Shocklingly Sad But True

Recently I met with a friend of mine to talk about putting in a bid to make food for a local middle school's Free Breakfast/Lunch program. I was really excited about the opportunity to make delicious, healthy and affordable meals for these young kids. Cooking healthy, yummy food is my expertise. The idea that I could share that with kids who are fed crap all day was really cool. My excitement was quickly cooled when I learned that this program only budgets about $1.30 per meal. Obviously the only thing that $1.30 can buy is a bunch of sugar-laced, processed garbage.

 

I don't want to get on my soapbox, but I feel compelled to say, how the hell are these kids supposed to have a chance? Obviously they come from low income families, possibly with an absentee parent. This food is supposed to be their fuel to keep their brains engaged during school. How is a child (or an adult for that matter) supposed to be able to sit still and pay attention with a belly full of junk? It's a downward spiral. They're labeled as "problem kids", potentially placed in remedial classes, "diagnosed" with ADD or ADHD. How can the keep up? How can they compete?  This initiative to get salad bars in school is one that we all need to support. If the salad bars are in the schools, then there's a better chance that the kids getting free lunches will have access to them. If the food is in the building, it will be more accessible to that ridiculous $1.30 per meal budget.I'm glad to see Whole Foods Market supporting this cause.

 

I wish more large companies would use their power and influence to make healthy food available to everyone, because it affects our entire community. Healthy food cannot become something that's accessible to the "haves" while elusive to the "have nots". We're already one foot in that pool. But thankfully it's not too late make things right. It only takes $2,500 to get a salad bar in a school. Even your pocket change will really help this cause. So get to Whole Foods and make a donation or go the website http://saladbarproject.org/ and make a donation. Okay, I'm off my soapbox. But seriously, go donate. Now.