Now that it’s September, ‘Back to School’ merchandise is
everywhere. From freshly sharpened pencils and clean erasers, to brand new
sneakers, we all have our favorite memories of going back to school.
Undoubtedly, my favorite part of the school day was lunch time! Getting to see
all my friends and play in the sandbox was the highlight! The only part about
lunch that wasn’t exciting was the actual lunch food. Who remembers waiting in
a long cafeteria line only to be served ‘mystery meat’ and ‘vegetable
surprise?’ Okay, I might be exaggerating just a little, but there were definitely
those disappointing days of greasy pizza pockets and chalky grilled cheese
sandwiches.
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) was started in 1946
under President Harry Truman with the goal of providing nutritious meals to
school children. Unfortunately, their guidelines have not been updated in 15
years! Resulting in the sub-par, unhealthy food that is being served to
students today. School lunches are packed with empty calories, hydrogenated
oils and saturated fats. It doesn’t take a scientist to realize that this food
is actually dangerous for children; by consuming meat products made using animals
raised on antibiotics, children build up immunity to antibiotics. This
tolerance to antibiotics renders them ineffective and makes it difficult for doctors
to treat colds and flues. We are all so concerned with eating organic and being
healthy, it’s time we stepped up and advocated the same for school lunches.
Enter Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.
Famous chef and former TV host, Jamie is starting up an actual food revolution.
He isn’t just talking big. He is acting big! Nearing the one million signature
mark, Jamie is canvassing to take to Washington DC his healthy meals for kids
campaign. And he is bringing the collective needs of those who sign his
burgeoning campaign petition; Jamie is advocating healthy nutritious meals in
schools and trying to get families excited about cooking again. Who can argue
with that?
What we put in our bodies is so important to how they
function. You can join in on the ‘Food Revolution’ by raising awareness in your
own community. Start at home by buying products from companies like Applegate Farms, which
sells organic, antibiotic- and hormone- free deli meats, sausages, and cheeses.
Applegate Farms supports the food revolution by working with small family farms
across the country to ensure that their meat is of the highest quality and 100%
safe for you to serve to your family. With the recent chicken egg recall and
instances of Mad Cow, it’s good to know that there are companies out there who
are committed to providing healthy products rich in protein.
If you haven’t already, you should sign Jamie’s petition online, which holds
the signatures of Heidi Klum, Larry King, Gwyneth Paltrow and many more.
Check out the trailer for Lunch Line,
a documentary that exposes the realities of child nutrition and bureaucracy;
help bring this film to your community so others can also see why we should be
concerned!
With childhood obesity and diabetes running rampant among
America’s youth, it’s time to take action and make childhood nutrition a priority.
Make sure to do your part, because a grassroots movement starts with you.
-Noor
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