As this year is coming to an end, I’ve been reflecting on the state of school food: the good and the bad. Beginning with the bad, Congress has yet to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act, which sets the national school food policy and funds key child nutrition programs. Why is it that the health of our children, and the health of the next generation and generations to come, isn’t the highest priority of those elected to represent us? The answer seems to be political in-fighting, money and power. In Congress, within the School Nutrition Association and in boardrooms across the country, the debate continues on whether or not to uphold or roll back the gains made since the passage of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. So far, the in-fighting has led to nothing but inaction.
But now for the good: Despite the congressional delay, there has been a surge of grass-roots support for healthy school food, with chefs, advocates, nutrition services directors and government officials all over the country working to protect the health of our nation’s children. As the holiday season is upon us and as we think about giving back, being grateful, giving gifts, the holiday spirit and donating to our favorite nonprofits, I want to focus on this good. I want to take a moment and reflect on the groups doing work that makes me hopeful we’ll eventually have a strong Child Nutrition Reauthorization.
The perfect holiday gift for the more than 30 million children that eat school lunch every day would be a new CNR that ensures healthy food for all children — meals that are made from whole foods, that contain fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, clean protein and ones where we’ve reduced and/or eliminated highly processed foods, high fructose corn syrup, added sugars, artificial colors, dyes and chemicals.
I’m not the only one thinking of these issues in this holiday season; two recent articles address them: “9 reasons rolling back school nutrition is a losing proposition” and “Healthy School Food Standards Make 5 Successes Possible.” Both articles describe reasons why rolling back the standards, or the “F”-word — “flexibility” — is the wrong approach. We really must come together as a nation to ensure the healthiest food for all of our children.
If we all stand strong behind healthier school food, we’d be joining a growing number of chefs, chef groups, advocates and organizations working hard on this issue, including some I’ve been fortunate to work with and learn from. First off, we need to thank the U.S. Department of Agriculture for all they’ve done in promoting the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act and for working hard against so many in Congress, big business, lobbying groups and the School Nutrition Association to make sure that CNR truly is in the best interest of our children.
Other governmental and affiliated organizations that we should be grateful for are USDA’s Farm to School Program, National Farm to School Network, Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools, Chefs Move to Schools and the Institute of Child Nutrition. I’d also like to personally give thanks to Michelle Obama, who has worked tirelessly for the health of our children.
The list goes on to advocacy groups: The Pew Charitable Trusts, School Food FOCUS, Chef Action Network, Food Policy Action, the Culinary Institute of America’s Healthy Kids Collaborative, James Beard Foundation, the Google Innovation Lab for Food Experiences, Urban School Food Alliance, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Center for Science in the Public Interest and their National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity, Union of Concerned Scientists, HEAL (Health Environment Agriculture and Labor) Alliance, Healthy Schools Campaign, Coalition for Healthy School Food, Wholesome Wave, Whole Kids Foundation, Life Time Foundation, the Colorado Health Foundation, the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation, Center for Ecoliteracy, Wellness in the Schools, the Edible Schoolyard Project, FoodCorps, Eos Foundation, Orfalea Foundation, Slow Food USA, Share Our Strength, The Lunch Tray and, of course, my own Chef Ann Foundation. This list, in no particular order, is not exhaustive, but provides a sense of the breadth of groups who believe healthy school food is a necessity, not an option for our children.
So my wish for this holiday season is that all of you join all of us in demanding a strong CNR from our elected officials. No “roll-backs,” no “flexibility,” nothing but the strongest possible guidelines that will protect the health of our children. And if we really want the best holiday gift, then we should ask for a 35 to 50 cent increase in the lunch reimbursement rate and more money allocated for school food equipment, training and marketing. Happy holidays and may all of our wishes come true!
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My Holiday Wish List for America?s School Children originally appeared on usnews.com
