Liquid Candy Tax Proposal

The Student Blogger just read an article on a Proposed Soda Tax by the website Grist. org

Obama has recently proposed a tax on soda that would increase the price of a $1 2-liter bottle of soda by $0.64. What's with the increase?

Obesity.

According to Marion Nestle, "Regardless of income or ethnicity, adults who drink one or more sodas or other sugar-sweetened beverages every day are 27 percent more likely to be overweight or obese."

The Obama administration seems to hope that this tax will deter people from drinking this factor of obesity. But here's the other part. The tax could potentially earn up to $14.8 BILLION this year. That's BILLION. Can you imagine all that money being put towards programs that would support healthy nutrition towards children and people of all walks of life? This could be monumental.

Coke is against the idea. “I have never seen it work where a government tells people what to eat and what to drink,’’ Kent, the Coca-Cola CEO, said. “If it worked, the Soviet Union would still be around.” Kent also called the soda tax “outrageous.”

At the time, there is no proposed legislation in Congress on the bill and the plausibility of it even passing are slim.

What do you think? Would the soda tax defer you from drinking more soda? Would you think twice about what you put into your mouth? What do you think the administration should do with the money if it were to ever pass? Are you against the idea?

What will it take for Americans to self-promote healthy eating habits to our youngest generation and the world?

One Tray

This video hits the spot when it comes to our lunch food crisis.
The Student Blogger wishes lunch food could magically become good like in this video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH-H3JwrPVA

Mystery Meat Be Gone!

Ah school. The new teachers, friends, pencils and the wonderful sight of the cafeteria's mystery meat.
Wait a second? We're still talking about mystery meat in the 21st century?! Something is wrong here. Last time I checked, there was beef, chicken, pork and fish. Maybe a few bugs found there way in there too but what makes this meat so mysterious?
What makes our school lunches so disgusting and unhealthy anyway? The average lunch costs $1.92. How in the world are schools supposed to serve a full balanced meal on that much per student? The answer: they can't.
The Child and Nutrition Departments in schools are often in the red for their budgets and are always rejected the money that they so desperately need. Cheap food may be great for our wallets, but it does have long term effect. Cheap food in general has been led to environmental degregation, worker abuse, animal abuse, health scares and much much more (remember E. Coli in spinach???).
So what does this mean for us students? Studies have shown that a well-fed child (and by well-fed, I mean low in fat, calories and very high in good nutrients) are more likely to score higher on their tests, have longer attention spans, and feel less stressed.
So if the schools are obviously too concerned with state test scores, somebody needs to show them just how good of an educational investment it is to head for better, more nutritious (and maybe even local) food. And who better else than a school-wide movement of students sticking their tounge out at the food making its way across the serving counter?
Interested or totally grossed out? How about both? What will you do?
Need some ideas to get started? Check out this awesome site created by Chef Anne Cooper with help from Chef Alice Waters:
http://www.thelunchbox.org/