(Music Playing)
Amy: What are your favorite foods?
Child: Mango.
Amy: Mango, what else?
Child: Orange, apricot, tofu.
Amy: Tofu, she like beans, lentils.
My name is Amy Hamlen. I am the Executive Director of the New York Coalition for helping school food. We are a state wide non-profit. And right now wherein Manhattan, in front of Candle 79 which is Inorganic Vegan Restaurant. It only serves a plant base foods.
My inspiration for healthy eating it is not just my own daughter. Although it is certainly that, it is all children. They are stuck with what adults give them and what adults offer them. Food is our fuel and if your not eating the right food you cannot be your best. For the schools that say it is not our responsibility. We say that for the parents who are feeding their children healthfully at home, schools should be not under minding that.
What kids are being fed in schools, it is a really a crime. If I could make major point it would be that they do not have enough funding.
The school meals are based mostly on meat and cheese, and then the vegetables and foods are often canned and unappealing. So, we want to not only increase the fruits and vegetables, but, also the meatless on trays. We want to see more of those because if it is a meatless on tray, meatless, cheese less on tray, it would have no cholesterol because cholesterol is only found in an animal products. It would be very low in saturated fat and it would be high in fiber.
A third of children born in the year 2000 will get type II diabetes at some point in their life if something does not change. And that is the third of all children in this country. But, if you just talk about African-American and Hispanic children, then the number becomes even more frightening. And also right now, 50% of 2 to 15 year olds already have fatty streaks in their arteries which is literally the beginning stage of heart disease as toddlers.
We really think screen time reduction is important because it is through the TV and through the internet and through video games and a lot of marketing targeted towards children that is also under mining parents best efforts.
A lots of food service directors say, the kids are our customers and we need to give the customers what they want. But, you cannot smoke cigarettes in the school. You do not just give kids what ever they want. As a adults we have a responsibility to do what is right for the kids.
What is your favorite vegetable?
Child: Broccoli.
Amy: Broccoli?
What is your favorite dessert?
Child: Ice cream.
Amy: What kind of ice cream?
Child: Strawberry soy ice cream.
Amy: Strawberry soy ice cream which is so delicious and much lower fat than regular ice cream that might have. In fact, they make great soy ice cream at this restaurant.
Child: I will have some after I eat.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services