Good food is up against the same peer pressure as intelligent speech and nonviolence - if you eat a good packed lunch or choose salad over fries, you're a "baby" and a "goody two-shoes" and on your way to ostracism (or even a pounding!) That's not a small consideration. Kids who are on sports teams sort of have an "excuse" because they're pulling for their school's reputation when they eat well, but otherwise, stuffing your face with junk says "I make my own decisions, nobody pushes me around." It's a real problem.

Yes, I realize that this is not the case in private schools or in particularly nice neighborhoods, and that there are probably other exceptions that I haven't listed (e.g. your kid).

Love, Columbine