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Education

Another Snack Attack! Schools Move to Ban ‘Flamin’ Hot Cheetos’

Oct. 19, 2012 11:08am Mike Opelka

If we’re talking about schools and lunches, you can bet that the story is about another wave of “Nanny State-ism.”

The latest move in the effort to take complete control over the lives of students swirls around a very specific member of the snack food world, the very popular, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. If the schools have their way, “Hot Cheetos” will be treated like illegal drugs on school property.

Image: Frito Lay Corporation

This innocent-looking snack food has been on the market for two decades and appears to be quite popular. It even has a Facebook page with almost 50,000 fans.

Image: Facebook

Frito-Lay, the company that makes the targeted treat is not releasing any sales data, but a report in the Chicago Tribune claimed that one school (one single school) was selling over 150,000 bags of just this snack each year.

As you probably noticed in the top photo, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are a snack food that proudly declares that it contains ZERO grams of the much-maligned trans fats, it is also gluten-free, and made with real cheese. With all of those positive facts about the snack, what could possibly be causing schools in several states (California, New Mexico, and Illinois) to consider banning the sale of “Hot Cheetos” and even confiscating them from students who bring the product to school with them?

Wait a minute… You don’t believe that schools are confiscating the cheesy snacks like they would any other form of contraband? The Chicago Tribune spoke with Principal Rita Esposito from Pasadena, CA’s Jackson Elementary School. Principal Esposito was quite specific in her statement:

“We don’t allow candy, and we don’t allow Hot Cheetos. We don’t encourage other chips, but if we see Hot Cheetos, we confiscate them — sometimes after the child has already eaten most of them. It’s mostly about the lack of nutrition.”

Speaking of nutrition, or lack thereof, let’s take a look at the nutritional information found on the back of the Cheetos bag. Perhaps we will find justification for this groundswell against the popular snack:

Image: Frito-Lay Corporation

The single serving bag delivers 17% of the daily fat and 10% of the suggested sodium (salt) intake. Some nutrition experts say that’s not exactly worthy of a ban or confiscation. The outrage in this case may be related to serving sizes. The biggest selling package of ‘Flamin’ Hot Cheetos’ is 50% larger than the single serving. ABC News reported the specifics:

School officials say the concern is their nutritional value, or lack thereof. Each bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos contains 26 grams of fat and a quarter of the amount of salt that’s recommended for the entire day.

Checking the nutritional data on the back of other snack products like potato chips, corn chips like Fritos, and nacho-style chips, TheBlaze discovered similar levels of sodium and fat in many popular brands. In other words, they’re not much different and it’s interesting that they’re gaining extra ire.

So could something else be pushing schools to consider banning the ‘Flamin’ Hot Cheetos?’ Fox News talked with a school superintendent in New Mexico who offered some different insight:

“They have that red dye in them and the kids get that all over their hands and track it all over everything and the custodians have to clean it up. They’re not big fans of that.”

Is the outrage related to the lack of nutrition or the messy, red handprints left by the Cheeto-chomping children? It appears to be the nutrition issue that the New Mexico schools are most concerned with. Students were sent home with a note detailing the nutritional information found on the back of each package. The note had to be signed by a parent and returned to schools.

Before you make your decision about what is at the core of this issue, you should also consider this report from a pediatrician who talked about the growing number of emergency room visits related to consumption of “Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.”

There are only a few school districts banning “Flamin’ Hot Cheetos” in the country, but none of the schools have said a thing about the similar snacks that have copied Cheetos. If a nation-wide ban is successful, what will become of treats like:

Hot Thang Crunchy Nuggets
Hot ‘N Spicy Crunchy Nuggets
Sizzlin’ Hot Crunchy Kurls
Sizzlin’ Cheese Flavored Twists

TheBlaze has reached out to Frito-Lay for comments on schools that have banned or proposed bans on Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. We have yet to get a response, but Fox News posted this statement from the company:

“Frito-Lay is committed to responsible and ethical marketing practices, which includes not marketing our products to children ages 12 and under. We also do not decide which snacks are available on school campuses and do not sell snack products directly to schools.”

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Comments (58)

James12703
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 1:46pm
I was just giving a worst case scenario for the future. The worst is yet to come.

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- Oneirishman
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 2:49pm
  Your cool. Glad they don’t push views, lib or con, while your in school.
  
  Report this comment
- RebelPatriot
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:07pm
  So a government that allows the sale of the most dangerous product in America, is concerned about school children eating cheetos?
  
  I guess if they can tax it 3 or 4 dollars a bag they won’t care how many people die eating the product.
  
  Maybe Frito-Lay should just apply a surgeon general warning labe to the package.
  
  It works for cigarette companies.
  
  As long as the government gets their fair share of the profits, right?
  
  Report this comment
James12703
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 1:25pm
The ultimate goal of the school system is to take complete control. Imagine year round schooling, 7am to 5pm, and everyone in grey uniforms. Indoctrination and students discouraged from thinking.

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- Oneirishman
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 1:31pm
  Indoctrination and students discouraged from thinking? What the hell do you think has been going on in public schools the passed 40 years?
  
  Report this comment
- James12703
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 1:38pm
  I know it has because I’m in high school. They want it to get worse though, and most of my teachers actually didn’t push there own views into things.
  
  Report this comment
thegodfather
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 1:00pm
Finally!…Teachers unions and government officials are attacking the # 1 problem with our school system. Flamin Hot Cheetos. Once they get this fixed, they should move onto major problem # 2……………… Cool Ranch Doritos

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- muffythetuffy
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 1:18pm
  Hispanic kids have to have red hot pepper several times a day to survive. Lack of red hot pepper could harm their health. Its in their DNA. First it was salt now its pepper.
  
  Report this comment
DOra Glasberg
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 12:44pm
THe article even uses the word TREATS.
I’ve seen kids have 3 bags of TREATS for lunch.

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- Kafir-Islamsux
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 1:26pm
  Three bags of treats because the school supplied lunches are shyt…
  
  Report this comment
BasketFullOfPuppies
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 12:31pm
More liberal idiocy… Machine guns, switchblades, Jolt cola, Flamin Hot Cheetos. All of them are targeted for no other reason than they are “meaner” in appearance.

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ShootLowBoysTheyAreMentalMidgets
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 12:23pm
The libs are out in force about how the conservatives want to control womens very own bodies over the difficult issue of abortion.

They don’t seem to have any issue all all however about forcing whether women should be allowed to put soda or cheetos in their bodies. Isn’t that body control by the Libs? Dictating to women how they manage their health?

So in one instance, a child-to-be dies, (this bothers conservatives)
In another instance a Cheeto dies, (conservatives don’t worry about this one)

You choose which battle to take up and who you should vote for!

Slam me if you will but I’m voting against Soda and Cheeto consuption laws…

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Meyvn1
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 12:20pm
Bummer. Flaming hot Cheetos rock!

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- Elena2010
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 1:00pm
  Personally, I dislike them. But the kids I taught loooooved them! So long as they washed their hands after eating them (w/something other than their tongues), I had no problem. You are a kid only once, let them enjoy at least one part of childhood — Cheetos.
  
  Besides, it’s really up to parents to guide their children in what to eat and how much.
  
  Report this comment
sparkyrules
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 12:00pm
How about we just ban Flamin’ Progressives from our schools,especially those in administration?

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- right
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:47pm
  I with you on that!!
  
  Report this comment
- jcldwl
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 7:02pm
  Great Idea
  
  Report this comment
- AlwaysAmazed
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 10:28am
  You got that right!
  
  Report this comment
IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:55am
Oh, just think of what comes out of the nanny government when they are checked at night by their spouse,

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Zipit
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:54am
I’m calling for a debate on nutrition between Michelle Obama, Michael Bloomberg, and Chester Cheetah!

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- Oneirishman
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 12:02pm
  Sounds a little cheesy.
  
  Report this comment
RaydocX
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:54am
Yes, orange cheeto dust is so much more damaging and pervasive compared to tempra paint, chalk dust, playground dirt, copier toner…

er… nevermind.

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Oneirishman
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:49am
Just change the name to Flamin Hot Gaytoes and they will be required eating.

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- sparkyrules
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 12:08pm
  laughing out loud!
  
  Report this comment
eramthgin
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:48am
What a joke no wonder education sucks in this country. They should all shut up and teach.

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- DOra Glasberg
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 12:42pm
  This is a form of teaching.
  It’s why yo mama is a 22-24 dress size.
  
  Report this comment
- brappleye3
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 9:51pm
  Dora, the article says they confiscate them if they’re brought to the school. They’re not just refusing to sell them.
  
  Quote from above: “We don’t allow candy, and we don’t allow Hot Cheetos. We don’t encourage other chips, but if we see Hot Cheetos, we confiscate them — sometimes after the child has already eaten most of them. It’s mostly about the lack of nutrition.”
  
  You should read the article a little more closely next time.
  
  Report this comment
Indiana Patriot
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:41am
I believe I would get a visitor’s pass to eat lunch with my son/daughter and when I showed up I have the biggest damned bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos that money could buy. Let one of these socialist a$$hats try to tell me or my kid that we can’t have them for our lunch. I might even have a brand new “I Will Not Comply” shirt on… :-)

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- SovereignSoul
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 1:10pm
  Great idea! Bring a bottle of Jack Daniels to wash those Cheetos down. To heck with government overruling parental power.
  
  Report this comment
- DOra Glasberg
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 3:53pm
  I’m a fool.
  And by the way it’s ‘you’re’ in this case.
  
  Report this comment
Jenasus
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:37am
Watch Alex Jones’ Infowars streaming live for next 24 hours and donate to the Money Bomb.
The truth shall set you free and the lies will keep you on a ball and chain.

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Jenasus
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:35am
The food is probably GMO free.
The government wants to kill you and your children with GMO food and vaccines.

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thetruthlives
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:32am
what a bunch of bull crap……schools have no intertest in education apparently and have a lot of time to mess with things that are clearly NOT their business, unless their business is indoctrination?!!?

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mom4
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:32am
Seriously? This is the most important issue in schools today? What a joke!!! A sad joke no the less!!

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- DOra Glasberg
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 12:43pm
  Yes. Childhood obesity IS a major problem.
  
  Report this comment
- themudflap
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 2:31pm
  Then why are so many on food stamps?
  
  Report this comment
- Yogurt
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 3:00pm
  Dora your a fool, it is up to the parents. If the parents allow it then it is none of your business. Also, the test for body fat is inaccurate and professionals know it. Kinda funny saying someone who is 6’6 300 lbs is obese but can run a 4.5 forty? Ask a large military person why they have to take a PT test even though then pass it with ease. It is because of simpletons as yourself that believe size is a problem. I am 6’7 275 but doctors say I am fit. Yet, if a High School kid was this size they are called unfit? Double standards have to stop and you need to keep your nose out of other peoples business. With all your liberal bs you been posting.
  
  Report this comment
- Lt_Scrounge
  Posted on October 21, 2012 at 12:27am
  Dora, childhood obesity might not be an issue if Gym teachers actually did their jobs and made the kids participate, and the schools would get rid of the idiotic PC rules and allow kids to actually play REAL games like well let’s see Oh yeah TAG, softball, wiffle ball, two hand touch football, and any of a number of other games that involve RUNNING. We played all of these games when I was a kid, and no one got physically hurt. Yes, some of us were the last kids picked, but we all ran around and got the exercise that the kids are not today. You know that 60 minutes that the government is now pushing.
  
  Report this comment
Whitehouse Mouse
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:28am
If Obama had a bag of Cheetos it would look like Flamin’ Hot.

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PittsburghAfterDark
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:23am
I am completely fine with any kids in my family eating Cheetos. As far as snack foods go they are really not that bad, empty calories yes, but not horrible compared to other options.

I do agree with one thing though. The coatings on Cheetos do indeed get everywhere. I love them to death but when I’m done eating them that cheese dust is all over my finger tips, it clings and sticks to anything you touch. I always have to wash my hands when done.

If that was their sticking point, pun semi-intended, I would have agreed with them.

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Gary_K
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:22am
We need to get the commie bas*&%ds out of our school.

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Popp40
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:18am
If I had a child in one of those schools I would send a bag with my child everyday and tell my child to make sure they eat every last one.

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GOHOKIES
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:17am
Is this a joke? Seriously, is it a joke?

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- DOra Glasberg
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 12:41pm
  What’s the problem?
  The kids can BRING what ever food they want to school.
  The school will simply stop SELLING nutritionless food.
  
  Report this comment
- brappleye3
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 9:54pm
  Dora, the article says they confiscate them if they’re brought to the school. They’re not just refusing to sell them.
  
  Quote from above: “We don’t allow candy, and we don’t allow Hot Cheetos. We don’t encourage other chips, but if we see Hot Cheetos, we confiscate them — sometimes after the child has already eaten most of them. It’s mostly about the lack of nutrition.”
  
  You should read the article a little more closely next time
  
  Report this comment
randy
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:15am
You you !@# @#$% food commies take my kids flaming hot cheetos away from them, you and the school board will be standing in front of a judge!

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chips1
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:13am
Th ability of schools to decide what is allowed to be put into a childs stomach is about as stupid as what is allowed to be put in their brains.

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- U.N.hater
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:19am
  When do we ban the D.O.E.???
  
  Report this comment
- chips1
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:39am
  Home schooling is the only way to eliminate the government indoctrination of the maxist way of slavery.
  
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