Real Food for Kids

Who is Real Food For Kids?

We are parents. Concerned parents. Parents who want our schools to stop serving highly processed foods with additives. Parents who know that simple, wholesome food is better for our children. Parents like you! We don’t need an advanced degree to understand this, but many of us have them. We are pediatric healthcare professionals, nutritionists, healthcare workers, certified wellness experts, educators, farmers, chefs, and business owners. Smart people that understand a simple fact: poor diets are causing serious illnesses and obesity in our children. We know, just as you do, that when a child is well-fed with nutritious, real food, he/she is healthier, better behaved and better able to succeed in and out of the classroom.

While FCPS adheres to USDA guidelines for school lunches, we know that we can do so much better. We want all children to eat in schools the way our grandmothers taught us to eat. Pure and simple. It’s not rocket science and it’s not radical--- it’s simply right.

Though not complex in theory, it takes a strong, unified effort to affect positive change. Real Foods For Kids intends to serve as the voice of concerned parents countywide. We desire an open, positive dialogue between FCPS Administrators, Food Nutrition Services, and FCPS PTAs / Parents. Teamwork! The RFFK Resolution has already been adopted by the Fairfax County Council of PTAs (FCCPTA) and a growing number of the school PTAs/PTOs. The grass roots effort takes time but to date, no PTA/PTO has declined adoption of the Resolution.

Our team provides researched information to our School Board so that they might better serve the needs of their constituency---you.  We have asked the Board to fund an assessment of the changes we propose. We anxiously await the approval of this next step toward improving school lunches for all.

So what exactly do we want?

*  Increased quantity of real food in FCPS – not highly processed and without additives, preservatives and flavor enhancers

*  Increased quantity of fresh, local and seasonal foods, including salad bars

*  Increased vegetarian entrée options

*  Increased quantity of healthy ala-carte options

*  Working kitchens to cook, not just reheat school meals that can be made available for educational programs

Really simple, isn’t it?   That’s who we are.   Real Food For Kids.