Beefing Up the Veggies, Banning the Candy Milk: Is the LAUSD Actually Saving School Food Today?

A couple of the little customers the LAUSD would not allow LAist to interact with today during their press event (Photo via KFINews/Twitpic)

After months of kerfuffle with Jamie Oliver and local, community food and environmental activists, today the LAUSD board takes action on the dreaded pink milk. While pink milk is an atrocity (it has more sugar than Coca-Cola) in a school district with a childhood obesity epidemic, it calls into question the rest of the USDA mandatory 5 items on a lunch tray. The Oliver camp is calling this a win, and in the light of ABC re-scheduling and lower-than-hoped-for ratings, perhaps it is. But milk is just one part of the equation.

The board is voting today on over $250 million in 5-year food contracts, including possibly substantially beefing up (with soy) their vegetarian offerings.

From what little public information has been made available, it appears the vegetarian options will be highly processed, pre-packaged affairs (like the "Asian Pad Thai" they previewed to the press recently). This is not Real Food Daily vegan-style. No. Also included is something called "farmers' market salad." With no publicly-posted itemized contract published we can only guess what that means. Perhaps we will be enlightened and we will share.

What will not be re-visited is the reported 80% "waste" rate for existing LAUSD food. That's right 4 out of 5 pounds of school food, some $300 million worth, is thrown away. Last month the board voted to donate the uneaten chow to local hunger agencies. No reports of large numbers of homeless populations exiting L.A. as soup kitchen clients exit LA, but we, again will keep you posted.

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By Mud Baron in News on June 14, 2011 11:30 AM

Comments [rss]

Cherie

you can't really get addicted to these things. Except maybe the chocolate, but it's not exactly a strong addiction, you're not going to get the DTs and go out robbing people to pay for your next chocolate fix.http://revitadermnow.com

Nalini Ristha

candy & chocolate was possible by you simply reduce of usage those things because you are also my friend.bye.
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Nalini Sezz

Thank you, am also fine like you then dear please do not worry reallyget away from the addiction of milk, candy & chocolate was possible by you simply reduce of usage those things because you are also my friend.bye.Note: Do not completely avoid take only when essential.http://enhanzmaxx.org

Misha Tellsy

Like any food, if eaten as part of a good diet, they are both nutritionally important and good for you.
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Juli Thaj

Ban milk and the NHS dentists will have even longer waiting lists..
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Juli Misha

Thank you, am also fine like you then dear please do not worry reallyget away from the addiction of milk, candy & chocolate was possible by you simply reduce of usage those things because you are also my friend.bye.http://letheskinlabsreview.org

Juli Nalini

you can't really get addicted to these things. Except maybe the chocolate, but it's not exactly a strong addiction, you're not going to get the DTs and go out robbing people to pay for your next chocolate fix.http://paintzoomsite.org

Saila Mariya

Since when was milk a junk food? Or eggs? Or ham? Like any food, if eaten as part of a good diet,
http://www.squidoo.com/genie-b...

Saila Stela

Since when was milk a junk food? Or eggs? Or ham? Like any food, if
eaten as part of a good diet, they are both nutritionally important and
good for you.
http://letheskinlabsreview.org...

Saila Shivani

Since when was milk a junk food? Or eggs? Or ham? Like any food, if eaten as part of a good diet, they are both nutritionally important and good for you. And you want to ban these foods? Ban milk and the NHS dentists will have even longer waiting lists...http://revitaslimblog.com/

Jully Barby

yeahh they sell milk in asdait will be down the same isle as hot chocolate,,
http://geniebrafacts.com/

Mariye Harry

While pink milk is an atrocity (it has more sugar than Coca-Cola) in a school district with a childhood obesity epidemic,
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