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Berry Nutritious Lunches
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A recent Parade Magazine article is touting a lunch full of fruits, vegetables, and protein for a serious boost to kid’s cranium power resulting in better retention and test scores. The best way to keep kids alert and ready to learn is to provide them high-quality carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables – especially fruits like berries, which are a source of anthocyanins and flavanols that boost memory retention and learning ability. Unfortunately, the percentage of schools who meet the minimum USDA serving of fruits and vegetables is close to 25%. And that’s not all: only 20% of school lunches meet the USDA fat standard, and practically none meet the sodium standard. This has resulted in a variety of problems, from shorter attention spans and naps during math class to a childhood obesity epidemic.

One thing the article failed to mention was the benefits of eating locally grown, organic food; they can be a tremendous opportunity to teach kids about their connection to the earth and to support local farmers. As an added bonus, by eating local the food is fresher and often better quality; similarly, when you eat organic you don’t need to worry about the possible toxic effects of pesticides on your produce.

Though gaining knowledge on ways to make our kids smarter is always good news, knowledge alone won’t help the 30.1 million students out there, especially those receiving reduced-cost meals, who consume up to 50% of their daily calories in a school lunchroom - and don't have access to most of the foods that Parade suggests.

Fortunately, however, we have a chance soon for our schools to smarten up their cafeterias. Congress will soon be reviewing the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act, legislation that covers federal child nutrition programs, including school breakfasts and lunches. Hopefully our politicians have had enough blueberries lately to remember our nation’s youth - and then vote for a more sustainable lunchroom.

September 17, 2008 | 12:31 PM Comments  0 comments

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