Posted on 11/19/2010 7:41:03 AM PST by traumer
First Lady Michelle Obama is expected to announce on Monday a major new initiative that would place up to 5,000 salad bars in public schools nationwide, despite uncertainties over how local health inspectors might treat those salad bars and USDA nutrition-tracking rules that could prove a major impediment.
Officials in the White House, led by chef Sam Kass, and at the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention, have been working to build a coalition representing the produce industry and Ann Cooper, director of nutrition services in Boulder, Colo. schools, who recently teamed with Whole Foods to raise $1.4 million from customers to establish a grant program that would place salad bars in qualifying schools.
Under the initiative expected to be announced on Monday in Florida, where First Lady Michelle Obama has taken her "Let's Move" campaign to fight childhood obesity, Cooper would manage applications for salad bars from the schools along with distribution of funds to purchase necessary equipment.
One potential obstacle to the program is the refusal of many school districts to install salad bars for food-safety reasons and because of cumbersome USDA rules governing the federally subsidized school lunch program that feeds some 31 million U.S. school children every day.
Cooper named three school districts she knows of -- Philadelphia, Austin, Tex., and Montgomery County, Md., -- that have already indicated they will not support salad bars. Concerns have been raised that elementary school children in particular might be prone to spread disease at salad bars because they are too short for the standard "sneeze guard" installed on most salad bars, or because they might use their hands instead of the serving utensils provided.
Cooper, who would not comment on the pending White House announcement, has dismissed those concerns, saying, "As far as I’ve found out,
(Excerpt) Read more at grist.org ...
I proceed on the assumption that this is a subtly-written piece of satire.
What color is the sky in the world of children eating salads? Sure some kids love veggies, but many do not.
They forgot the part where they have to hire government goons to force the kids to eat at the salad bar.
That picture needs Lootie.
It’s obvious, the First Cow, with her huge rear, hasn’t been grazing in a salad bar for years.
Wait ‘til they have the 1st salmonella outbreaks - that will be the end of the salad bars
Oh what the hell. It’s not THEIR money.
No doubt this will be safe for muslim consumption as well - no bacon bits! And have some of that delicious fat-free soy and corn syrup concotion labeled "blue cheese dressing."
My favorite section of the Constitution is the salad bar part.
I’m of a mind that kids would all be better off to go back to brown bagging it. Of course I realize that there are parents out there who would not bother to pack a lunch for their kids, but if you have that sort of parent, what else are they not doing for you anyway?
So far we’ve had recent recalls of lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and assorted other raw food products.
What a great idea for population control, eh Moochie.
Personally paid for by her and her dear husband, I assume?
Can’t you see all the inner city kids, pants hanging down around their knees, lining up for a big plate of baby spinach garnished with cherry tomotos, sliced bell peppers, and slivered almonds topped off with a nice champagne vinaigrette.
That does sound good but......You will be told what your kids are allowed to bring. No cookies, chips, etc and NO peanut butter!!
So true.
Especially the section that enumerates it as a power of the Executive Branch.
who pays...they are good at spending other peoples money..Salad bar in our school is reserved for teachers and students who earn special perks
I’m sure she is ignorant of the fact that all nutritional value is lost once the kiddies slather HFCS and hydrogenated oil laden salad dressing on top.
<My favorite section of the Constitution is the salad bar part.
Good point. I want to know how the “White House” is funding these salad bars. Seems to me the people are paying for them. Now, if the Obamas are footing the bill, hey, I’m all for more veggies in school lunches!
No wonder people are ignorant. Even when they try to keep up with things by reading the papers, the damn reporters mislead and lie. It takes work to know when you’re being bamboozled.
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