A Republican member of the House of Representatives is pushing a bill to ensure that the White House experiences the same calorie caps America’s schoolchildren must endure under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which has long been a signature issue for first lady Michelle Obama.
Rep. Rodney Davis, who represents a largely suburban district southwest of Chicago, is the lawmaker behind the bill, reports Fox News.
His bill would require that all meals served at the White House for state dinners and various other functions conform to exactly the same calorie restrictions as the meals foisted on kids in American public schools.
Davis’s legislation is unlikely to pass, but he says it nevertheless hopes it will send a message about the failure of President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama to lead by example.
“Back home our school districts and students are frustrated and feel like their government is not listening,” Davis told Fox News.
If the law were to pass, however, it would mean drastic changes for the Obama White House.
Take Tuesday night’s state dinner in honor of French President Francois Hollande, for example, which boasted a rib-eye steak with blue cheese that included almost 1,000 mouthwatering, fat-filled calories by itself. The total calorie count for all four courses (not including alcohol) was about 2,500 calories and a stunning, heart-attackesque 152 grams of fat.
These numbers would not come close to meeting the complex body of meal regulations implemented by the Department of Agriculture under the “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.” Those regulations limit portion sizes, calorie counts and saturated fat for school meals. They also require more whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
The law has been tweaked since its inception to make limitations less spartan. However, it’s still pretty spartan.
According to Fox News, the USDA permits America’s elementary school kids a maximum of 1,150 calories for both breakfast and lunch combined.
The restrictive calorie regulations touted by the first lady make the news pretty regularly because many Americans just don’t like them.
Last August, for example, students in rural Harlan County, Kentucky voiced their displeasure about the lunch regime. “They say it tastes like vomit,” explained Harlan County Public Schools board member Myra Mosley at a contentious board meeting. (RELATED: Kentucky students to first lady Michelle Obama: Your food ‘tastes like vomit’)
Some school districts — particularly wealthier ones — have opted out of the calorie-restricting regime and the federal dollars that come with it. Other districts have been subsidizing their operating losses with increased sales of fatty, sugary, calorie-laden junk food. (RELATED: Michelle Obama’s America: Schools now rely on junk food sales to make ends meet)
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