Twitter Co-Founder Lobbies For Vegetarian School Lunches (VIDEO)

Twitter co-founder Biz Stone has taken up a cause that requires a few more than 140 characters to explain. The microblogging exec is lobbying Congress to add vegetarian options to school lunches, and sent a letter to Rep. George Miller, chair of the House Education and Labor Committee to support the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act, which would add a vegetarian friendly option to children's school lunches.

UPDATE: The Committee on Education and Labor responded to Stone's letter via Twitter, writing that the goal of the reauthorization is to "improve children's access to healthy and affordable meals at school."

Hundreds of thousands of students across the country don't eat meat, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study. However, these young vegetarians often can't find healthy, meatless meals in the school cafeteria ... Even students who aren't vegetarian would benefit from having low-fat, high-fiber vegetarian options.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has released a video advocating healthier school lunches, which has aired on TV in Rep. Miller's district.

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Comments

[kathynyc]

All Kids Gotta Eat. As a former child who used to reject meat options at school, I found myself eating all the fruit, veggies, chips and other 'junk food' veggie snacks around. Wow, what a difference it would've made if I were offered some brown rice and veggie bean tacos, a pizza with natural whole grain crust and all fresh organic veggies on top or even a yummy tofu lasagna instead of the mystery beef lasagna I remember. Kids are going to eat. And if you forget about their individual needs and food restrictions, they just might fill up on foods that are much worse than smart schools could offer. And yes, veggie options are healthy for all kids-not just the vegetarian­s...

[whsmith]

How about the Twitter co-founder lobbies for a way for his over-hyped fad of a web service to make money? These guy has been hobnobbing there way around all the celebrity and political circles, turning down billion dollar buy outs from the likes of Google - in constant name drop mode - but they haven't done anything but create a party line for SMS messages that constantly breaks down and has no business model in sight.

[clearthinker2008]

How about doing something about world hunger instead.

[Diogenis]

clear thinker. I think not

[towre]

Right on man! Enought with this veggie crap!!!!! Let's instead focus on a solution that uses less energy and resources, has less climate impact, promotes better health and is more affordable for the world poor. Like vegetarian food. ...wait! what?! (here's where the cognitive dissonance comes in...)

[Montreaux1991]

Only if it's legumes and vegetables. No textured vegetable protien, no tofu, no Gardenburgers. NO SOY.

Soy is added to breads to boost protein levels.
Soy is used as a stabalizer in pudding, yogurt and ice cream.
Soy is added to nutritional drinks to make them "a complete meal."
Soy is added to damn near every children's food product on the market.

Soy is why we have 6 year old girls getting periods and grown men with fertility problems.

Soy contains ESTROGEN, and we are being slowly poisoned by it.

[poco767c]

Not just vegetarian food, but better food.
There have been countless studies linking better diet to better behavior and test scores.
I know in the UK, TV chefs pioneered schemes to overhaul school meals.
For many children their school meal is the only hot meal they get in a day why should it not be as nutritious and healthy as we can make it?

http://www.feingold.org/Research/PDFstudies/Health-Forum2008.pdf

[BritishColumbian]

Are they serving mustard on those burgers? Perhaps a Republican or Fox News investigation is in order!!!!

[Patrick Christopher]

When I was a teenager, I would have been pretty stoked to have a hot vegetarian option in the lunch line. Would have made my life a lot easier. Really can't see why schools are serving hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, and all that other crap, but they can't manage a veggie burger or a bean burrito? That'd be good for vegetarian students, and it sure wouldn't hurt any other kids, especially given how many young people today are overweight.

[joyf1]

our local school district in Washington State has vegetarian options. It's not a big deal.

[AlabamianForObama]

Has this guy thought of a brown bag lunch?

[JohnCochtosten]

Ehhhh, I'm not sure that's the point.

[Gymmie]

I agree with John the issue isn't about brown bagging from home and what is brought, but giving the kids vegetarian options for lunch when eating *at* school.

And for families who are already vegetarian/vegan (provided the options are truly vegan) those kids will have lunch options as well.

[FemiMommy]

Many kids across the country receive free/reduced cost lunches because their families can't afford to send them with a nutritious lunch.

[towre]

Good idea! Sell only vegan meals at school. Kids who want meat can just bring a brown bad lunch.