Pizza legally now a vegetable, thank you Congress!

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Replies

  • momcindy
    momcindy Posts: 194 Member
    Well, chocolate comes from a bean so that's a veggie too, right? Pizza and Chocolate as part of my 5 a day veggie goal! Yes! :wink:
  • abbie017
    abbie017 Posts: 410
    To be fair, it's the tomato paste they're counting as a vegetable, not pizza. It's literally in the third paragraph of the article you linked to ("The bill also would allow tomato paste on pizzas to be counted as a vegetable...").

    The article had a poor title, since it doesn't reflect what the bill actually stated...and so does this post.
  • KavemanKarg
    KavemanKarg Posts: 266
    To be fair, it's the tomato paste they're counting as a vegetable, not pizza. It's literally in the third paragraph of the article you linked to ("The bill also would allow tomato paste on pizzas to be counted as a vegetable...").

    The article had a poor title, since it doesn't reflect what the bill actually stated...and so does this post.

    Right, but the legal loophole means pizza gets counted as a vegetable for the quota, because of the inclusion of tomato paste.

    By that logic, you could include banana splits because they have a fruit.
  • ashlielinn
    ashlielinn Posts: 920
    haha I work in Congress. Let me tell you, there's a vast majority of us who think this is ridiculous! P.S. It's pizza day in one of our cafeterias ;)
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    To be fair, it's the tomato paste they're counting as a vegetable, not pizza. It's literally in the third paragraph of the article you linked to ("The bill also would allow tomato paste on pizzas to be counted as a vegetable...").

    The article had a poor title, since it doesn't reflect what the bill actually stated...and so does this post.

    the Reagan administration tried to get ketchup listed as a vegetable too. my guess is you are ok with that as well?
  • kardowling
    kardowling Posts: 221 Member
    Crazy talk!! very sad.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Now I want pizza.

    Tomorrow is Pizza day.
  • vger11
    vger11 Posts: 248
    our kiddos hardly have a chance with those Meatballs making decisions like that!
  • SeaSiren1
    SeaSiren1 Posts: 242 Member
    Sadly for some children the school lunches and breakfasts may be the only food they get all day. It's frustrating to think this type of "food" is what these children who already have poverty against them will be provided.
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
    Actually, it sounds like "the government" had been taking steps to reduce the poor health choices of the food being served, but...

    "Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee said the changes would "prevent overly burdensome and costly regulations and to provide greater flexibility for local school districts to improve the nutritional quality of meals."

    BUT it sounds like the school districts are acting on keeping students from being hungry, not keeping them nourished.

    "School districts had said some of the USDA requirements went too far and cost too much when budgets are extremely tight. Schools have long taken broad instructions from the government on what they can serve in federally subsidized meals that are served free or at reduced price to low-income children. But some schools have balked at government attempts to tell them exactly what foods they can't serve."

    The part of "the government" that wants to reduce spending through elimination or reduction of social programs in the US is in agreement with school districts that are focused on not having to lay off thousands of teachers and administrative staff. The idealistic part of "the government" wants to make kids healthier.

    The part about making tomato paste a vegetable just sounds foolish. Sometimes I think this country is so embroiled in its own bureaucracy that it can't see beyond its own nose.

    I think you and I could have a lot to talk about. So to sum up in layman's terms, the government (and specifically state and local governments) has reduced school budgets so much that the school are having trouble providing food for free/reduced lunch students under the current requirements, so the government is changing what can be considered a veg to allow the school disctricts to continue providing free/reduced lunch.
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
    our kiddos hardly have a chance with those Meatballs making decisions like that!

    Well, why is that?

    I mean, I don't know about you, but my husband and I still make the majority of the decisions about what my kid puts in his mouth, not the bozos in Congress.

    So as long as you expect to raise your children instead of letting Congress/the school do it for you, let's hope they have a fighting chance.
  • SinIsIn
    SinIsIn Posts: 1,865 Member
    Now I want pizza.

    Tomorrow is Pizza day.

    Today can be MY pizza day!!!
  • JStarnes
    JStarnes Posts: 5,576 Member
    So what, they count it as a vegetable, that doesn't mean YOU have to count it was a vegetable in your house, does it?

    Congress isn't forcing your kid to eat pizza twice a day every day. They have to allow two choices for food for school lunch anyway - and, as most of us have learned on MFP, it's a lot about portion control, too. Teach your kid to make the healthiest choice possible and stop when they're full.
  • ambie84
    ambie84 Posts: 14
    By that logic, you could include banana splits because they have a fruit.

    Wait....banana splits don't count??? no wonder I need this site......=P

    This story completely reminded me of a Mitch Hedberg quote: That would be cool if you could eat a good food with a bad food and the good food would cover for the bad food when it got to your stomach. Like you could eat a carrot with an onion ring and they would travel down to your stomach, then they would get there, and the carrot would say, "It's cool, he's with me."

    and if you dont know Mitch Hedberg, youtube it, now.
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
    So what, they count it as a vegetable, that doesn't mean YOU have to count it was a vegetable in your house, does it?

    Congress isn't forcing your kid to eat pizza twice a day every day. They have to allow two choices for food for school lunch anyway - and, as most of us have learned on MFP, it's a lot about portion control, too. Teach your kid to make the healthiest choice possible and stop when they're full.

    Thank you for infusing this post with a little more common sense. Some posters seem to be unable to think for themselves.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    This is despicable!!!!

    I was watching a Jamie Oliver programme the other day and he was in the US campaigning for change in school meals and a woman said that chips (French fries) are considered a vegatable option!!!!!!!!!! Say what!?!
    ...you do know that potatoes ARE vegetables, right?:huh:
  • CasperO
    CasperO Posts: 2,913 Member
    I'm really looking forward to where this will lead,,,

    ""April 2017 - In a move hailed by the board or directors at Georgia Pacific, officials at the USDA have certified chicken flavored sawdust as an acceptable filler in school cafeteria meals. "Chicken" nuggets, "Chicken" pot pie and "Chicken" tenders will henceforth contain a small amount (less than 70%) of the substance as a fiber enhancing filler."

    "Film at 11"
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    Pizza contains a vegetable. That doesn't mean it is a vegetable, it just counts as containing one. I'm more annoyed at the potato lobby for insisting the only vegetables we serve children be french fries.
  • Tori_356
    Tori_356 Posts: 510 Member
    how in the hell is pizza a vegetable? are they talking the tomato sauce? or veggies as a topping?! yes it has servings of different food groups but it's not healthy!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    To be fair, it's the tomato paste they're counting as a vegetable, not pizza. It's literally in the third paragraph of the article you linked to ("The bill also would allow tomato paste on pizzas to be counted as a vegetable...").

    The article had a poor title, since it doesn't reflect what the bill actually stated...and so does this post.

    The disagreement was over whether there should be a requirement on how much tomato sauce was required before it became a "serving" of vegetables. The USDA proposal was that .5 cup was needed to be a serving, the Senate wants no restriction. One teaspoon of tomato sauce could be a serving.

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