Pizza a vegetable? Congress says 'yes'. (government shouldn't be telling children what to eat.)

[WillParkinson]

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45306416/ns/today-today_health/t/pizza-vegetable-congress-says-yes/#.TsP9dlawVkv

WASHINGTON — Congress wants to keep pizza and french fries on school lunch lines, fighting back against an Obama administration proposal to make school lunches healthier.

The final version of a spending bill released late Monday would unravel school lunch standards the Agriculture Department proposed earlier this year, which included limiting the use of potatoes on the lunch line and delaying limits on sodium and delaying a requirement to boost whole grains.

The bill also would allow tomato paste on pizzas to be counted as a vegetable, as it is now. USDA had wanted to prevent that.

Food companies that produce frozen pizzas for schools, the salt industry and potato growers requested the changes, and some conservatives in Congress say the federal government shouldn't be telling children what to eat.

[queenjane]

1. This isn't about telling kids what to eat

It's giving them NO CHOICE in what they eat, except to eat junk, salt, fat, foods lacking in needed nutrients. It's one thing if the parents can afford to send their kids to school with a healthier lunch (presuming the kids will even eat it with the availability of pizza & "chicken" nuggets). However, many kids get free lunch (and often breakfast) at school, and thus need those meals to be nutritious and healthy even more.

Talk about 99%: Apparently 99% of our "elected" officials are bought wholly by special interest groups. Sometimes I wonder why we're wasting money on elections!

[EOTE]

6. +1

The nutrition we give our kids in schools today is appalling. I give Jamie Oliver credit for bringing this issue to the attention of many Americans including myself. This would be such a simple change to make and the results would be incredibly beneficial to the children (even if they didn't realize it at the time). I'm not afraid to be somewhat authoritarian on this issue. Kids, if given the choice, will typically not eat the best foods. Healthy foods need to not only be presented as a choice, but as the primary choices.

[dana_b]

2. omg - feed them food that could make them sick

and then deny them health care if their parents aren't rich enough. good plan!! :eyes:

[Ship of Fools]

8. It's the "let them die quicker" mentality ...

[dana_b]

9. unless it's a fetus

then it's the "anything to save it" mentality

[Ship of Fools]

12. Yep! Nothing like having the crazies take over the train ...

[Downwinder]

3. Shouldn't be telling us what to smoke, either.

[LynneSin]

16. Depends on what the smoke is

Marijuana, which has medicinal purpose, I would agree with your statement.

Regular Nicotine cigarettes, which cause Emphysema and Lung Cancer along with a host of other health care issues for those who smoke and those who could be exposed on a regular basis - then I think they have a right.

[KamaAina]

4. Oh boy, is Hermie gonna be pissed

vegetables on pizza are for girly-men, remember? :sarcasm:

[KansDem]

5. "some conservatives in Congress say the fed government shouldn't be telling children what to eat."

No, that's the job of corporations!

And since coporations own the federal government, some conservatives are being disingenius...

[HuckleB]

7. This is ridiculous.

If we're serving them potatoes, we might as well give them candy bars.

Ugh.

[abelenkpe]

13. Potatos are bad?

Don't tell the Irish. I'm pretty sure my grandparents lived off those things.

[abelenkpe]

14. I have no problem with my kids eating pizza every once in a while

They are both super skinny and swim, dance, do martial arts and exercise daily. That said they prefer black beans and rice. Pizza made fresh with natural ingredients isn't a bad thing. Prefab pizza from abominoes...well that's just yucky.

[HuckleB]

21. Have you seen the pizza served in most school cafeterias?

[Erose999]

22. You mean the cardboard with ketchup smeared on it? Yes I remember it from when I was in school...

congress shouldn't even allow those shitty shingles to be called "Pizza".

[abelenkpe]

24. No I make my kids lunches

I can only imagine the one in school is horrible. I still have nightmares over the soggy cold tater tots we were served when I was a kid.

[HuckleB]

19. They did not have much choice.

However, repeated studies have shown that there's not much difference between eating a potato and pure sugar.

[LynneSin]

17. Potatoes are NOT a bad food - in fact they have many great health properties

It's what people do to potatoes or how they prepare them that ruins those properties.

[HuckleB]

20. The body metabolises potatoes to nearly pure glucose.

Potatoes bad, nuts good for staying slim, Harvard study finds
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/potatoes-bad-nuts-good-for-staying-slim-harvard-study-finds/2011/06/17/AGRWmIgH_story.html

Potatoes can add plenty to waistline
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/23/health/la-he-diet-obesity-20110623

[Initech]

10. Welcome to the AOL Time Warner Taco Bell Pizza Hut government of the US.

[DainBramaged]

11. THIS IS WHY REPUBLICANS SHOULD NOT BE IN CHARGE OF SCHOOL LUNCH

[LynneSin]

15. I have no problem with Pizza on the menu - just make them healthier

I had a pizza yesterday made with whole wheat crust that had artichokes, spinach and sundried tomatoes on it.

I think a few tweaks could make Pizzas a healthy choice for a school menu which include switching to 2% Cheese (instead of whole milk - less fat) and using whole wheat pizza dough instead of regular. Plus putting spinach or broccoli on it would make it a healthy choice for lunch.

[beam me up scottie]

23. Those are my favourite toppings!

It's almost impossible to find a pizza place that offers artichokes as a topping.

I make my own which is healthier anyway - ever used flat-bread to make quick pizzas?

Pizza can be very healthy and delicious, it just takes a little extra work and some creativity.

Now I'm hungry...

[ellisonz]

18. They seriously pulled the tomato paste is a vegetable argument...

:mad:

[MadrasT]

25. Errrr....

...do we actually need Congress to decide what food is served in school cafeterias?

Seriously?

Don't they have a few more urgent things on their plate right now?


:rofl: ^^^ "on their plate" ^^^ see what I did there??? :rofl:

[WillParkinson]

26. I did.

I chuckled.