Harry S. Truman said: "No nation is healthier than its children or more prosperous than its farmers." If he is right then our nation is at risk. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that of US children born in the year 2000, one out of three will develop diabetes in their lifetime. Something needs to be done. The good news is that we do have people and organizations that are creating change in our schools.



The Renegade Lunch Lady, Chef Ann Cooper is the outspoken proponent of healthy school lunches. In an interview in The Nation when asked why other schools in the country have not followed her example, this is what she had to say:

Well, who benefits if we fix this? If diabetes goes away, who wins? If there is no high-fructose corn syrup, who wins? Agribusiness, the medical-industrial complex, the government, don't benefit. So who is going to push this? That's the real problem. The welfare and health of our children are being mortgaged by big business. We need to see school lunch as part of a health initiative, not just as a dumping ground for agribusiness.

Under her direction, the Berkeley, California school district has gone from serving 95% processed foods to 96% cooked from scratch. The lucky children in Berkeley eat not only organic, nutritious lunches but they also learn about all aspects of producing healthy food. They even learn how to grow their own food. She is now overhauling the school lunch program in Boulder, Colorado. Her latest book Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way we Feed our Children and her website have great recipes as well as information on innovative programs that are going on in different parts of the country with links and resources for anyone wishing to improve school lunch programs.

Another great organization working hard to improve school lunch programs is The New York Coalition for Healthy School Food. They have lots of information on their website with recipes, resources and volunteer opportunities. On October 14, they are hosting a fundraiser at the Peter Max Art Studio in New York City. New York's healthiest caterers and restaurants will be providing food including one of my favorites-Fran Costigan-her vegan desserts are absolutely wonderful. We are extremely pleased to be able to provide MacroBars to all attendees.