Want to get better food into schools across America? We do! Guiding Stars recently responded to world renowned Chef Jamie Oliver‘s call to speak to the USDA and raised our voices in support of new nutrition standards for school breakfast and lunch. We encourage you to speak up as well at Jamie’s Petition Site.
Our letter of support:
March 28, 2011
To the USDA:
On behalf of Guiding Stars®, an innovative nutrition guidance program designed to help consumers make more nutritious food choices, I wish to express our support for better, more nutritious foods in schools. At the forefront of nutrition education, Guiding Stars is actively working to help consumer of all ages, including children, to better understand the role good nutrition plays in a healthy lifestyle.
Originally designed for grocery stores, Guiding Stars has expanded into schools and was the first nutrition guidance program to launch in a public school district, Maine School Administrative District 75 (MSAD 75) in Topsham, Maine. The program has since expanded into Windham, Maine as well as college dining facilities at Bates College, University of New Hampshire, and the University of Dakota. While we have been excited to work with public school systems to help provide students with tools to make more nutritious choices, we have been very disappointed with the food selection offered and see great potential to make improvements.
In our opinion, our schools should raise their standards, and give our kids the quality nutrition they deserve. The proposed new school breakfast and lunch standards will add more FRESH fruits and vegetables; emphasize lower fat dairy; reduce sodium, saturated fat and calories in anything processed; and restrict potato products to once a week.
These are important changes that will help make better quality school meals a reality for thirty million American children. Please don’t dilute the proposed school lunch standards. They are a good first step and we support making these changes in full.
Sincerely,
Sue Till
Client Services Manager
Guiding Stars Licensing Company
Sue Till is the Client Services Manager, for Guiding Stars Licensing Company. Food and nutrition communications has been at the forefront of her career, working on the Wild Blueberry Association of North America’s antioxidant superfruit campaign, the Produce for Better Health Foundation’s 5 A day the Color Way healthy eating program, as well as promotion of healthy products from Mott’s and Dole. As a mom to a busy toddler, Sue can be found at the park, the beach or any place with room to run! And when it comes to family nutrition, Sue strives to make “green” and “good-for-you” foods fun!