Memes

My kids tell me about the food served at school lunch that gets thrown into the trash.

The Associated Press reported that some school nutrition directors want the Department of Agriculture of loosen up the new-ish lunch requirements so students will stop throwing away their food.

In Los Angeles Unified, the nation's second-largest school system, which serves 650,000 meals a day. Students throw out at least $100,000 worth of food a day — and probably far more, according to estimates by David Binkle, the district's food services director. That amounts to $18 million a year — based on a conservative estimate of 10% food waste — which Binkle says would be far better spent on higher-quality items, such as strawberries or watermelon.

But under federal school meal rules finalized in 2012, Parrish and other students must take at least three items — including one fruit or vegetable — even if they don't want them. Otherwise, the federal government won't reimburse school districts for the meals.

"What can we do about this?" Binkle says. "We can stop forcing children to take food they don't like and throw in the garbage."