From Cindy on Sat, June 26, 2010

Every little bit helps…

From Luca on Mon, June 28, 2010

It sounds selfish to say this, but sometimes even ‘little’ is not enough.

From Lynn on Mon, June 28, 2010

As a food service director at a school district, every penny does count and adds up.  However, $.06 will not greatly effect what needs to be done to improve school nutrition.

From marti on Mon, June 28, 2010

maybe the capitol cafeterias should try preparing lunch for $1.06 and see how our elected officials like it.

From Susan on Mon, June 28, 2010

Well, golly.  This doesn’t surprise me at all.  We are willing to spend billions of dollars a year on prisoners and their needs, but when it comes to the kids, a mere 6 cents will have to do.  I think it is sad.

From Dee on Mon, June 28, 2010

Maybe we should limit congress’ lunch ingredients to $1.06.  Do they really think this is adequate?  Perhaps playgrounds should be torn up and converted to fruit and vegetable gardens, then it might be adequate.

From dan on Mon, June 28, 2010

My school taxes are over $7000. per year. I do not have any children in our school system. Take some of that money and give the kids a better lunch. Soon I won’t be able to afford my own lunch. Lower my absurb school taxes and I’ll make a donation.

From Rosemary on Mon, June 28, 2010

It’s time we are able to give our children a better start in education with only a small increase to us.

From Charlotte Wales on Mon, June 28, 2010

No, 6 cents ISN’T enough - the amount per child hasn’t risen in years, and the food our children eat is appalling - little or no nutritional value.  How do you expect them to learn with such poor fuel?

From Deborah on Mon, June 28, 2010

Given the political realities of the Child Nutrition Program reauthorization, six cents just might be a great and very positive first step forward. In Oregon we increased school purchasing power by seven cents and saw immediate economic development and overall health and wellness benefits.

For more info….
http://www.ecotrust.org/farmtoschool/Ecotrust_HB2800_written_testimony_04-02-09.pdf

From Mary on Mon, June 28, 2010

6 cents less annual inflation… would starve a mouse.  Those congressmen need a fieldtrip to the supermarket to learn what the price of food is these days.  (No doubt, it would cost the taxpayers millions for that alone.) 

They need to change farm subsidies so that money is being spent on local agriculture and fresh fruits and veggies instead of large factory farms for livestock (fat) and corn crops for high fructuse corn syrup (sugar). 

Without spending a single extra penny they could dramatically affect how we eat.

From Timothy Cipriano on Mon, June 28, 2010

Every little bit helps BUT $.06 is not going to make a dent in the childhood obesity epidemic we are experiencing. School districts nationwide are faced with increasing labor, food & other expenses and we rely on Uncle Sam to pick up the tab.
Raising lunch prices is one way to increase revenue to cover costs, however in our district that is not possible since our children eat for free. We have such a large percentage of children who qualify for free meals that we choose to pick up the cost of the children who don’t qaulify to remove the stigma attached to being a “free” kid.
If a child is mandated to be in school 6 hours a day shouldn’t the government provide the necessary funding to cover the costs? Furthermore, children are in school to learn, it is imperative that we teach them to learn good nutrition and to not only educate but feed the children REAL food.
We need to stand up to corporate america and demand more for our children. Stop advertising to the children, stop calling whole grain, fiber laced, no high fructose corn syrup Candy healthy!
Time is running out, call CONGRESS TODAY and let them know how you feel!

From Dee on Mon, June 28, 2010

Well said Charlotte! Just read that one school served cheetos covered with cheese sauce.  Really?  Appalling!!!

From dan 2 on Mon, June 28, 2010

Our fed politicians voted themselves over $50,000,000. in raises and expense increases this. The pres is sending $100,000,000. in aid to european a middle-eastern nations this year to assist them to develop and build wind farms to lower their energy costs, and all our politicians can do is to increase school lunches by 6 cents! Gimme a break. They are forsaking our children and expect the gererous poor taxpayers to come up with a plan.
They SUCK !

From Geselle Acevedo on Mon, June 28, 2010

I consider this 6 cents a band aid to the situation. Anyways the priorities are not neither in education or healthy lunch for our kids. We all know that… sad to say but is true. Meanwhile parents that prepare lunch from home for their kids stand in a position in which you say no to the explosive marketing of corporate America’s junk products, ingredients, practices and food presented on every media trying to persuade the consumer to buy these things. Also when going to the supermarket just buy from the perimeter of it this is where the good stuff and healthy things are anyways, you barely have to get into each aisles because that’s where the products that I mention above are and believe me you dont need them.  Also dont assist to any PTA activity that offer for example ice cream night party whatever ice cream is fat, sugar and air so trying to get good standards at the cafeteria and then making an activity of this kind isn’t this a double standard? 

How about does elegant dinners at the government level? How much can go to our kids instead of spending it only to the “elite”? 

I’m not a politician or anything like that but this are suggestion that makes more sense that what is discuss in any of those fancy offices of any government nobody in particular because as you all know the situations that we have now are not a result of bad judgement from last week is masked over the years but people are too busy on their own environment most of the time.

From Donna on Mon, June 28, 2010

Any amount of money will not make a difference if the attitude of school officals and “lunch workers” doesn’t change.  If the hassle that Jamie Oliver had with his Food REvelotion is any indicator of the people in charge of the school lunch programs it will take more than money.

I agree with everyone that said “let’s see if our Legislators could eat well on $1.06 per meal” and “let’s keep our money here in the United States and fix our problems here before sending it to other nations”.  We all know that we will pay our own bills before lending money to our friends or neighbors so why hasn’t Congress and our Presidents figure that out?  And let’s face it the other nations are not our friends.

From Always concerned on Mon, June 28, 2010

I honestly wish we could put $5 daily towards our school lunches. Would private funding be a possibility, from corperations that need tax writeoffs?

From Jennifer on Mon, June 28, 2010

If we are not willing to invest in the health of our children through providing nutritious lunches, no knowledge that they gain in school will matter. Though 6 cents is always better than nothing; it does not empower schools to change from canned food to fresh or from fast and convenient to those foods requiring more preparation. Perhaps it is not more money we need (although it always helps) but a shift in consciousness. Waste less, value our future leaders more. Involve children to take responsibility for their own health and choices while building greenhouses and planting more gardens. And I hear you Dan, you’re not a parent and should not be required to take responsibility for those who are and who get tax breaks because of dependents. Why not ask parents to add a little extra, buy less junk food at home and save on doctor bills! I’m a parent and I would gladly give more to healthier lunches for schools… even when my kids are out of the school system.

From Zach Bijesse on Mon, June 28, 2010

I actually go to high school, so I hope my input here is valued. Because the school food is so nutritionally inadequate, I have: started a Health Food Club, started a school garden, petitioned the county Child Nutrition Director for healthier lunches, etc.
I would like to ask tax-paying readers of this blog to give me their imput as to where they would prefer their money go, if not to the keeping the nation’s children healthy?

From M on Mon, June 28, 2010

When I was in High School we paid $.35 for school lunch.  Minimum wage was $1.35.  Minimum wage today is about $8.00, if that can be considered a measure of inflation school lunches should $2.15.

From MJ on Mon, June 28, 2010

I like the statement from Susan: “...We are willing to spend billions of dollars a year on prisoners and their needs, but when it comes to the kids, a mere 6 cents will have to do.” I agree totally. It seems congress is always helping out prisoners (who in my opinion have given up their rights by committing criminal acts). Also, Timothy Cipriano, has a good point: “If a child is mandated to be in school 6 hours a day shouldn’t the government provide the necessary funding to cover the costs? Furthermore, children are in school to learn, it is imperative that we teach them to learn good nutrition and to not only educate but feed the children REAL food.” If our tax dollars can provide our criminals with nutrition and work out rooms, internet, education, etc. then surely our kids deserve even better. After all, the majority of them will one day, be the backbone of this country.

From Charlotte on Mon, June 28, 2010

marti -

that’s a brilliant idea

From michelle sunoskie on Mon, June 28, 2010

While 6 cents is welcome, it is clearly NOT enough!!  Has anyone seen what they serve in schools for lunch?  It’s scary!!  More needs to be done to provide more nutritious lunches for our children before they become the next generation of obese adults!!!

From James C. Rainie on Mon, June 28, 2010

Childhood eating habits, obesity and nutrition are HUGE issues for the future, including the immediate future.  Along with the agricultural support for agribusiness and big corn, etc., Congress needs to realistically address these problems.  A 6% increase over $1.00 is not enough to keep up with the cost of ingredients, much less improve the product!  It’s the old guns and butter—$1 trillion+ for guns and wars, barely anything for nutritious food.
  The incredible greed of big business continues to astound me.  Have we learned nothing from Enron, Goldman Sachs, AIG, the big bailouts, etc.?  Have we learned nothing from our defeat in Vietnam?

From Celine on Mon, June 28, 2010

Hi Zach,
I admire you for being so proactive at your age!
I would prefer my money to go towards more sustainable and healthier ways to serve lunches in school by creating partnerships with local farmers, having real kitchens in school, reusable dinnerware ( growing up in France, we had aluminium silverware and glassware even in Kindergarten, I don’t think kids here are less able to use them…), and by using regular glassware, you can serve water from pitchers and not from disposable containers, if offering milk, it should only be without growth hormones and antibiotics and no chocolate milk or sodas!! Every new school and school having the room should have a garden/greenhouse for the cooks to use and the kids should have the opportunity to take care of it under supervision. To me, it’s all about how the money is used. At my stepson’s school, most classes have nice TVs, computers, even some classes have fancy active boards and a cool playground set, yet they served fast food type lunches…We need to make it cool to eat good food and care about our body and the planet.
Kids are sponges, if we give them good eating habits and teach them to live more sustainably, we may have a chance at curbing the trajectory we are on.

From Holly Rubinoff on Mon, June 28, 2010

I like the idea of those on Capital Hill being required to eat for 1.06.  Salisbury steak and powdered mashed potatoes anyone?

From Amy on Mon, June 28, 2010

GIVE ME A BREAK!  We can bail out banks with trillions of dollars but we give our kids 6 cents?  What about the kids??  Please!

From Joan on Mon, June 28, 2010

I agree with Marti and Co:  Let the congresspeople eat on $1.06 of ingredients and see what they think!  It’s a start and we should support that, but it’s a drop in the bucket.

From M. Thomas on Mon, June 28, 2010

6 cents could make a difference if the overseers used the mone correctly. Our school lunch increases each year but the quality still remains POOR. I believe in buying locally instead of warehouse processed food. I believe schools need to overhaul their food programs. Maybe hiring chiefs to cook instead of offering processed and/or sweets as lunchs would work. Teaching our children proper nutrition in elementry schools could help make a difference. We need a real plan not just talk. Education boards need to realize the importance of good nutrion to help learning for our kids!

From Sheryl on Mon, June 28, 2010

I think that every little bit counts but that we need to spend the money we get wisely, no nacho’s, cheetos with cheese, fried chicken nuggets, and so on.  A lot of what we are buying with our school lunch money is nutritionally bankrupt food.  We need to show our kids what they should be eating and educating them as to why it is important.  They are not studpid, they will understand…

From Sheryl on Tue, June 29, 2010

I think we need to do much more.  In many cases the money we are getting is spent on nacho’s and the like.  Our food needs to be better and not nutritionally bankrupt.  I students need to be informed.  They are not stupid, if they are educated on the subject they will make better choices.

From Doris lloyd on Tue, June 29, 2010

I spent two school years working at a Middle school kitchen.
What I had to serve the kids frustrated me to no end. Grant it there where some healthy choices like a salad bar (but that had breaded food on the side)
fresh fruit and such. None the less it was such poor quality food ,cheap breaded chicken with too many unnatural ingredients in it ,bag cheese sauce and instant mash potatoes to name a few.
  From my experience shopping for my family ,healthy food cost more .They would need at least 50 cents more or a dollar per child.
For goodness there health depends on this.

From Raphael Sulkovitz on Tue, June 29, 2010

Was it Mary Antoinette who said: ‘Give them 6 cents’?

From KFC on Tue, June 29, 2010

I am the food service director in a fairly small corp. (2400 students) we struggle each year to offer our children quality and healthy food, fresh fruit and veggies are offered everyday. One day a week we offer their old favorites. Friers have been gone for years and baking cakes and cookies is not the norm. We are doing well and operating in the black. HOWEVER, to kick it up another notch, where all of us would like to be, six cents will just skim over the cost of better quality food. School funding has been slashed everywhere. The dream…to incerease staff hours to make more and more ‘whole foods’ for our children and beable to afford it…well I wonder if it will ever happen?

From Christine Binder on Wed, June 30, 2010

Thanks so much for all of your comments, everyone! It’s great to hear that so many of you are passionate about improving school lunch. Yesterday I called my Representative to ask her to quickly pass fully-funded Child Nutrition legislation. You should too! Check out this blog post for more information: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/slow_food/blog_post/at_long_last_house_legislators_are_taking_on_school_lunch/

From Sandy B. Huey on Wed, June 30, 2010

I do feel that our government could be more concerned about this generation of children concerning their education and eating healthier foods.  How can any of us sit back and not demand better education and to get it all started-better quality and healthier foods for our children.  I also agree that a lot of the education on eating healthier begins at home. The food we give our children at home also affects what they chose to eat at school and else where. 
Let us all do our part and ask that others do the same.

From Jennifer on Fri, July 02, 2010

The American government is costing American taxpayers about US$1 billion a day on the ‘Iraq War’ but American taxpayers’ children are only worth an increase of $0.06 a day. That is shameful and disgraceful. I agree that every little bit helps but they can do better and the children deserve better. Good eating habits do start at home but there are children who don’t get 3 square meals a day and we need to remember them as well. We have to do more and tell our ‘legislators’ they must do better.

From Betsy B. Hsu on Sat, July 03, 2010

Vending machines have a big obstacle to overcome.  There may be a monopoly by a familiar brand, large corporation that restricts the development and flexibility of vending—cutting off smaller, new business ventures from making affordable, healthy foods available to our children in the school systems.  Is anyone addressing this issue?

From Annette on Sun, July 04, 2010

I think the people in Washington should try to eat their lunch for $1.06 and see if they like it!