Vegetarian Star

Basketball legend John Salley recently went to Congress to throw his support for the Healthy School Meals Act, H.R. 4870.

The bill, that would offer more plant based proteins and non dairy beverages in schools, currently has 51 co-sponsors in Congress, according to Afro.

Salley is eager to see these items on the menus, even if meat is still served besides them.

“It’s important for folks to know that I’m not against meat, I’m for fruits and vegetables, just like I’m not against war, I’m for peace,” Salley said.

Currently, in some schools, it may be better to send a child to McDonald’s for lunch.

A USA Today investigation found that many fast food giants like Jack in the Box require more rigorous testing for pathogens in meat used in their restaurants, testing it up to 5-10 times more than the USDA does for school lunches.

Or try packing some cat chow in the lunchbox.

Chicken normally only acceptable for pet food was also routinely accepted by USDA standards.

Just another reason to forgo the “mystery” meat, where unknown substances don’t just refer to animal parts.

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The most unhealthy school lunch sitting in the cafeteria these days is beef and cheese nachos.

Given the amount of animal fat, cholesterol and dairy in such a meal, it’s easy to understand why.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine analyzed the school lunches on menus from 18 elementary schools across the country and found meatloaf and potatoes, cheeseburgers, cheese sandwiches and pepperoni pizza didn’t trail far behind the beefy nachos.

A bill introduced by representative Jared Polis, the Healthy School Meals Act or H.R. 4870, is trying to change this.

If passed, it would provide funds to school districts to purchase healthier items and place more vegetarian entrees and non dairy beverages on the menus.

H.R. 4870 can’t come soon enough!

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Woody Harrelson and his wife Laura Louie have written to Congress, asking them to support H.R. 4870, a bill that would incorporate more vegetarian lunches and non dairy beverages in school menus that is otherwise known as the Healthy School Meals Act.

The longtime vegetarians wrote, “As parents, we ask you to support HR 4870, the Healthy School Meals Act of 2010. We know from watching our own children grow up that eating habits children develop early on stick with them for life. All too often, young people are offered processed meats and cheese and other greasy, high-fat, high-cholesterol foods.”

“The Healthy School Meals Act will help children develop better eating habits, provide healthful plant-based options that naturally contain no cholesterol, are low in saturated fat and high in fibre, enabling schools to reach high nutrition standards easily. The legislation gives schools the incentive and ability to address the health problems that are harming our children and overburdening our health systems.”

The bill was introduced by representative Jared Polis, who lost a significant amount of weight after making changes to his diet and has expressed concern for the childhood obesity epidemic.

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Dr. Neal Barnard of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has recorded an advertisement that’s being broadcast in Washington, D.C., urging viewers to tell Congress to support H.R. 4870, The Healthy School Meals Act, which could potentially give schools the ability to offer vegetarian meals for lunch everyday.

Dr. Barnard uses a laboratory graduated cylinder to show the amount of saturated fat in a hamburger versus a veggie burger.

That’s some bad chemistry, man!

Watch the clip, and if you haven’t already told your representative how you feel, it’s time to do so now!

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Last week’s 10 Things I Hate About You featured Kat Stratford winning one for the team by getting her school to offer Meatless Mondays.

However, the student council member she teamed up with to get it passed didn’t tell her he was going to set up a pepperoni pizza stand on the same day declaring war on the vegetarian movement.

Ah, politics.

There is real progress happening in schools, however, to make vegetarian meals the norm, and the South Florida Miami-Dade school district has offered these for a long time.

Recently, the district added three new options to its menu: faux chicken nuggets, veggie burgers and hummus platters.

And no, kids aren’t pitching tents on the football field offering cold cuts to counteract this.

“We’re offering these items on the menu, and not seeing trays and trays go into the garbage can,” said Penny Parham to the Miami Herald, who oversees food services in the district.

If passed, the Healthy School Meals Act, H.R. 4870, introduced by representative Jared Polis, will offer school districts across the nation to test the introduction of vegetarian foods and non dairy beverages into their menus over the next couple of years.

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Taking a break from traditional celebrity gossip to bring some equally star worthy news!

Today is School Lunch Call-In Day, sponsored by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

The day is meant to let your representative know you support the HR 4870 Healthy School Meals Act and they should too!

The Act will allow school districts across the United States to incorporate more plant based meals in the menus, as well as offer non dairy beverages as a standard rather than an exception.

It’s pretty simple to let the rep in your state know you want vegetarian lunches at schools.

1. Learn about the bill if you haven’t already.
2. Locate your representative.
3. If you’re at a loss of words, here are some important points to bring up when you call.

The meat and potatoes offering in school lunches is about as old as this black and white photo.

Just because you were forced to eat cheesesticks and salads every day instead of meatloaf doesn’t mean other children have to.

Contact your rep and voice your support today!

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Amanda Beard, gold medal Olympic swimmer who posed in a very provocative PETA ad against fur, is once again taking on the activist role.

She, along with Olympic soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo and gymnast Nastia Liukin have written to members of Congress, asking them to pass the Healthy School Meals Act of 2010, H.R. 4870.

“I work with young swimmers around the nation to help them overcome obstacles and set high goals,” writes Beard, 2008 co-captain of the U.S. women’s Olympic swimming team and winner of seven Olympic medals.

“But these young athletes face one tough challenge no young person should have to struggle against—the meals they’re served at school are often swimming in fat and cholesterol.”

Beard’s entire letter may be read here.

The Healthy School Meals Act of 2010 was introduced in March by Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado and aims to curb childhood obesity and is supported by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

The Act would introduce healthier items, which include regular vegetarian options, in school districts around the country.

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This week Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado introduced the Healthy School Meals Act of 2010, H.R. 4870, a pilot program that would reward schools with food aid if they regularly offer vegetarian meal alternatives to students.

Polis is not a full time vegetarian himself, but has reduced his red meat intake to once a week and according to The Hill, Polis is a “big believer” in eating vegetarian.

He learned firsthand the problems adolescents have finding healthy food in educational environments when he visited dozens of schools.

“I have been in many lunchrooms during lunch period and can attest to the food that is frequently lacking from a nutritional perspective and very high in saturated fats,” he said.

“For a lot of kids, a lot of their meals come from schools, and many schools are really struggling to meet the USDA guidelines in terms of maximum saturated fat requirements,” he added. “What our bill will do is provide some lower-fat and lower-cholesterol ways for kids to get the nutrition that they need to be healthy.”

Polis’ legislation would create a $4 million dollar budget to test the introduction of vegetarian food and non dairy beverages into certain school districts over the next two years.

Politics has never been more exciting!

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