Comments on: School Lunch – A Sad Reflection of Our Nation’s Screwed Up Priorities http://www.freshthemovie.com/2009/12/07/richardson_school_lunch/ New thinking on what we're eating Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:25:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Diane Chapeta http://www.freshthemovie.com/2009/12/07/richardson_school_lunch/comment-page-1/#comment-509 Diane Chapeta Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:49:53 +0000 http://www.freshthemovie.com/?p=1295#comment-509 There must be some confusion on USDA commodities for schools. They are not free. Fees for food processing, government paperwork, and delivery are taken out of the reimbursements schools receive for meals served. In other words we pay for those USDA commodities. Sometimes they are cheaper than market price, and sometimes they cost more. Take it from a Nutrition Director working in the current system, commodities are not free food. There must be some confusion on USDA commodities for schools. They are not free. Fees for food processing, government paperwork, and delivery are taken out of the reimbursements schools receive for meals served. In other words we pay for those USDA commodities. Sometimes they are cheaper than market price, and sometimes they cost more. Take it from a Nutrition Director working in the current system, commodities are not free food.

]]> By: amy cotler http://www.freshthemovie.com/2009/12/07/richardson_school_lunch/comment-page-1/#comment-431 amy cotler Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:25:25 +0000 http://www.freshthemovie.com/?p=1295#comment-431 Interested in a guest post from the person who wrote The Massachusetts Farm to School Cookbook (me)? Check it out http://www.amycotler.com. Great resource and free to download. Scan down right side of home page.... Interested in a guest post from the person who wrote The Massachusetts Farm to School Cookbook (me)? Check it out http://www.amycotler.com. Great resource and free to download. Scan down right side of home page….

]]> By: Sarah Hawkins http://www.freshthemovie.com/2009/12/07/richardson_school_lunch/comment-page-1/#comment-430 Sarah Hawkins Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:24:12 +0000 http://www.freshthemovie.com/?p=1295#comment-430 I have been involved with local food issues for awhile, and never realized what a sad state our school food programs have been in. What a wake up call! We are starting a farm to school initiative in Sheboygan WI and also doing a free public screening of Fresh! Laura, I will have to check out the site you recommended, thanks! I have been involved with local food issues for awhile, and never realized what a sad state our school food programs have been in. What a wake up call! We are starting a farm to school initiative in Sheboygan WI and also doing a free public screening of Fresh! Laura, I will have to check out the site you recommended, thanks!

]]> By: laura http://www.freshthemovie.com/2009/12/07/richardson_school_lunch/comment-page-1/#comment-429 laura Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:49:47 +0000 http://www.freshthemovie.com/?p=1295#comment-429 it is true, people are finally stepping in to educate children and cafeterias about healthy food choices. I remember a time when i was ecstatic to get lunch money for thursdays chicken nugget special. Boy do i wish i ate more of mums pb&js! The real Food Challenge (http://realfoodchallenge.org/about/realfood) offers seminars and training to students at universities and high schools on how they can create an impact in their communities. Farm to school seems a lot like what this cause is trying to promote. I suggest taking a look at the website or better yet, attending a conference. Tell people about it, get the message out. We need to collaborate and stop competing with the food industries. it is true, people are finally stepping in to educate children and cafeterias about healthy food choices. I remember a time when i was ecstatic to get lunch money for thursdays chicken nugget special. Boy do i wish i ate more of mums pb&js!
The real Food Challenge (http://realfoodchallenge.org/about/realfood) offers seminars and training to students at universities and high schools on how they can create an impact in their communities. Farm to school seems a lot like what this cause is trying to promote. I suggest taking a look at the website or better yet, attending a conference. Tell people about it, get the message out. We need to collaborate and stop competing with the food industries.

]]> By: Eireann http://www.freshthemovie.com/2009/12/07/richardson_school_lunch/comment-page-1/#comment-413 Eireann Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:46:59 +0000 http://www.freshthemovie.com/?p=1295#comment-413 The good news is that people are stepping up to try to guide school systems to a better way - and it seems to be catching on. Farm to School (www.farmtoschool.org) has gained a lot of traction nationally over the years. Amy Cotler's Farm to School Cookbook (for Massachusetts Schools) is available in its entirety online for free here: http://www.mass.gov/agr/markets/Farm_to_school/farm_to_school_cookbook.pdf It's a very useful guide to recipes using local and seasonal foods - with thumbs-up from the kids. It's also useful for anyone cooking in scale (church or community dinners, etc.). I do think our system has many deep flaws, and I think it's a shame that we have to keep regulating to protect our kids, rather than relying on what should be a natural instinct to feed and teach our children the best. The good news is that people are stepping up to try to guide school systems to a better way – and it seems to be catching on.

Farm to School (www.farmtoschool.org) has gained a lot of traction nationally over the years.

Amy Cotler’s Farm to School Cookbook (for Massachusetts Schools) is available in its entirety online for free here: http://www.mass.gov/agr/markets/Farm_to_school/farm_to_school_cookbook.pdf It’s a very useful guide to recipes using local and seasonal foods – with thumbs-up from the kids. It’s also useful for anyone cooking in scale (church or community dinners, etc.).

I do think our system has many deep flaws, and I think it’s a shame that we have to keep regulating to protect our kids, rather than relying on what should be a natural instinct to feed and teach our children the best.

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