Gillibrand, Quinn Unveil Plan To Revamp School Lunches
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Lawmakers announced plans in Midtown today for an effort to improve child nutrition in the state and eventually across the country.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn joined child nutrition advocates and others to outline a five-point plan to strengthen the Child Nutrition Act.
The plan includes a way for schools to give kids healthier options on the lunch line.
"A typical school lunch might be chicken nuggets, a bag of Doritos, canned peas and maybe some canned fruits," said the senator. "Instead, if we have a higher reimbursement rate of about 70 cents, we can offer our kids a grilled chicken breast, a whole grain roll, fresh fruit cut up, like melon and strawberries, and steamed broccoli. That's a big difference in terms of nutrition and healthy foods for our kids."
Gillibrand's proposal will bring free lunches to more kids living in certain high-cost areas like New York City, where she says it's needed the most.
The Child Nutrition Act is up for reauthorization in the fall, when lawmakers will debate the future of school lunch programs across the country.