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First lady Michelle Obama holds dill while harvesting vegetables in the White House garden with school kids in Washington June 4, 2010.… REUTERS/Larry Downing
Posted on 06/04/2010 2:39:34 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – First lady Michelle Obama enlisted professional chefs on Friday as critical allies in helping fight the U.S. childhood obesity epidemic and making school food more nutritious and affordable.
"Each one of you has so much to offer when it comes to helping our children make healthy choices," she told more than 500 chefs, dressed in white uniforms and chef hats and seated on the South Lawn of the White House.
"You know more about food than almost anyone, other than the grandmas, and you've got the visibility and the enthusiasm to match that knowledge," said Obama, who is leading the administration's campaign to combat childhood obesity now affecting one in three American children.
The chefs taking part at the White House event included celebrity cooks like Rachael Ray, Tom Colicchio and Cat Cora, as well as local restaurateurs Jose Andres and Todd Gray.
The first lady urged Congress to approve increased funding to help schools afford to provide more nutritious meals. The Obama administration has sought $10 billion in funding over the next 10 years to improve child nutrition programs.
Congress is considering a plan to spend $4.5 billion over a decade that would increase money for school meals and include new standards for all school food -- whether it is served in a cafeteria or a vending machine.
"It's important that we keep the momentum going and we pass this bill this year," Obama said of the proposal.
In addition to cutting obesity rates, the administration hopes to cut back on medical costs that reached nearly $150 billion last year for obesity-related diseases.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
.First lady Michelle Obama holds dill while harvesting vegetables in the White House garden with school kids in Washington June 4, 2010.… REUTERS/Larry Downing
“The Obama administration has sought $10 billion in funding over the next 10 years to improve child nutrition programs. “
Isn’t that up to the public school districts to decide?
Why do you need 1 BILLION DOLLARS in funding to rearrange the luch menu at a school? Surely someone at the school can come up with this, as part of their JOB - that we PAY FOR ALREADY!
What is a Wookie’s favorite spice?
First lady Michelle Obama reacts to the heat while harvesting vegetables in the White House garden with school kids in Washington June 4, 2010. REUTERS/Larry Downing
Michele, your loggy legs are showing ... HIDE!
Are those SPEARS behind the lovely, cough, cough, Michele?
US President Barack Obama (L) and First Lady Michelle Obama arrive at Sidwell Friends School to attend an event for their daughter Sasha. Obama has postponed a trip to Australia and Indonesia, the White House said Friday, in a sign the unchecked Gulf oil spill is now making waves in his broader agenda. (AFP/Mandel Ngan)
Has Michele gone TRIBAL?
Has she discovered her African roots?
From the biggest to the smallest issue, with this crowd it’s ALWAYS about spending more money and making the Federal government more intrusive. It’s what you get when you have the inmates running the asylum - none of these jokers has ever created wealth in their life.
makes sense to me the socialist woman in charge will want to decide to spice up the food which big govenment (our tax money) pays for, free and subsidized lunches for parents, relatives and children in public schools......
more of my money being used for the nanny-state....
This non elected putz needs to mind her own business. Nobody voted for for her. She is a big nothingburger.
They HATE the private sector.
They want most to work for the government and have the few private sector companies left, to PAY for them.
I wonder if MO could even pass a 1950’s eight grade finals test.
So THAT’s what they been smokin up there.
Everybody’s been asking .
She’s not bad looking. Rachel Ray I mean.
Maybe I’m mistaken but that bundle on the left looks like fennel to me.
No no honey, don't play with the wood chipper!
I wonder how much this photo-op cost the taxpayer.
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