Speaking at Monday's signing ceremony for the “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act”-- a law that will subsidize and regulate what children eat before school, at lunch, after school, and during summer vacations in federally funded school-based feeding programs -- First Lady Michelle Obama said of deciding what American children should eat: “We can’t just leave it up to the parents."
The law gives the federal government for the first time the authority to regulate the food sold at local schools, including in vending machines.
“Everywhere I go, fortunately, I meet parents who are working very hard to make sure that their kids are healthy,” said Mrs. Obama. “They’re doing things like cutting down on desserts and trying to increase fruits and vegetables. They’re trying to teach their kids the kind of healthy habits that will stay with them for a lifetime.
“But when our kids spend so much of their time each day in school, and when many children get up to half their daily calories from school meals, it’s clear that we as a nation have a responsibility to meet as well,” Mrs. Obama said. “We can’t just leave it up to the parents.
The law increases spending on school nutrition programs by $4.5 billion over ten years and encompasses a range of provisions, including offering qualified children breakfast, lunch and dinner at school, as well as meals during the summer. It also includes a pilot program for “organic foods.”
More here
The law gives the federal government for the first time the authority to regulate the food sold at local schools, including in vending machines.
“Everywhere I go, fortunately, I meet parents who are working very hard to make sure that their kids are healthy,” said Mrs. Obama. “They’re doing things like cutting down on desserts and trying to increase fruits and vegetables. They’re trying to teach their kids the kind of healthy habits that will stay with them for a lifetime.
“But when our kids spend so much of their time each day in school, and when many children get up to half their daily calories from school meals, it’s clear that we as a nation have a responsibility to meet as well,” Mrs. Obama said. “We can’t just leave it up to the parents.
The law increases spending on school nutrition programs by $4.5 billion over ten years and encompasses a range of provisions, including offering qualified children breakfast, lunch and dinner at school, as well as meals during the summer. It also includes a pilot program for “organic foods.”
More here
16 comments:
How about the Food Pyramid?
It encouraged all of us to eat the grains being grown by the AgrBusiness Corporations. We all became addicted to carbohydrates eating processed grains in EVERYTHING. We ate more grains, less meat, fruits and vegetables.
The Govt cares about us.
9:12, WRONG. The food pyramid has always called for WHOLE grains and fiber. Not simple sugars and starch. And I bet the data shows we eat MORE meat, or atleast processed meat.
And only in this hyperpartisan environment where the pols. on the right simply wish to score points instead of developing sound policy, and their followers have been whipped into a froth, would the common sense the 1st lady is espousing be considered a "gotcha" moment.
This women is Crazy to make a statement like that.
You tell me what to feed my kids, and I'll tell you what to eat. Mind your own kids.
The point is, to feed our kids healthy meals while in school. To make sure they have a good healthy breakfast, lunch and after school snack. It's not her telling you what to feed your kids. If you pay attention to what is being said, you would know that. I think it is great that kids are being taught good nutrition!! I think it is even better that it is being offered in the schools, where our kids spend the majority of their day.
Well, when all those overweight kids (which is the majority) go to the doctor's all the time and raise health insurance costs you'll know who not to blame. Michelle Obama. Lower health care costs starts at the core: being healthy. Everyone wants to complain about how expensive health care is, but then they'll sit on the couch, watch t.v., and plow through a bag of chips. I think what she was trying to say was that this would take some of the burden off of the parents that are trying so hard to keep their kdis healthy. Without having to worry about your kids eating so many calories at school, you can lessen the amount that you have to work at home to keep them healthy. Just a poor wording choice.
Michelle Obama needs to stick her nose in her own kids business and leave others alone. She's nuts just like her husband.
So, she believes 1)the government needs to make sure -- with laws -- that kids get meals before school, during school, and after school? And that they know better than parents or they are best suited to feed THEIR children? and 2) that "everywhere I go....I meet parents who are working hard to make sure they are healthy....", but she STILL needs to force them to feed their kids correctly (all, of course, paid for by the taxpayers, even the parents (everywhere), or at the very least, "take over their responsibilities" for them. Soon, I imagine she will want to control what TV channels they can watch, what toys they can have, and what books they can read. Such an imperial attitude....
First of all, our child has a packed lunch that is very nutritional and they eat what we gave to them. It's called "parenting". Responsible adults tending their children. Second, I have seen kids buy the school food and eat very little or none and throw it in the trash can. If they're not eating it now, do you really think they will eat it when it's made better for them? There are a lot of free lunches given out at school and to pour $400 mil/year(4.5 bil over ten yrs) into this is the wrong direction. More money spent that we don't have...
some people just shouldn't be aloud to vote. In a free market the fat people should have to pay more for their ionsurance and thus incentive to stay thin. and the government can mind their own business.
You guys need to calm down. Any time there is a post about either Obama, you guys to into rant mode!
If the school systems (ie. governmenet) were giving your kids crack at lunchtime, you'd have plenty to say!
You are taking her words out of context!
If the government is feeding the kids - it IS up to the government to make sure they are feeding them what is HEALTHY and NOT a bunch of junk! We CANNOT just leave it up to the parents to provide ONE "good" meal a day, when some kids only get ONE good meal a day, and that is at SCHOOL!
Put your hate aside and realize this is a GOOD thing for the KIDS, or is it that you're not only filled with hatred towards the Obamas, but that you also don't make sure your kids are eating healthy and therefore you feel like they're pointing a finger at you?!
2:27, don't bother. You know these people only want to hear how terrible the Obamas are. Even if it means fattening up the same people that they complain about driving up healthcare costs.
Smoking's bad, eating's bad, sex is bad. Have I done anything good today? Nope
Actually, 9:12 is correct, the Food Pyramid focuses on grains because of the govt subsidization of the grain industry. A diet based on processed grains is what has led to our current obesity epidemic.
Obama's idea to replace funnel cakes and poptarts (which are on the school menu) with scrambled eggs and fruit salad is a good one. But really the best solution is for parents to take responsibility, feed their kids a good breakfast in the morning and pack them a nutritious lunch.
3:46, you and 9:12 seem to miss a key word: "WHOLE" grains. Not processed grain products. Fiber and complex carbs, not sugar. In fact, the simple sugar and processed stuff is way at the top. And nothing in the Obama quote says anything about taking away parents' choices of what to pack for their kids; it's all about changing what the gov. is providing IN SCHOOL.
Boy, now I agree with the republicans. Gov. don't try to do anything because obviously the simplest ideas are too complex for the general public. Another testament to the failed public education system.
Unless you are eating steel cut oats (not Quaker Instant Oats), plain quinoa, amaranth, or wheat berries, among others, you are not eating healthy, unprocessed whole grains.
Just because Frosted Flakes and Fruit Loops advertise themselves as a whole grain product doesn't mean their healthy.
Educate yourselves about good nutrition.
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