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As the PPS Nutrition Services dietitian who spoke at the Atkinson PTA meeting, I would like to respond. First I applaud the work that Jennifer and parents all over our state are doing to create school gardens, teach children where food comes from and advocate for more local foods in school lunches. I also agree that whole grains, good fats, fresh fruits and vegetables and whole foods are nutritious. We were excited to be able to offer whole grain granola from Bob's Red Mill with Darigold vanilla yogurt and Oregon Marionberries for Wednesday's local lunch in Portland schools. I am grateful that so many partners and advocates have joined the campaign to ask for an investment from the state to support additional local foods in school meals and to help parents like Jennifer start more school gardens throughout Oregon. I believe that we all want the best choices possible to be offered to all of our students. On the question of the benefits of chocolate milk, I do not expect that everyone will agree that it is a healthy choice, but it does provide all the nutrients of unflavored milk. Children are more likely to drink milk when it is flavored which leads to higher calcium intakes (and less wasted milk). A study of 4000 children showed that those who drank flavored milk did not have higher intakes of added sugars in their overall diet.

Thanks to all the moms and others who are working to help children learn about where food comes from and how to make choices that support good health.

Shannon Stember

posted 4 years, 2 months ago
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