I Guess They Don't Have Apple Machines Any More

In the middle ages of the previous century, when I went to school, we could choose between a cooked meal, chicken with mashed potatoes and vegetables, or a "hero sandwich," a very filling tuna one. We could also bring our own food, usually a tuna or peanutbutter and jelly sandwich plus an apple for dessert.

The only food machines gave a choice of apples, red or green Delicious.

When I was in elementary school, I could even walk home for lunch. We lived five minutes away, and our mothers were home waiting for us. I think that we had the same sandwich menu and then rushed back to school. If the weather was nasty, we'd bring sandwiches along and eat, seated every other seat, in the auditorium. In my day, PS 46 was so over-crowded that the "cafeteria" was a classroom, and we were in double-session (either morning or afternoon) until (including) the Second Grade.


Fat kids were rare and obesity was unknown. It was nothing like today. We played outside all the time, biking and roller skating. Bell Park Gardens, Bayside, NY, was full of little playgrounds, and way back when few cars were in the parking lots during the day. It was heaven.


Nobody had a clue that it has given us better health than any of today's kids can expect.