Yes, the federal government wants to control everything — including the lunches schoolchildren eat. Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) has proposed legislation titled The SLICE Act (School Lunch Improvements for Children’s Education) that would allow the federal government the power to set nutritional standards for schools and stop pizza from being listed as a vegetable. Currently, pizza can be listed as one vegetable serving in school meals because it has tomato paste in it.
Polis accused Congress of being manipulated by fast-food lobbyists, because last year the Agriculture Department had a similar plan but Congress deep-sixed it:
“Agribusinesses should never dictate the quality of school meals. Big food companies have their priorities, which include selling cheap, unhealthy foods at high profits. But parents and schools have their priorities; making sure our kids eat right because research shows a clear connection between nutrition and student performance in school.”
Polis stood up for vegetables this way: “Pizza has a place in school meals. But equating it with broccoli, carrots and celery seriously undermines this nation’s efforts to support children’s health and their ability to learn through better school nutrition.”
Polis acknowledged he’s got nothing personal against pizza, but it shouldn’t be counted as a vegetable because it has sugar, salt, and high fat and carbohydrate content. A release from his office reads:
“While tomato paste has a small amount of nutrients, pizza is loaded with sugar, salt, bread and cheese, which carry a great deal of fat and carbohydrates that turn into sugar during digestion. Categorizing pizza as a vegetable because of its small amount of tomato paste is exactly the wrong approach, as Type II diabetes rates among children and child obesity continue to climb.”
Corey Henry, the vice president of communications for the American Frozen Food Institute, had a logical response:
“Congress did not make pizza a vegetable. Pizza is not now considered a vegetable and never will be considered a vegetable, and no one has ever, or will ever, ask that pizza be considered a vegetable. Congress acted to retain the current vegetable crediting for tomato paste as part of USDA’s new school meal nutrition standards in recognition of tomato paste’s significant nutritional value. Tomato paste is an incredibly versatile and nutrient rich food, packed with Vitamins A and C and rich in fiber, potassium and antioxidants. Nearly two whole tomatoes are required to make just one tablespoon of tomato sauce, which is why USDA rightly credits 1/8th of a cup of tomato paste as a full serving of vegetables. Indeed, USDA’s latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage increased consumption of tomato products, such as paste and sauce … Frozen food makers endorsed the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act and USDA’s final school meal nutrition standards. We look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with school nutritionists as we work to achieve progress towards our shared goal of improved childhood nutrition.”