Improving Michelle Obama's Healthy Kids Initiative

I'm a big supporter of the Health, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The "Michelle Obama school lunch program" has provided millions of students with higher quality breakfasts, lunches, and even dinners. Kids need nutrition in their lunches. It is a most noble and worthy cause that the First Lady pushed to make it happen.

Recently though, a story about a California teacher being fired for collecting the unused, untouched fruit left behind in the cafeteria has made the rounds on the internet. Not sure whether it was a typical Republican hoax, or the real deal, I decided to dig in and ask a teacher. Over the weekend, I was talking to one of my oldest friends, who happens to teach at Easton Area High School, and he indeed said there's truth to this. The law does in fact say that all unused fruit must be thrown into the trash. No collecting it for other students who want it. No collecting it for the homeless shelter. Nothing. Just throw it out.

The HHFA is actually very popular with the public, and should not be altered much. This provision should change. The only reason it is in in there is some industry lobbyist got a Congressman to sneak it in, so schools would need to buy more fruit. This provision makes no sense, and should end. While a law this good should continue, it can always be improved. It should be.