Who decides what our children are eating?
To a large degree, it is the Federal Government. Congress and the Department of Agriculture approve what foods can (and can't) be served to over 30 million American school children who get daily meals from the National School Lunch Program.
The government gets a ton of pressure from a food and beverage industry frantic to keep kids hooked on a diet of sodas, snacks and hot dogs. The competition, for a piece of this $10 billion market, is particularly fierce right now because this year, the School Lunch Program is being reviewed and revised.
Despite the enormous nutritional and financial stakes at play, ANP was the only media to cover a recent panel set up to discuss the school menu. While nutritionists outnumbered the press, corporate lobbyists outnumbered everyone.
New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/opinion/20waters.html
Monday, March 2, 2009
Change is hard to swallow
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Too many kids still face unhealthy choices in the cafeteria. When Congress renews the Child Nutrition Act it must encourage schools to serve healthier meals. Low-fat, low-cholesterol vegetarian foods need to be more affordable, and schools that serve nutritious foods (fruits, vegetables, vegetarian options) should receive additional funding. There's a physicians group trying to get vegetarian foods in the lunch line. I just signed their petition at www.HealthySchoolLunches.org.
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