Vegetable Men (photo courtesy of Library of Congress, circa 1904)

A number of new companies have sprung up to meet parents' demands for healthier school lunches for their children. These new companies are offering a fine alternative to the odious practice of having school lunches provided by fast food chains. Serving school children fast foods poor in nutritional value and loaded with dangerous fats in light of widespread obesity, heart disease, and diabetes is inexcusable. School districts that bring in vendors of unhealthy foods to help subsidize the school budget need to find a better way. It's nice to hear about entrepreneurs doing well by serving school kids fresh fruits and organic dishes.

To read an article in USA Today about the young businesses selling healthy lunches to schools go to: Start-ups tote healthy lunches to school

To learn more about the issue of healthy meals for school kids go to: New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods

You can check out a previous item on a cooking and gardening program for middle school kids here: Getting Their Hands Dirty at School