The Child Nutrition Act is up for reauthorization. All of the Untied States Department of Agriculture nutrition programs that fall under this legislation, including School Breakfast and School Lunch Programs, are scheduled to be updated in Congress; the last time was in 2004. This is a chance to make sure no children go hungry, but also the potential to change-and improve-what they are served in their school cafeterias.

Last week, the USDA reported that "food insecurity" rose last year-that is, more families were unable to consistently put food on the table (14.6% of families were food insecure in 2008, up from 11.1% in 2007). As a consequence, more children are going to school undernourished, so their cafeterias are often the best source of a complete meal.

In NYC, recession-related food insecurity may be compounded by the high cost of living. Yet, because of bureaucracy, many kids who should be eligible for free meals are not getting them. At the same time, 1 in 5 kindergarten students in NYC is obese, and Type 2 diabetes is at an all-time high.<!--more-->

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsackaddressed a Senate committee last week about the benefits reforms to nutrition programs could have for the 31 million children who receive school lunches, and the 11 million who receive school breakfasts in this country. He spoke of confronting "both the challenges of obesity and hunger" by "improving meal standards." He also highlighted the economic boost such improvements could offer to local economies and farmers.

The Obama administration has already proposed $10 billion in additional funding for the reauthorization over the next 10 years. With more money for food and revised guidelines for what is served, schools might not have to rely so heavily on processed foods. They might be able to upgrade kitchens to cook food from scratch, as some NYC cafeterias in the news have been trying to do. Perhaps ingredients such as trans fats and high-fructose corn syrup (which is ingredient #2 in the chocolate milk my daughter's cafeteria serves) could be banished.

NYC schools might also have better access to locally-grown produce, as through the Farm to School Network, or even raise some of their own vegetables if they aren't doing so already. Kids would be eating fresher food, which could also help local farmers, lessen environmental impact, and teach kids about where their food comes from.

School nutrition has been a hot topic this fall. Chef Ann Cooper, the "Renegade Lunch Lady," has spoken up for wholesome cafeteria food in the media, demonstrating how schools might make healthy changes, even with their limited budgets. Organizations such as Slow Food and the NYC Alliance for Child Nutrition Reauthorization are pushing for improvements to the Child Nutrition Act. If this subject is important to you, contact your local representative and ask for reform--or encourage your child to write a letter, as these students in Bushwick did.

Are there any changes you would like to see in your school's food? What has your cafeteria already done to improve nutrition?