This year, Slow Food – a national nonprofit dedicated to promoting sustainability and connecting farmers, cooks, educators, students and others who care about food and the environment — launched “Time for Lunch,” a national campaign to provide kids with real, healthy food at school. Locally, members of Slow Food Spokane River have organized an Eat-In today.

The Eat-In will give participants the chance to learn more about the Child Nutrition Act, which Congress is expected to reauthorize this year. Slow Food is asking lawmakers to allocate more money toward school meals. Schools receive a cash reimbursement for every meal that’s served, but less than $1 of each meal is spent on actual ingredients. Instead, the money pays for labor, equipment and overhead costs. A petition from the Time for Lunch campaign wants Congress to allocate $1 more per day per child for lunch and establish standards for all food sold at school.

Here’s info about today’s Eat-In:

When: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., just before the annual Spokane Symphony concert at the park.

Where: Comstock Park’s picnic area on Spokane’s South Hill.

What: Event will include hands-on activities for kids and an opportunity for parents and others to learn more about Time for Lunch. People can sign a petition calling for Congress to provide schools with the resources to serve real food for lunch.

More information: Contact Karen at karenb092@gmail.com or (509) 570-4541.

What do your kids eat for lunch at school?

– Posted by Virginia de Leon

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