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The Salt
Nutrition Group Says Chocolate Milk Is OK, No Need For Aspartame
May 21, 2013 The nation's largest group of nutritionists is urging the FDA to reject the dairy industry's petition to change the definition of milk. The petition aims to allow aspartame or other alternatives to be used to sweeten milk in an effort to boost consumption in schools.
The Salt
Fruit, Not Fries: Lunchroom Makeovers Nudge Kids Toward Better Choices
April 2, 2013 Even if you give kids a more healthful school lunch, you can't force them to eat it. You can, however, make small changes to layout and presentation that will make options like fruits and vegetables more appealing to kids, say behavioral economists.
The Salt
Can Milk Sweetened With Aspartame Still Be Called Milk?
March 6, 2013 By adding artificial sweeteners to flavored milk, the dairy industry hopes to boost flagging consumption in schools. But if the industry gets its way, the front-of-the-package labels wouldn't note that it's "diet milk."
The Salt
Carrot Juice Instead Of Coke? USDA Proposes New School Snack Rules
February 1, 2013 The proposed rules would limit snacks to a maximum of 200 calories and promote options like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Experts say this many fewer calories each day, over years, can add up to big calorie savings.
The Salt
In Japan, Food Can Be Almost Too Cute To Eat
January 29, 2013 In Japanese culture, how food looks can be as important as how it tastes — a lesson children learn from a very early age. From children's television and toys to school lunches, the visual delights of food are never far from sight.
The Salt
One Lunch Lady's Cafeteria Conversion
December 28, 2012 CPR"If it's not me, who's it going to be?" asks Colorado school cafeteria manager Kathy Del Tonto. After serving processed foods in her cafeterias for years, she realized that reducing childhood obesity can begin with her. She now has the lunch ladies making 95 percent of meals from scratch.
The Salt
Some Grumble About Change As School Lunches Get Leaner And Greener
September 28, 2012 Federal guidelines introduced in The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 have started to go into effect this school year. That means lunches feature more fruits and vegetables, and fewer processed foods. It's a big change for students who are used to tater tots and pizza.
The Salt
Why It Matters That California Teens Eat Less Than Their Peers
May 10, 2012 California teens eat about 158 calories less a day than their peers in other states, a new study says. But even that tiny amount of fewer calories per kid can help them maintain healthy weights over time, experts say.
The Salt
Now On The Menu For Hungry Kids: Supper At School
April 9, 2012 More families in financial stress are relying on schools to feed their children breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the past few years, a federally subsidized school dinner program has spread from six to all 50 states.
The Salt
Indian Engineers Build A Stronger Society With School Lunch Program
April 6, 2012 The program, which is run by engineers, currently feeds 1.3 million children, making it one of the largest school lunch programs in the world. The program is so cost-effective it's become a Harvard Business School case study.
The Salt
USDA To Give Schools More Ground Beef Choices After Outcry Over 'Pink Slime'
March 15, 2012 The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it believes beef trimmings known officially as "Lean Finely Textured Beef" are safe to eat. Nonetheless, it announced that owing to "customer demand" it will give schools the chance to opt out of it in the next school year.
The Salt
Pizza As A Vegetable? It Depends On the Sauce
November 15, 2011 The U.S. House unveiled a spending bill that would unravel some of the Obama administration's efforts to revamp school lunches. Under the bill, pizza would still count as a vegetable. Nutrition advocates say if the rule stays, it will be a win for industry and a loss for kids.
The Salt
School Lunch Potato Fight Gets The Colbert Treatment
October 19, 2011 A few hours after the Senate reached a deal on potatoes in schools, comedian Stephen Colbert took to the airwaves to display what sounded like some long-repressed middle school angst over being separated from his beloved 'tots.'
The Salt
Supply, Labor, Money Gets More Local Food Into Schools
October 12, 2011 It takes work to get local foods into schools, not just money. Do you have a story of a stand out school lunch leader we should know about? Or a unique local supply chain in your district? Let us know.
