This year, Congress must reauthorize the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act that contains several child nutrition programs set to expire Sept. 30, 2015. The losers in this congressional food fight will be low-income children who rely on these programs and continue to live with or be at risk of chronic health conditions.
We must not only maintain the contested nutrition standards in school breakfast and lunch as set by the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (PL 111-296), but go beyond them to ensure low-income children have access to the most healthful foods by:
• Eliminating processed meats in all child nutrition programs.
• Requiring that all child nutrition programs provide the option of a healthful plant-based meal.
• Encouraging Congress to increase funds to schools.