systems have rules such as “smart snacks” or guidelines that snacks sold must be “fewer than 200 calories” and “less than 35% fat.” Firstly, calories are literally just a unit of energy. Replace the word “calories” with “energy,” and you will see that schools are banning growing kids from obtaining a certain amount of energy. Your body knows how many calories it needs in a day. It’s perfectly normal to have a bigger snack; you will most likely balance it out by eating smaller meals anyway. 

Secondly, fat has long been demonized for “causing obesity,” but it is literally an essential macronutrient, necessary for hormone production, skin/hair, and nutrient absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K. Fat doesn’t cause weight gain; excess calories do. In simple terms, the “health” of a food can not be boiled down to the numbers on a nutrition label. The worst part–many schools sell cookies, except these ones are even more processed than the homemade ones. According to the same NPR article, parents are pointing out that their homemade baked goods don’t have multidextrin and homogenized seed oils, but the school-sold cookies do.

I mean, what exactly are the miracle health foods the school cafeteria is selling? Some common lunch entrees at ACC include: cheeseburgers and fries, pizza bites, chicken tenders, and pasta with meat sauce. I am struggling to see how this is any “healthier” than baked goods. Also, this reason is so laughable because there is no single cause of childhood obesity. Baked goods don’t cause obesity. It is a systemic issue. To be honest, I’m not sure what the solution to obesity is, but it certainly isn’t banning bake sales. Not only is this reason funny, but it is also actually very dangerous. Labeling certain foods (such as baked goods) as “high calorie,” “unhealthy,” “nutrient poor,” and especially “causing obesity” creates an unhealthy relationship with food. I would argue that these bills and terminology encourage and promote eating disorders, which teenagers are very susceptible to. 

Kids should be able to buy and eat cookies and cakes with no guilt, no second thought. Yes, these foods are more dense in calories and sugar, and they don’t have the vitamins and minerals in fruits and veggies, for example. But that doesn’t make them “unhealthy,” because what does “healthy” even mean? Having a cookie once in a while, especially to support a club fundraiser, is completely healthy. What’s not healthy is obsessing over calories or the “health” of food and missing out on school events because of this anxiety. Plus, it is not healthy to only eat fruits and veggies, just like it is unhealthy to only eat baked goods. Balance is healthy. I would even go on to argue that bake sales create an even healthier relationship to food. These sales show that food is more than just calories; it’s community, a social experience, and it’s a business. 

So what is my proposal exactly? I think schools should allow the sale of baked goods in school, especially for clubs and fundraisers. Bake sales have existed for decades and have never caused any problems. These so-called “problems” were just made up to turn the humble cookie into the evil scapegoat. 

Sources:

https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/competition-counts

https://www.npr.org/2010/03/19/124883656/parents-fight-for-the-right-to-sell-treats-at-school