What's the difference between these two school lunches?
Lunch 1
Lunch 2
Cheese pizza
Whole wheat cheese pizza
Canned pineapple
Sweet potato fries
Tater-tots
Raw grape tomatoes
Low-fat chocolate milk
Applesauce
Low-fat milk
If you guessed that Lunch 2 is a whole lot healthier for kids, you’re exactly right. Lunch 1 is a typical meal served in a school cafeteria that doesn’t follow the guidelines for nutritious, balanced meals established by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The legislation, signed into law by President Obama on December 13, 2010, directs schools to serve healthier, more wholesome food, like those on the menu for Lunch 2.
The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act is an important step toward ending childhood obesity. Because many kids, particularly those from low-income homes, rely on school breakfasts and lunches for a majority of the food they eat each day, ensuring they have access to healthy options is crucial. One in three children in the United States is either overweight or obese, and at risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even Type II diabetes. Unhealthy kids are more likely to perform poorly in school, jeopardizing their chances of success in the future.
Fonte: White House