11-16-2011, 06:17 PM
http://news.yahoo.com/congress-pushes-ba...25z;_ylv=3
Congress pushed back against restrictions on school lunch standards that the US Department of Agriculture proposed, releasing a new spending bill that would effectively block or delay the proposed changes.
Aside from promoting healthy eating by lessening starchy foods, restricting sodium, and boosting wholegrains in the diet, the guidelines had hoped to specifically restrict the overuse of pizza and french fries, which many schools tended to serve to kids everyday. By current law, federally subsidized school meals MUST include a certain amount of vegetables... a rule that's bypassed by manipulating the definition of "vegetable". The bill would continue to assert that two tablespoons of tomato paste counts as a vegetable... making pizza automatically count as a "balanced' meal.
I admit thought some of the USDA's proposed regulations were a little harsh, such as restricting starchy vegetables like corn, potatoes, and peas to only two servings a week (though granted I understand if they find the measures necessary since childhood obesity has become such a problem). But really? Saying that pizza counts as a vegetable? Yet that's what schools will effectively be doing if congress and food lobbyists have their way yet again.
Congress pushed back against restrictions on school lunch standards that the US Department of Agriculture proposed, releasing a new spending bill that would effectively block or delay the proposed changes.
Aside from promoting healthy eating by lessening starchy foods, restricting sodium, and boosting wholegrains in the diet, the guidelines had hoped to specifically restrict the overuse of pizza and french fries, which many schools tended to serve to kids everyday. By current law, federally subsidized school meals MUST include a certain amount of vegetables... a rule that's bypassed by manipulating the definition of "vegetable". The bill would continue to assert that two tablespoons of tomato paste counts as a vegetable... making pizza automatically count as a "balanced' meal.
I admit thought some of the USDA's proposed regulations were a little harsh, such as restricting starchy vegetables like corn, potatoes, and peas to only two servings a week (though granted I understand if they find the measures necessary since childhood obesity has become such a problem). But really? Saying that pizza counts as a vegetable? Yet that's what schools will effectively be doing if congress and food lobbyists have their way yet again.
PS. If you can, try your hand at giving some of the others a bit of feedback. If you already have, thanks, can you do some more?