The Politics of Lunch

Growing up in Texas, I didn't know many people who lived a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. I had never heard of Morningstar even though their products were available at my local grocery store. I considered meat to be an essential part of a well-balance meal, and although my school cafeteria had a salad and potato bar, it never offered veggie burgers, tofu, or meat substitutes. I rarely (if ever) thought of how politics affected what I was eating. I was more concerned with how many calories I was consuming than where my meals were coming from. I had no idea that so many ingredients of the food I ate was derived from corn - let alone why.

While attitudes towards healthy eating in America are certainly changing, there is still a great need for more progress and policy reform. Today I read a blog post on grist regarding recent setbacks to the "Healthy Schools" legislation pending before the D.C. Council. In the post, Ed Bruske describes how the creators of the "Healthy Schools" bill have dropped the requirement to include larger servings of fruits and vegetables in school lunches due to the fact that D.C. school administrators "did not want to spend precious resources on food that would only end up being thrown away." Since most of the meals served in school cafeterias, has been frozen, shipped hundreds of miles, and then reheated for lunch, the vegetables offered lose their flavor and their nutritional value. Additionally fresh fruits and vegetables are often more expensive than their frozen, pre-packaged counterparts. While policymakers are attempting small steps to make fruits and vegetables more accessible, there still needs to be a push for more education regarding food issues. Sure, reheated frozen green beans are not going to be popular amongst students, but "kids will eat fresh tasty veggies if they have a chance to access them and learn about them," says Debra Eschmeyer, director of the National Farm to School Network. If I had knowledge of more healthful and ethical food options when I was growing up, I would have advocated for access to them. Certainly making compromises is key to getting policy approved and funded, but should policy influence education or vice versa?

What I ate Wednesday: cinnamon raisin bagel and cream cheese; seitan, Farm to Fork salad at TDR, sauteed carrots; roasted eggplant and red pepper sandwich with mozarella and french fries

What I ate today: oatmeal; pesto pasta salad; lettuce wraps and tater tots