30 million kids eat school lunch every day, 22 million of whom are eligible for the free and reduced price program because their family income is close to poverty level. Often this is their only balanced meal of the day. This project will help the Chef Ann Foundation provide more resources, tools and grants to school across the country so they can learn how to cook real, whole food for kids in school instead of serving them processed food ridden with chemicals, sugar, unhealthy fats and sodium.
The U.S. has the highest rate of childhood obesity in the world at 13%. A third of kids are on track to contract type II diabetes. Today's children are predicted to die at younger ages than their parents. Poor children are more vulnerable to the obesity epidemic, not from overeating, but from eating poor-quality, processed food. It is more important than ever that we help kids develop healthy eating habits at an early age. We think the greatest impact can be had through changing school food.
Our programs are focused on creating long-term improvement to children's health through permanent changes in the school food systems kids rely on. With each program, we strive to transition schools from processed heat-and-serve food to scratch-cooking models that support local, sustainable agriculture and reduce negative environmental impacts. This ensures that every child in every school has access to healthy, fresh, and nourishing food every day.
Well-nourished students have more energy, are able to focus for longer periods of time, and are better able to learn than those who are slowed down by empty calories and sugar crashes. The eating habits that children develop early in life will affect their diets - and their health - as adults. By changing the way children eat - and think about - food, we are helping to create a future generation of informed consumers and parents whose food choices will support sustainable, healthy food systems.
