Feeling a fair bit of guilt reading this....
I teach 6th grade, and each year we take the kids to outdoor science camp for a week. It costs $275 a kid, and a lot of the families can't afford the price tag without some help. We do a Jog-a-thon to help raise funds, but we also sell See's Candy before Christmas (found in most malls in California). The logic behind the fundraiser is that all of the profits come to the classroom (none of it is spent on tax, shipping, or crap toys), and many families already purchase See's candy as standard holiday presents for people they work with or to send to family members (so why not get the profit for the kids).
I feel bad sending home a candy based fundraiser, especially now that I'm eating healthier. At this point though, we're committed to running the fundraiser. I was planning to talk to the class when the fundraisers went home and make a special request that no one buys me anything chocolate as a holiday gift (a common occurrence in previous years). Still...the guilt -
At least I can tell myself that, fundraisers aside, I am still having a positive impact on my students' views of food. I don't advertise that I'm eating healthier and exercising as part of a
diet, but I do try to introduce more fruits and veggies to the kids. (Ex. reading Greek mythology, kids didn't know what a pomegranate was, so I made sure to bring some in and share...now it's a new favorite in the room) Also, they're getting in the habit of asking what I'm having for lunch and often beg to try things - so they've learned that a soup with lentils, carrots, and spinach can smell really good and taste yummy, as can roasted beets and sweet potatoes with roasted turkey breast. This Friday, we're having a Fall Celebration party (Halloween for the less pc), and I'm encouraging kids to bring pomegranate arils, persimmons, or roasted squash wedges (for the veggie platter). We'll still have cookies and cupcakes, but it's amazing how many of them choose the healthy items when they're given a choice.