Senate bill aims to make school lunches tastier

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack called the Senate bill “a win for children, parents, schools and for our country’s future”.

The Senate Agriculture Committee is scheduled to vote Wednesday on the bipartisan bill, which is created to help schools that have complained that the Obama administration’s healthier school meal rules are too restrictive. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, right, talks with the committee’s ranking member Sen.

Stabenow said she was pleased with the compromises, noting that they maintain requirements that a half-cup of fruits or vegetables be provided with school meals.

Many school lunch directors have lobbied against the rules saying your kids don’t find the meals appealing.

The legislation also proposes expanding the Farm to School Grant Program, which helps schools provide more produce and teaches students about agriculture and nutrition, and it would direct more funds to summer feeding programs.

The committee unanimously reported out the bill, which now goes to the Senate floor for a debate and a vote.

A bipartisan Senate bill released Monday would revise healthier meal standards put into place over the last few years to give schools more flexibility in what they serve.

Furthermore, the bill would delay regulations decreasing sodium in school lunches by two years, and require the government to look for ways to get students to stop throwing away fruits and vegetables, which they are required to take during lunch. Schools have always been required to follow government nutrition rules if they accept federal reimbursements for free and reduced-price meals for low-income students, but the new standards are stricter.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., referring to a campaign slogan of Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, dubbed the legislation the “making school lunches great again” bill.

The compromise signals a truce between first lady Michelle Obama and congressional Republicans who have been at odds over the rules for more than two years. The School Nutrition Assn. said it worked with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the White House and the Senate Agriculture Committee to address challenges including student participation declines, food waste and student cultural taste preferences. The House has not yet introduced a bill.

“We basically agreed on compromise that 80 percent – four out of five days – whole grains will be used, but one day a week there can be flexibility”, Stabenow said.

Grains: Currently, all grains served in public schools must be whole grains, meaning the food made from grain must have been made using 100 percent of the original grain kernel. The nutrition directors say that kids don’t like some of the whole grain pastas, biscuits, grits and tortillas.

“I think that this intervention into our school system is just another example of how the Obamas believe that they’ve got a better answer for everything than you do”, Christie said.