Our school lunches may not be as impressive as those in France, but we're trying to make our kids' school lunches healthier. In 2010, Congress passed the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, championed by First Lady Michelle Obama, which required school lunches to include more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Since the bill passed, there's been backlash from politicians, parents, and organizations such as the School Nutrition Association (SNA), which represents companies that supply school lunches. They complain that the new rules are too rigid and the lunches aren't edible.
According to The Atlantic, the SNA says that student participation in the lunch program has plummeted, devastating revenue. And many of the kids participating in their school's meal plan are throwing away the food they're given — especially the fruit.
This isn't the case at Schoo Middle School in Lincoln, Nebraska, which pioneered a new lunch program two years ago with the goal of using healthy, whole foods to create tasty meals. The plan has been so well-received that all Lincoln Public Schools now use fresh, seasonal produce and make their own bread (which is made from 100% whole grain) from scratch — and the students are eating it.
The Atlantic reports: