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Congress tells USDA no limits on potatoes in schools

The United States DOA has been making an effort to make school meals healthier. The Senate on Tues, however, blocked the USDA's ability to make many of these limitations. Resource for this article: Potatoes will stay in schools, for now

Focusing on what children should eat

The United States DOA proposed some brand new guidelines. This would affect all institutions that are part of the Federal lunch program. There would be a limit on all “starchy vegetables” such as lima beans, potatoes, corn and peas to no more than one cup a week while breakfasts wouldn't be allowed to consist of potatoes. The number of leafy greens and vibrant vegetables in the meal would be increased.

What Congress thinks

The Senate voted on Tuesday to bar all of the new USDA laws. The Agriculture Department has an amendment on it for the 2012 spending bill. Part of the amendment doesn't allow the United States Department of Agriculture to set "any maximum restrictions on the serving of vegetables in school meal programs." This was a win for potato-producing states including both Idaho and Maine. Still, several nutritionists are upset.

Arguments hadPotatoes are only party involved in the fight against child obesity. Several are hoping to serve students only healthy food in school. Due to the National School Lunch Program, schools get good reimbursements. They can get between 26 cents and $2.77 per meal. School lunches have been a large target lately. Everybody is attempting to reform what children are eating. Some are focusing on the truth that most spuds and vegetables served in schools are breaded and fried, rather than baked or boiled. There are simple carbohydrates in spuds even though they are naturally low in fat and high in potassium. Pre-prepared and packaged foods are served by several schools.

Citations

USAToday:https://www.usatoday.com/news/washingto ... csp=34news

BBC:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15377913

NY Times:https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/us/p ... menus.html

ABC News:https://abcnews.go.com/US/usda-proposal ... d=13621442

Food Research and Action Center:https://frac.org/federal-foodnutrition- ... h-program/

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So, Alexsimon....what do you have against the Irish?



 
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