I wanted to remind TLT readers that midnight tomorrow, April 9th, marks the end of USDA’s public comment period on its proposed ”competitive” school food rules. For those needing a refresher, “competitive food” is food that competes with the federally subsidized breakfast and lunch programs. We’re talking about the snack foods and beverages offered on school [...]
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After months of delay, the USDA today released its proposed rules governing the nutritional quality of so-called “competitive” foods and beverages offered on school campuses. To refresh everyone’s memory, competitive food and beverages are those offered in competition with the federally subsidized school meal, and are sold via vending machines, school stores, fundraisers, snack bars [...]
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I’m emerging from my blogging vacation to share some big news in school food. The USDA has just announced that, at least for the remainder of this school year, it is no longer requiring that districts comply with the weekly caps on grain and protein servings instituted this fall as part of the agency’s school [...]
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On my Houston ISD school food blog, The Spork Report, I once shared a candid photo of a Houston middle schooler’s “lunch:” a bag of Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos doused in cheesy nacho sauce: Both of those items were purchased by the student from one of my district’s cafeteria a la carte lines (to be [...]
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As many of you know, the new USDA “competitive food” rules are due to be released before the end of this year (though likely after the presidential election.) These rules will regulate all food offered on school campuses apart from the federal school meal, i.e., food from vending machines, school stores, fundraisers, and the school’s [...]
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As a result of my recent efforts to end the use of LFTB in USDA-procured beef for the National School Lunch Program, I’ve been chosen as one of eight finalists for Healthy Child Healthy World’s 2012 Mom on a Mission campaign. I’m truly honored by this nomination, but when you see the other seven finalists and their accomplishments, [...]
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I’ve been out of the daily-blogging saddle recently (recovering from surgery) and haven’t written on a matter of real substance in a few weeks. So I’ll use that as my convenient excuse for potentially creating some confusion this morning with my post about a petition by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine to ban milk [...]
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture got into a little trouble this week when an interoffice newsletter encouraged USDA employees to participate in the growing nationwide practice of observing “Meatless Mondays,” i.e, abstaining from meat one day a week to promote personal health and the health of the planet. Within just a day or two, strenuous [...]
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We’ve talked before on The Lunch Tray about efforts by school districts to source at least some of their produce from local or regional producers. The benefits of such a program are numerous: the food is fresher and less likely to be processed; children can actually meet or learn about “their” farmers and/or visit the [...]
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Copy it. Share It. Nail it to the schoolhouse door.
My Own Letter to USDA re: The Competitive School Food Rules
by Bettina Elias Siegel on April 9, 2013
Well, nothing like waiting until the last minute. As I’ve been telling you all repeatedly, USDA’s deadline for submitting comments on the proposed competitive school food rules is 11:59 tonight, but I only just finished writing my own letter this morning! I thought you all might be interested in reading my letter, the text of [...]
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