Slow Food, New Orleans is Hosting a Take Time for Lunch Event!
Slow Food New Orleans Calls for Change: Real Food in Schools
-Local Organizations Join in Support-
New Orleans–Real food for school lunches is a necessity to make our children healthy. To draw attention to the need for Congress to pass a better Child Nutrition Act that brings real food to schools, Slow Food USA’s New Orleans Chapter is hosting a Take Time for Lunch event, Saturday, September 12, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Edible Schoolyard New Orleans located at Samuel J. Green Charter School, 2319 Valence Street (entrance on Liberty Street.) In addition to Slow Food New Orleans and Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, local participating organizations include: Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools, marketumbella.org, New Orleans Food & Farm Network and the Food Policy Advisory Committee. Information, garden tours, and children’s activities will be offered at the free event which will be held rain or shine.
Take Time for Lunch is part of a series of more than 280 Slow Food events around the country, supported by many grassroots organizations, to demonstrate support for getting real food in school lunches. In a time of escalating obesity and diabetes epidemics, our schools are serving children precisely the fast food and junk food that endangers their health. This year, Congress and the Obama administration can give schools the resources to serve real food by:
1. Increasing school lunch reimbursements by $1/child/day in this year’s Child Nutrition Act. Providing real food at school is a
down payment on health care reform.
2. Protect against food that threatens children’s health. Establish strong standards for all food sold at school, including food
from vending machines and school fast food.
3. Teach children healthy habits that will last through life. Fund grants for innovative farm to school programs and school gardens.
At the New Orleans Take Time for Lunch, participating organizations will host information tables and lead related activities: attendees will have the opportunity to join the Slow Food USA’s Time for Lunch Campaign to lobby Congress. The New Orleans Food & Farm Network will offer free seeds and garden advice. marketumbrella.org will lead a wholesome kid’s activity related to their Crescent City Farmers Market Marketeer program, and the Edible Schoolyard will offer guided arts and crafts activities and tours of their schoolyard garden. A brief presentation at noon by Edible Schoolyard, Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools, and Slow Food New Orleans will be made.
“Our New Orleans food community is uniting in support of Slow Food USA’s initiative to improve school lunch programs. We believe this change is within reach, and invite the public to learn what we’re doing and how they can help us provide real food to all school children,” said Daphne Derven, Slow Food New Orleans event leader and Executive Director of New Orleans Food & Farm Network.
Children’s quotes follow. Visit these websites to learn more about participating organizations: Slow Food New Orleans, Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools, Market Umbrella, New Orleans Food & Farm Network, Food Policy Advisory Committee
Edible Schoolyard New Orleans: “I never ate a pear. The inside tastes like an apple!”–Kindergartner at lunch
“I love this salad and today’s breakfast was just lovely!” –Leewood, Green Kindergartner
Kids Rethink New Orleans: “Food represents love. Unfortunately, we do not feel the same love in school that we do at home.”– Alisia, 8th grader 2008
“We found that kids will eat healthy food when they know where it’s coming from.”–quote from report, Kids Will Eat It, written by Rethinkers, May 2009
New Orleans Food & Farm Network – classes taught at O. Perry Walker High School Community Center
“I try to help people know they can be healthier by making changes in my own life and showing them it’s possible. I bring the recipes home that I learn in class and cook them for my mom”–Germaine
“I think it’s important what we are learning in this class because we need to be able to take care of ourselves. I took this class two times because it was fun, but I also learned how to eat right.”–Shaney Lark
“I stopped drinking cold drinks since being a part of this class. When I found out how many calories they had I thought, I don’t need that. Now I drink water and ask my mom to buy juice.”–Sean
A Slow Food USA Campaign. For more information, go to www.slowfoodusa.org/timeforlunch
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