Ask The Green Mama: Better School Lunches

Dear Green Mama,
I'm a school teacher in Chicago. After researching our CPS lunches, I am concerned about recalled meat and rGBH that may be in our students’ food and drink. 

Chartwells is our present vendor. Is there a vendor that can stay within our limited budget while offering CPS students healthier school lunches?
-- Is A Better Chow Possible

Dear ABC:

School lunches can be pretty bad:  growth hormones in milk, recalled and irradiated meat, and fruits and vegetables high in pesticides.   Meat and dairy are the staples of the school lunch program and there are few options available for those who want to avoid either.

The USDA, which is on record as saying that rGBH milk is safe and cloned meats are fine, is responsible for the school lunch program. They in effect buy up foods that consumer don’t want and serve it to school kids in their lunches. The farm bill that was passed in May of 2008 directs the USDA to buy irradiated beef for the federal school lunch program. Almost 1/3 of the recently recalled meat went to schools and public nutrition programs. 

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Comments

[Christine]

Thanks for the tip, Jason!

[Jason Weedon]

There is a company that is providing healthier school lunches to pre schools, elimentary schools and high schools in chicago. Its called Gourmet Gorilla, Inc. and they can be found at www.gourmetgorillainc.com or gorillakids.com