What I'd like to do to improve the food stamp program

[LWolf]

64. Both.

I mean NO refined/processed sugars, with the only sugars coming in moderate amounts of fresh fruit and whole grains containing enough fiber to slow down the conversion process. As someone with insulin resistance who controls it through diet, I'm well aware of all sources of sugar, whether refined sugars we add to foods, or those that occur naturally or are converted through our digestive process. As a long-time public school employee, I'm also more than aware of the spike in obesity and obesity-related diseases at earlier and earlier ages.

Nuts and nut butters, in moderation, are fine...when they don't have a bunch of sugar added to them. Which is why I grind nut butter myself.

Having worked in public education with students from all backgrounds for 32 years, I've seen many, many health conditions which require special diet and treatment. This is why I'd prefer food services at school to offer some choice, rather than portion control over single items. And many do. The school I'm currently working at usually offers a choice of 3 different entrees, which are portion controlled, and then a choice bar with a variety of side dishes that are NOT portion controlled. Now if only we could get rid of the damned cardboard pizza, leather burgers, and mystery nuggets. Or the alternative yogurts loaded with sugar, the sugary cereals, etc..

In all those years, though, I've never met a student with cirrhosis; is the person you help a child? No matter what food delivery system we have in schools, there will always have to be accommodations for students with specific health conditions.

Locally sourced? Of course there are outside considerations that aren't about nutrition involved, but the more local the food is, the fresher it's likely to be, and that IS a nutritional factor if one of the goals is to get rid of pre-processed, over-processed junk.

NO plan is as "simple" as it may appear on the surface.