When California schools put in place a strict ban on any kind of junk food vending machines in their schools, young entrepreneurs quickly got busy and made a fortune selling twizzlers and Hersey bars. Are the new Department of Public Health rules going to create a legion of young brownie bakers? Well, Massachusetts may have slightly more common sense than California. (Really???)

The Boston Herald reported today:

State lawmakers overturned a controversial ban on school bake sales this afternoon after a fierce public outcry over school nutrition guidelines that also prohibited pizza, white bread and 2 percent milk.

…State Rep. Brad Hill (R-Ipswich) offered the amendment, which leaves it up to local school committees whether to adopt the Department of Public Health rules, after hearing about an Ipswich school arts group that would have had to cancel bake-sale field trip fundraisers and fielding complaints from the local football Boosters concerned about their concession stands.

The bill now has to pass the Massachusetts Senate and be signed by the Governor.

I am just not convinced that this is the correct approach to obesity. Two percent milk is not a major cause of obesity. When the generation over fifty grew up, most of us drank whole milk–we were generally not obese children. Every Friday, the school served pizza for lunch. Generally white bread was the most popular kind. What has changed? How about ending recess, banning tag, banning dodge ball? Did those things have more of an impact that two percent milk? I suspect they did. Video games have not helped either (although I am probably addicted to angry birds.)

Don’t do away with bake sales–I suspect that those foods baked at home are healthier than those foods bought in the store. Also, I love the chocolate chip cookies!