Compromise may be underway for first lady's healthy eating initiative
Health
Compromise may be underway for first lady’s healthy eating initiative
A bipartisan Senate agreement would revise healthier meal standards put into place over the last few years to give schools more flexibility in what they serve the nation’s schoolchildren, easing requirements on whole grains and delaying an upcoming deadline to cut sodium levels on the lunch line. The panel is scheduled to vote on the measure on Wednesday. After more than two years of public quarreling, the bill signals a possible truce for a group of school nutrition directors and first lady Michelle Obama, an outspoken proponent of healthier eating during her husband’s seven years in office.
In the absence of increased funding, this agreement eases operational challenges and provides school meal programs critical flexibility to help them plan healthy school meals that appeal to students.
Jean Ronnei, School Nutrition Association president
While legislation released by the Senate Agriculture Committee on Monday would placate some schools that have complained that the rules are burdensome, it is greatly scaled back from an unsuccessful 2014 House Republican effort to allow some schools to opt out of the rules entirely.
