This morning’s 8 am presentation at Naturally Boulder Days was led by Chef Ann Cooper (her website: Lunch Lessons), who, despite her busy schedule as a chef, director of nutritional services, and consultant was able to fit in a morning full of compelling statistics, inspirational stories of improving school lunches, and a short question and answer session.
Fresh from completing a feasibility study for the Boulder School District (she primarily works in New York, and Berkley, CA), she did a great job of motivating and educating about the dire need to completely overhaul the food service in our nations schools, as well as the implicit eating habits taught to our children (well, not mine…I don’t have any).
The stats hit me hardest. Here is a sampling:
- Phillip Morris receives 10 cents of every dollar spent in grocery stores, yet farmers receive only 9 cents.
- As much as 70% of the antibiotics consumed in this country are ingested in the meat we eat.
- Less than 200 years ago, 95% of Americans farmed. Now less than 2% do.
- We have 2.1 million prisoners, and 1.9 million farmers.
- For every $1 of advertising for healthy food products, $500 is spent on junk food
The most memorable quote:
Chocolate milk is soda in drag!
Missed the talk? You can watch a similar (but abbreviated) talk she gave in December 2007, courtesy of TED. (Either she was a little frantic given the 20 minute time constraint, or she’s been successfully coaches since then, but this morning’s presentation was less frantic and more sincere).
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I love Lunch Lady! I read her book when doing research for my Kid’s Nutrition class, and was really inspired by her mission.
jenna @ foodwithkidappeal.com