Texas Media Coverage

Congress takes aim at unhealthy school lunches by Mary Clare Jalonick. Houston Chronicle. Published 03/24/2010.
Greasy pizzas and high-calorie desserts may be less frequent lunchtime treats for schoolchildren under a wide-ranging nutrition bill approved by a Senate panel Wednesday. The legislation would also provide money for farm to school programs, encouraging schools to buy foods from local farms and grow food gardens on campus. Read the entire article.

Your Turn by Steven Lane. San Antonio Express. Published 11/30/2009.
Let's add to the discussion how to provide healthy food like funding for Kitchen Garden and Farm to School programs along with what artificial ingredients should be added to get kids to drink milk, unless, of course, our thinking is, "Yep, what's a little obesity and diabetes if it gets them to drink it." Read the entire article.

From Farm to School. The Dallas Morning News. Published 09/03/2007.

If you are growing vegetables in East Texas, you have to love the potential that the House farm bill offers you. The same thing applies if you're growing oranges in the Rio Grande Valley. For that matter, this legislation, which the Senate will consider after it returns this week, could open up markets for farmers statewide.

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Local school nutritionists challenge ag commissioner on Farm-to-School program by Christine S. Diamond. The Lufkin Daily News. Published 09/28/2004.
Several local school nutritionists on Monday challenged Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs on the success of the Farm-to-School program. "I would love to support the Farm-to-School program, but why is the produce coming from Houston?" asked Lufkin Independent School District nutritionist Donna Rose. The question came during Combs' discussion of the need for good nutrition in the schools and her hopes to secure money to reward those districts that... Read the entire article.

Food for thought. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Published 05/24/2004.
Sandra Haverlah's concerns about the Texas Department of Agriculture's new public school nutrition policy are misplaced. (See Wednesday commentary "Biting off more than the state can chew.") The nutritional policy provides local districts with a legal means to keep the junk food industry's unhealthy wares out of students' diets, but it doesn't limit their power to set menus or address individual... Read the entire article.

Coppell, Texas, Schools but back on sweets by Katherine Morales. The Dallas Morning News. Published 08/29/2003.
Ice cream, chips and cookies - the spoils of Coppell elementary school cafeterias - won't be so easy to come by this year. The district no longer allows elementary students to buy more than one of these items, called "extras," during meals. A volunteer group of parents and administrators recommended the change after studying the eating habits of young children in the district. Read the entire article.

School children need healthier food choices. Beaumont Enterprise. Published 02/27/2003.
Far too many Texas schoolchildren are beginning the day with a sugary soda and candy bar from a vending machine. This is happening for breakfast -- and in too many instances for lunch -- in high schools, middle schools and even elementary schools. When students -- some who receive 60 percent of their daily meals at school -- choose snacks instead of more nutritious foods from school cafeterias, they not only shortchange themselves in learning development, but they also set themselves up for... Read the entire article.