CEASE & CAN'T RESIST

More Meat and Bread for School Lunch, Says USDA

But not calorie limits in its war on childhood fat

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Dec 8, 2012 by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t

Image: Forsyth News

Michelle Obama just became even less influential.

The USDA is backing off from its strict new dietary guidelines for schools aimed at reducing obesity, the AP reports, after members of Congress wrote the agency saying their constituents are upset that their kids aren't getting enough to eat. School administrators have also expressed their displeasure at the daily maximums on certain ingredients set by the USDA, which they say limit their ability to plan meals.

"This flexibility is being provided to allow more time for products that fit within the new standards while granting schools additional weekly menu planning options," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Though limits are being lifted on grains and meats, calorie restrictions will remain in place, the AP notes.

"Schools need flexibility to make sure kids get the nutrition they need to focus on their studies," said one lawmaker who applauded the agency's decision.

Via the AP.

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?	Do you agree with the USDA's decision to allow for more meats and grains in school foods?

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Comments (view in Forum)

Dec '12

Jack-Black

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Kewl. Now they use that fake meat that McDonalds does/did,
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Dec '12

Malitia_Man

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I'm sure their vege's are Monsanto and GMO also...
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Dec '12

ST_Louie_Sue

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I'll have 3 servings of whatever she's been eating. ;-)
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Dec '12

stepped_in_it

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Whta....ya wanna be Missouri_Sue instead (bigger than St Louis....lol)
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Dec '12

ST_Louie_Sue

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@stepped_in_it LOL I'm happy being who I am.
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Dec '12

MRMacrum

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It's not the school lunches that make kids fat. It's the 4 Big Gulps they suck down after school and before dinner.
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Dec '12

PoliticalSpice

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Perhaps but the govt has a lot to answer for here. Kids should be able to eat till they are content. Govt should try to reduce fat, sodium, sugar and provide more whole grains. Giving a smaller portion, or removing foods kid like is stupid. They should develop recipes that taste good, with more whole grains, and lesser content of fat and sodium. Mix vegtables with cheese or in a pasta dish, allow kids "free" fruits to snack on to increase eatting more fruit, etc. Not try to be health nazis, that just won't work...
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Dec '12

JustTheFacts

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lmao ... ironic that the cook is an overweight Quasimodo and they still have the nerve to back off the childhood obesity program ( or should I say bought off by the food lobbyist )?

Now that's funny :0p
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Dec '12

CanisCanemEdit

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Scary thought of the night: That could be the after diet photo.

Thin Kabouitit!
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Dec '12

PoPo11

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Yes whole hearted!! Children naturally need more energy than adults do! Besides I'm willing to bet Obama's kids eat what ever they want and nobody says any thing about it .
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Dec '12

Cheenoguy

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Yes because they are obviously not eating healthy.
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Dec '12

Annie

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I am glad for this. Lots of times this is the only meal a child gets.
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Dec '12

Sonny

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Aw...let the kids eat...After all, by the looks of the adult server in this story...she sure as hell got to eat her fill !!!
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Dec '12

CATTLEPROD

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The problem isn't what they are eating it's the preservatives that it is loaded with.
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Dec '12

marine1

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let the kids start smoking in school,it helps hold down the weight :) and look at the tax revenue unckle will get.
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Dec '12

Fishbone345

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@marine1 That actually made me laugh marine, thanks.
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Dec '12

Polusalo

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@marine1

:D
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Dec '12

Real4WheelDrv

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Until they quit when they "suddenly" realize smoking is bad, then they'll blow up like balloons anyway.
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Dec '12

martydotcom

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Wonder if this is this is the "main" meal for a lot of kids
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Dec '12

Dan_Tien

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I'm not sure that it matters what the schools serve, at least in Washington. My kids only got 20 minutes to go through the line, get their food, and eat it before lunch was over. They took sack lunches most of the time just so they had time to eat.
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Dec '12

classychazy

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That is very true.
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Dec '12

stepped_in_it

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yeah, that time limits really teaches them healthy eating habits. I can still hear my Mom saying "Chew your food"...
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Dec '12

Barbi_Schukofs

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I am not sure that chicken nuggets even qualify as food. I think whole (chemical, meat glue, slime, and other filler free) food might be a novel (healthy choice.
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Dec '12

Cool_voter

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Reagan made ketchup a vegitable in our school systems, and it is still considered a vegitable by the schools...
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Dec '12

Barbi_Schukofs

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@Cool_voter umm...maybe he was thinking it was canned tomatoes in a bottle... That definitely needs to be changed.
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Dec '12

DanielMincin

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Yes. Adults are just mad because kids get to eat anything they want and adults can't.
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Dec '12

Keyjo

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The trouble with school lunches, and the majority of American meals, is that they contain too much fat and sodium, which give that "full feeling."
Give students plenty of the good, healthy foods. Especially the athletic ones.
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Dec '12

Chromalord

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65% obesity rate amongst kids and they aren't getting enough to eat? They will eat if they get hungry enough. Heaven forbid they eat something healthIER for a change.
Why don't they put chocolate flavored Ensure in the milk cartons, eat least they will be getting some nutrition. I like the photo they chose- a 300 pound woman. Deeper meanings.....
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Dec '12

marine1

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Look at that tray,there is a whole row of cookies missing. wonder what happened?
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Dec '12

PoliticalSpice

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@marine1
Look at the woman holding the tray. Does that answer your question?
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Dec '12

ACTSmom

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@marine1 I'm not sure those are cookies...probably some kind of ground up mystery meat covered in bread crumbs.
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Dec '12

marine1

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@ACTSmom Hansel food
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Dec '12

jessejaymes

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The larger question here is why are kids getting cookies AT ALL in schools? Why don't we just start a sugar 101 program and they just line up, mouths open and run a concrete mixer type sluice tray with straight sugar into their mouths? Jeez our kids are PORKERS and you're complaining about what they're getting to eat at school? So am I. CUT OUT ALL SUGAR.
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Dec '12

siswas

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At our school in Bradshaw,wv the kids are not allowed to take candy to school .I think that is wrong for the BOE to have those kind of restriction.on what my kid can or can't eat. Is this nationally or something that was thought up by our BOE
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Dec '12

Cheenoguy

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It's hard enough to get kids to sit still and behave for 8 hours. Sugaring them up isn't going to make it easier. Could be a discipline issue more then a nutritional issue.
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Dec '12

Realthinker

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Yesterday my daughter said her 12 year old son had spent $13 more than his sister on school lunches last month. His reply? "Mom I'm buying extra fruit and veggies because I'm hungry!" He is very active and not the slightest bit overweight. But the lunches he is being served have been developed assuming most kids have weight to lose.
It's just one more example that government's usual "one size fits all" solutions are no solution at all.
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Dec '12

bsking

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here's a newsflash... it's your daughters responsibility and maybe yours... to see that your child has proper nutrition I don't know your grandchild, I hope everything is well with them but its not my responsibility to see that he or she gets a good lunch... that's yours or your daughters responsibility
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Dec '12

Realthinker

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@bsking Oh geez. You think we don't know that? Look, those two kids ages, 12 and 13, get reduced price lunches because their mother is divorced from a deadbeat. Until Michelle Obama decided to but her nose into the school lunch program, what they were served at lunch was plenty. But Michelle has decided that every kid in America needs to lose weight so she drastically reduced the protein and carbohydrates in the lunches served to teens, all of whom, boys and girls, are in the middle of their adolescent growth spurts. Kids across the country are complaining they're hungry. So my grandson is buying extra fruit to fill himself up, but then the available cash is spent faster. My daughter works for a charity. It's not like she can demand a raise. We help her as much as we can.
I know this is a perfect example of a government "fix" creating a much larger problem. It looks like they have realized their mistake and will fix it.
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Dec '12

bsking

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@Realthinker my bad. I guess I spoke out of school on this .
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Dec '12

Realthinker

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@bsking Thank you! Forgiven, too.
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Dec '12

Cool_voter

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They need to no longer consider things like ketchup and French fries as vegetables (thanks Reagan)
The parents also need to make their kids go outside and play.
The government has no business in school lunches, and that includes calling ketchup a vegetable
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Dec '12

Cheenoguy

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1) ketchup isn't a veggie
2) French fries are veggies, just a poor one nutritionally.
3) Who else is supposed to be responsible in PUBLIC schools' lunch programs?
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Dec '12

Cool_voter

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@Cheenoguy
I agree, but concervative Reagan thought otherwise.
Also public schools should be run by the state, the "public".
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Dec '12

Fishbone345

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Parents need to stop stuffing their kids gobs with fatty foods at home. Adults have no basis to judge kids, being as they are responsible for most of their weight gain.
One of the fattest countries in the world and goin strong! Wooo!
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Dec '12

Blessed

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Are you kidding me?! Moochelle lost one of her shove-it-in-your-face ideas? She needs to eat the same lunches my skinny, athletic grandchildren eat. I make sure they have an extra dollar or two to purchase a serving of whatever is being served in additional to the 'lunch'. It's sad that some kids can't afford the extras and leave the lunchroom hungry. Moochie and her chubby kids certainly need to lighten up on the caviar and lobster. Ever see a walking away shot of Moochie? Nope, I didn't think so. She DEMANDS all photographers stay in front of her...
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Dec '12

Polusalo

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http://www.frugal-cafe.com/public_html/frugal...

http://images.smh.com.au/2009/04/09/468744/re...

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http://www.momlogic.com/cdn/images/michelle_o...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gx2vytvnMbc/TwGZsEp...

http://lezgetreal.com/wp-content/uploads/2011...

http://www.momsmiami.com/images/blogs/3685.jp...

Ask and you shall receive.
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Dec '12
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Dec '12

Blessed

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@Polusalo Thank you! Now I understand...I don't blame her for requesting front shots where comparing her size to her husbands is not as easy. Did someone say size 16? I'm sure we wouldn't notice her large size had it not being for her 'fight obesity' campaign.
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Dec '12

Polusalo

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@Blessed
I'm pretty sure the kids nowadays call that "having back" and it's wanted.
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Dec '12

parent

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heck yeah!! you people should witness what boone co. ky's dietian eats! it made me sick!! 4 scoopers of mac and cheese, really!! it's no surprise she weighs about 420 lbs. that's trying to be nice!!! GROSS! yet they will charge the kids for any extra helping AND if they don't pay for it, it's thrown in the garbage with a chemical POURED over it! pathetic!!
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Do you agree with the USDA's decision to allow for more meats and grains in school foods?