Child Nutrition Act: 12 Key Changes The New Law Delivers (PHOTOS)

This week President Obama signed into law the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The $4.5 billion bill aims to make school foods more nutritious and expand the reach of lunches and dinners to thousands of children. But how exactly will it impact the future health of America's children? Here are 12 key points of the new law you.

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Performance-Based Incentives

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Schools will be eligible for performance-based incentives -- an increase of the federal reimbursement for school meals, of six cents per meal -- for supplying breakfast and lunches that meet nutrition standards outlined in bill. For more information: Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 full text Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 White House fact sheet

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Schools will be eligible for performance-based incentives -- an increase of the federal reimbursement for school meals, of six cents per meal -- for supplying breakfast and lunches that meet nutrition standards outlined in bill.

For more information:
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 full text
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 White House fact sheet

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Comments

[TheRedMantis]

08:45 PM on 02/10/2011

I hunted down the actual guidelines and it looks like a small improvement. Lowering sodium and no trans fats are the stand outs. Meat and Dairy lobbyists are clearly effective with Vilsack as they were with all other USDA's. Veggies are minimal. The thing that strikes me most is that if they had just said one single thing needed to be organic it would change the price of organic food for everyone in the country. The meat they feed the kids is nasty ass stuff. Real nasty. It's chemically fed, large corporate factories that the animal never leaves, antibiotics in the feed, horrifying screams from cows as they see others slaughtered. That kind of meat is full of nasty hormones, chemicals, fecal coli, they have to wash it with more chemicals and it still is full of disease. If the USDS said just meat needed to be humanely raised and organic it would elimate billions of dollars worth of disease. Not to mention lowering cruelty and suffering.

[Eric Flanagan]

10:14 PM on 12/21/2010

I really don't think God cares about what food is served to children in schools.

[Vismortis]

12:45 PM on 12/31/2010

And God is relevant here how? FYI some religions do follow dietary restrictions which means yes he does care.

[Nerdiac]

06:58 PM on 12/21/2010

Anyone remember those frozen sheet pizzas they used to serve on pizza day? We would get so excited for pizza day, and then when it finally came we remembered, "oh yeah, this stuff sucks." It was pre-perforated with the "cheese" that could peel off in one sheet... LOL @ us for eating that stuff, shame on the government for serving it.

[wtfyoutalkingabout]

03:10 AM on 12/15/2011

Sorry to inform you....it hasn't gotten any better:( My kids refuse to eat school pizza!

[Jocelyn Duncan]

10:29 AM on 12/21/2010

As low income high school student I honestly say that the food served in my school's cafeteria is not as healthy as those compared to my better off peers. The overall health and weight of the student body reflects this. This bill needs to pass.

[DinSea]

04:14 AM on 12/21/2010

GREAT JOB PRESIDENT OBAMA - and legislators who brought forth this important bill.

Now we just need someone to monitor & police it ... watch the money and make sure it's following the mission.

[MikeyJaii]

06:44 PM on 12/19/2010

If anyone lives in N.Y.C and grew up as a child attending school, they'll understand it needs a major reform in for children's diet. The lunch is just nasty, as it's so greased up it'll just slide down, no need for chewing.

[themainpoint]

09:38 AM on 12/18/2010

This is a much needed reform. Good job.

[Kiz boy]

01:00 PM on 12/17/2010

Sounds suspiciously sane! great job Vilsack.

[gbrooks]

06:53 AM on 12/17/2010

I'm willing to wager that this will cost a lot, but nothing will actually change.

The root problem is that parent(s) now expect the school system to take care of their children and feed them, when that's their responsibility. I'd rather see money go toward educating the parent on how to pack a kid a good, nutritional lunch, along with a stipend for poor people to buy the food the kid needs, along with a lunch box.

[NinaColbert]

02:49 PM on 12/17/2010

gbrooks,
Giving money to people does not solve the nutrition problem, there are many stores illegally willing to take food stamps in exchange for alcohol and cigarettes. People are not honest, and poverty does not always equate with common sense.
Feeding kids at school is a great idea. That way they are well fed and ready to learn.
All kids should have a hot lunch in the winter. They learn about nitrition and feel good too.

[gbrooks]

03:44 PM on 12/17/2010

Giving money to the gov't, who will use it to cut deals with the first h@ck lobbyist that comes along is worse. I'll take my chances with regular people over these s0ciopaths who get elected to office.

And for crying out loud--I don't eat a hot lunch every day in the winter...a sandwich and salad is just fine--the buildings are heated, you know.

[BLACKCAT66]

01:43 PM on 12/18/2010

sigh.... for a lot of kids (some of them may be your neighbors) free school lunch is their only shot at a decent meal for the whole day. Subsidized and free lunch programs at school are nothing new, this bill (long overdue) just firms up the nutritional standards. It would be nice if all parents could afford to and/or did pack their kids a good lunch but for various reasons it doesn't always happen and its not the kids fault, this bill will at least help to make sure tax payer funds are not being wasted on crap food. I especially like the farm to school incentive as a way to encourage a link between local farms and produce and kids lunches its healthy, green and cost effective.

[Chelsea Mei Bates]

11:03 PM on 12/15/2010

The only thing we've been forcing kids to do is eat UNhealthy foods. If a child can't learn to eat healthy at home, or if said child's parents are neglectful, the only other option is to learn it from school.
Kids didn't choose to eat fried foods at school, the school system forced them to. Now, THAT
was the true injustice.

[inthedesert]

08:12 PM on 12/15/2010

It's interesting how The Child President and wifey are SO concerned about kids but continue to do nothing about parents who are out of work or out of unemployment or are losing the house to foreclosure. How are homeless children supposed to get proper nutrition anyway? I swear, I think this world has gone completely crazy.

[Cynth]

11:41 PM on 12/16/2010

Yeah, ignoring the health issues children face is simply insane. What were they thinking?!?

[BLACKCAT66]

01:49 PM on 12/18/2010

Well I'm sure he could just wave his magic Harry Potter wand and POOF jobs will just fall from the sky. You may do better asking the GOP why they wanted to cut off extensions for unemployment? At least some of the homeless kids that are in school will have a shot at least two decent meals during the day thanks to this bill.

[Smurfaveli]

12:58 PM on 12/15/2010

How dare Obama and his wife try to help kids eat more nutritious meals? I want my fat country back! This is government takeover of government run schools!

[liberty42]

08:51 AM on 12/15/2010

While Michelle's at it, how about making the lunch ladies eat healthy. Most are not your most nutritional conscious people, from what I've seen.

[Morena]

12:42 PM on 12/15/2010

No one's "making" anyone eat anything. If the lunch ladies want to eat more healthfully, they can enjoy a nutritous school lunch.

[liberty42]

08:19 PM on 12/15/2010

I was being facetious.

[laxman0317]

04:31 AM on 12/15/2010

This is wrong im sorry! One it is another way the govt tries to interfere in our personal lives. Instead of trying to tell the kids what to eat how about they put gym back into schools. Thats why kids are fat there is no activity anymore. Two even if this is the best thing for the kids where do the parents responsibilites come in? What good does this do when the kids go home and open a bag of doritoes and soda and play xbox for hours

[fishnetdiver]

07:05 AM on 12/15/2010

no...this is NOT a scheme to interfere in 'our personal lives'. It's a way to make sure that when your child is in school s/he isn't being fed mayonaise and ratturd sandwiches.
and there ARE physical education sections added to this too as well as going back to teaching kids the 'food pyramid' so that they know what's good to eat and why.
as for the parents responsibilities they are still there.
Your kid comes home and eats junk food? YOUR problem.
Don't want your child to have to eat the 'government meals'? BROWNBAG IT.
no one is forcing anyone to do anything.

[FiredUpRTG]

08:47 AM on 12/15/2010

Then why put them in public school to learn math, understand and write a common language and history? If you really want to continue feeding kids french fries and chicken "fingers" everyday, then homeschool them. Americans really need to stop poisoning themselves -- but first, they have to learn hat it's happening. Educate the public in public school.

[Luca Cole]

02:59 AM on 12/15/2010

"123 Get Samples" is the best source for free health product samples. Find tons of great stuff.

[lisalulu]

08:56 AM on 12/15/2010

Thanks. Fan #1.