US Agriculture uses 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides annually. That’s about a 5-lb. bag of pesticide that we each — including children — ingest and consume every year. Isn’t that scary? It’s approved by the USDA.
This is just one of the things I learned from this fascinating video of Ann Cooper, the head of nutrition for Berkeley schools in California. Here is a woman who cares passionately about the health and future of our kids.
As she points out, our kids are the first generation who are predicted to live shorter life spans than their parents due to the toxicity of the foods they eat. The foods we serve them, at home and at school.
If this isn’t a wake-up call to what is really being served in our schools, then I’m not sure what is.
Watch Ann Cooper, the Renegade Lunch Lady, talk about the coming revolution in the way kids eat at school — local, sustainable, seasonal and even educational food.
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I watched this talk with my wife the other day (we’re both very interested in healthy eating), and I must say I was shocked. We don’t live in the states, and as you may guess by my name I am not American. My wife is, however. And we do adopt a lot of American culture here in Norway, good and bad. While these issues are better here in Norway, they are not great, and they are deteriorating.
I was thrilled to see someone adressing these issues in the USA, and saddened to hear about how bad things really are.
Ann Cooper, I don’t know if you really read these comments, but if you do I wish to thank you for a very inspirational talk, and more than that, for doing what you’re doing! I am convinced that a healthy diet. That they will grow up to be healthier, and hopefully also smarter than those who went before them. Thank you for doing a very important part of that work! We need more people like you!
From one very inspired and impressed Norwegian and his American wife
-Vegar and Kelly
My daughter was born with several food allergies. She’s outgrown many of them, but being limited in this way has always been a blessing in disguise.
I’ve been able to supervise her foods from the very beginning.
Not saying she doesn’t get junk food – but when asked by her teacher what her favorite food was? She said “Broccoli.”
That’s my girl. =)
She doesn’t eat “junk” like boxed dinners, processed foods (mostly) or the usual after school snacks that her classmates eat.
She does eat beans, rice, meat, vegetables, fruits, and squash – she loves squash.
So, it can be done. We just have to be committed to doing it. My food budget is off the charts, since I can’t buy much in the way of “mainstream” foods, but *still* I’m committed to keeping her healthy.
The two “junk” foods she eats? French Fries and Oreos. That’s about it unless I make her something safe – but even then it usually has whole grains in it.
So, she’s incredibly healthy. She’s fit. And, she’s happy to eat veggies – all because I never bothered to let her eat junk from the beginning… and because of her allergies, nobody else could either!!
It’s a blessing, I tell you!
Lisa