Showing posts with label School Meals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School Meals. Show all posts

Monday, May 3, 2010

Talk with Rachael Ray about School Food

Rachael Ray
Rachael Ray Pictures
Rachael Ray Pictures

Talk show host, Rachael Ray is apparently quite serious about helping to improve the quality of school food. She will be prepared to discuss the status of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act, along with Feeding America CEO, Vicki Escarra. Also on the agenda -- sharing of ideas and what you can do to help.

The "Child Hunger Virtual Town Hall Meeting" is being held this Thursday, May 6th at 2:00 P.M. ET and callers are encouraged to come with their questions for Rachael.

Website to get more details and to register:
http://www.hungeractioncenter.org/register_VTH.aspx

If you tune in to the teleconference, come back and let us know what you thought of it and if you will be taking any decisive actions as a result of what you heard.

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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Kids Will Be Too Fat To Fight

Our kids are becoming too fat to fight... so says a group of US military leaders in Washington yesterday. The trending toward obesity is so significant, it's reportedly become a national security issue.

"When over a quarter of young adults are too fat to fight, we need to take notice," Barnett said. He noted that national security in the year 2030 is "absolutely dependent" on reversing child obesity rates."


Now that's saying something... potentially headed toward not having enough people to defend our country. As well, consider that the military speaking out about childhood obesity and the quality of school lunch meals may not be such a bad thing. As the article goes on to remind us, it is because of the military's issue with poorly nourished recruits that we have a national school lunch program today. School lunches were supplied for our national security back in 1946. What about now? And, what about all the other contributors to the "obesity epidemic", besides lunch?

Nevertheless, perhaps the military's input will produce some changes in the program they've touted since its inception as a national security need. Maybe now it will get supported and funded as if it is "a need". Read the story for yourself and comment below.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Report links school lunches to national security
By MARY CLARE JALONICK (AP) – April 20, 2009

WASHINGTON — Too fat to fight? Many American children are so overweight from being fed french fries, pizza and other unhealthy foods at school lunchrooms that they cannot handle the physical rigors of being in the military, a group of retired officers say in a new report. [Continued at --- http://goo.gl/ML8P ]



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Thursday, January 21, 2010

reBlog from fooducate.com: Why Michelle Obama’s Initiative to Reduce Childhood Obesity Will Fail | Fooducate

Michelle Obama, official White House portrait.Image via Wikipedia


Found this article today that looks at both sides of the coin - so to speak - in our local and national efforts to mitigate childhood obesity rates and to support local farmers.

It stated that on Wednesday, January 20th, Michelle Obama made an announcement that marks the beginning of her second year as First Lady...


"First Lady Michelle Obama has a legacy she wants
to leave behind: drastically reducing childhood obesity. Yesterday at a Mayors
Conference in Washington DC, she announced a new initiative in this spirit, to
be formally announced in February."

fooducate.com, Why Michelle Obama’s Initiative to Reduce Childhood Obesity Will Fail Fooducate, Jan 2010


Topping the list of proposed action items is improving school lunches! But, clearly, obstacles exist to this and to the other listed points of action. Let's just say... let's follow the money. According to this article, billions upon billions of dollars - and related jobs - are invested in the continued unhealthiness of the U.S. population. So - can we really turn this around?


You should read the whole article. Then, give your opinion on the potentials for meaningful success on this monumental challenge, by clicking on "comment" below. In the meantime, we will be sure to bring you updates on Ms Obama's initiative.


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Thursday, October 22, 2009

School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children - Institute of Medicine

Posted using ShareThis

IOM Consensus Report for updates to school nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program, issued on October 20th. Good recommendations but still need USDA to incorporate. Here is the "test"... will the science prevail, or will the standards be influenced by "the money".

Watch this video to see why corporate profits may be what informs the revisions to the standards as written for our children's school meals. The info herein surprised me a bit... how about you?

The Food Lobby Goes To School





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