Gotta Beef with Lunch?

Food for Lunch is a new group looking to reform the school lunch program in the Los Angeles Unified School District:

FOOD FOR LUNCH is a group of concerned LAUSD parents, residents, grassroots and community organizations from across Los Angeles who have joined together to affect positive change in the LAUSD lunchroom.

In response to what even the USDA is calling “the single greatest threat to public health in this century,” the obesity epidemic, and to combat health trends in this epidemic which will put 1 in 2 of America’s children at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in their lifetime, we propose the following changes be made immediately for food served to children at breakfast and lunch:

• More whole foods, fruits and vegetables served. We advocate for California-sourced, unprocessed foods served daily for breakfast and lunch.
• Less processed foods: no chicken nuggets or other such highly processed animal protein foods.
• Less sugar: Reduce sugar to no more than 20 grams per meal and remove foods made with high fructose corn syrup.
• Water: We want filtered, non-bottled water as a beverage option school-wide.
• Sustainability: We want food that is sustainably sourced and minimally packaged as well as a reduction of individually wrapped and packaged foods.

In addition, we want transparency from LAUSD Food Services in menu choices and food selection and a willingness from the School Board and Food Services to go through the challenge of transition as healthier changes are implemented in LAUSD breakfasts and lunches.

They're meeting on Wednesday, August 18th and Tuesday August 31st. I plan on being at both meetings and helping as much as I can.

On Wednesday, August 18 at 6:30 PM at Manual Arts High School located at 4131 Vermont Avenue next to USC, all interested parties are invited to make their opinions known about LAUSD school food. Mud Baron, school garden guru and LAUSD’s Green Policy Director, will be co-facilitating with Laura Benevidez of LAUSD Food Services. This is the official listening session of the School Food Parent/Student/Teacher/Community Taskforce before the first LAUSD Board meeting of 2010-11 school year. Speakers will have the opportunity to hear & discuss options.

Then, on Tuesday, August 31 at 1:30 PM is the LAUSD school board meeting where school lunch and this halted Tyson contract will be discussed again. WE NEED A BIG SHOW of people to come and let the School Board meeting to let board members know we want them to start making healthier food a reality NOW! The meeting is held at the LAUSD School Board offices, located at 333 South Beaudry Ave in downtown Los Angeles, just north of the 110 freeway. Park in the Visconti parking lot on Miramar St. and get free parking for 2 hours!

If you're in LA and care about school food policy, you're invited. If you can't make it, I encourage you to sign the petition and join their mailing list: contact Jennie Cook at jennie@jenniecooks.com or Rebecca Crane at r.h.crane@gmail. And check them out on Facebook.