Eat your vegetables! Agriculture officials touring school cafeterias to pitch nutrition bill

Ag. officials pitch nutrition bill at Colo. school

THORNTON, Colo. — Federal agriculture officials toured a suburban Colorado elementary school Tuesday to pitch a school nutrition bill pending in the Senate aimed at reducing childhood obesity.

It would approve $4.5 billion over the next decade for meals for poor students and also set aside federal grants to help schools afford to buy more local produce.

The bill would also tighten nutrition standards and allow the federal government to ban some snacks, which didn’t sit well with some of the second graders at Coronado Hills Elementary School in Thornton.

The ag officials joined the kids for bean-and-cheese burritos with corn and low-fat milk.

Students at the lunch gave the plan mixed reviews — they don’t mind eating fruits and vegetables but also enjoy candy bars.

On the Net:

Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010: ag.senate.gov/site/legislation.html