Let Them Eat Kale: Schools Get Serious about Nutrition

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            This article tells the story of how Chef Greg Christian introduced fresh, healthy, organic, and locally grown foods into the school lunch program of Chicago Public schools. While this isn’t an isolated incident, a number of these school lunch transformations occur in very affluent areas, areas where the parents are willing and able to foot the bill that is typically associated with a transfer from traditional school lunches to more healthful school lunches. Chef Christian is able to do it in a mostly poverty stricken inner city area, which proves that it's possible almost anywhere.

            This is just such a critical time for developing eating habits and educating people about the risks and benefits of consuming certain food products. While some school administrators are rightfully concerned about test scores and literacy levels, they don’t realize the impact that not only food but food programs have on these aspects of school.

            “Evidence also shows that homegrown foods have a positive impact on everything from test scores to attendance”(Children’s Lifestyle and School Performance Study).

 

Whelan, D.L. Let them eat kale: Schools get serious about nutrition. School Library Journal, 54(6).
 
-ES

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