Sep 04 2009
New Mexico’s School Children Eating New Mexico Grown Produce – part 1
? More and more children in New Mexico are developing serious health issues at a very young age due to poor nutrition and poor eating habits.
? Healthy school lunches are a logical means for children to learn healthy eating habits and gain access to the nutritious food that can support their health.
? Approximately 200,000 children eat school lunch daily. 74% of these children come from low income households and for many this is the only meal they will eat all day.
? Currently, most New Mexico schools spend about 7 to 10 cents a serving to put either a can or fresh fruit on each lunch tray they serve.
? If the state legislature approved funding for the school lunch program to purchase New Mexico grown produce, these schools could serve more fresh fruits and vegetables to the children eating school lunch.
? Our goal for New Mexico is for schools to serve New Mexico grown fresh produce for lunch five days a week. We would like to attain this goal over the next five years. Our initial goal is to ask for funding for the schools to serve at least two lunches a week featuring New Mexico grown produce.