Nine Products We Need To Ban From School Lunch

In July, the School Nutrition Association (SNA) held its 68th Annual National Conference, but Big Food ran the show by purchasing tons of ads for unhealthful foods. These are the top nine advertised foods that can increase the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes in children.

In July, the School Nutrition Association (SNA) held its 68th Annual National Conference with the goal of bringing together school lunch leaders to improve the quality of cafeteria food. Unfortunately, industry and trade groups took over the conference with ads and product placements hawking food products that increase the risk of chronic diseases in children.

Out of the 32 meal or snack-based advertisements in this year's SNA conference brochure, 62.6 percent were for foods linked with heart disease, diabetes, obesity—and even cancer! Selling these foods to schools makes "Big Food" wealthier, while setting up children for obesity and a lifelong battle with chronic diseases.

Here are nine products advertised at the SNA conference that should be banned from school cafeterias:

1. Big Daddy’s Primo Pizza

(Between pages 4-5)

Big Daddy’s can result in some big health problems for kids. According to Harvard researchers, pizza and cheese are the primo sources of saturated fat in the American diet. Not only are typical cheeses 70 percent fat, they’re primarily saturated “bad” fat, which is linked to dementia and cognitive decline.

2. Old El Paso Fold ‘N Go

(Between pages 16-17)

The Fold ‘N Go advertises egg, turkey chorizo sausage, reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, and sauce on a flour tortilla. Aside from the sauce and tortilla, these are all high-cholesterol items. Over time, eating high-cholesterol foods increases the risk of having a heart attack. While the Fold ‘N Go highlights these five ingredients front and center on the packaging, according to the General Mills website, it actually has 76 ingredients!

3. Foster Farms: Corn Dogs

(Between pages 16-17)

Processed meat products—like hot dogs—are linked to a 29 percent increased risk of colorectal cancer. And this isn’t the only Foster Farms corn dog advertisement in the SNA publication! Foster Farms has a second advertisement between pages 100-101, promoting its chicken corn dogs.

4. Jennie-O Turkey Store: Turkey Meat Taco

(Between pages 28-29)

According to Jennie-O’s website, its ground turkey gets 68 percent of its calories from fat and contains 95 milligrams of cholesterol. High cholesterol consumption can lead to atherosclerosis, or heart disease, by causing plaque buildup in the arteries. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in America.

5. Sara Lee Foodservice: Sausage on a Stick, Hot Dog, and Deli Meat Sandwich

(Between pages 40-41)

Sara Lee advertises a breakfast sausage on a stick wrapped in a whole-wheat blueberry pancake and other processed meat products like hot dogs and deli meat. Consuming just 50 grams of processed meat per day can increase diabetes risk by 51 percent!

6. American Egg Board

(Page 47)

The picture featured in the advertisement shows a cheese and egg omelet. However, just one egg has more than twice the cholesterol as a Big Mac, and egg consumption increases the risk for heart disease and diabetes.

7. General Mills: Yoplait Original, Yoplait Greek, Yoplait GoGurt

(Between pages 84-85)

The Yoplait Greek blueberry yogurt pictured in the SNA brochure has the same amount of sugar as an Apple Cheese Danish from Dunkin’ Donuts. Strawberry-flavored Yoplait Original has more sugar than three Rice Krispies Treats. Not only is yogurt a high-sugar snack, dairy products are linked with an increased risk of prostate and ovarian cancers.

8. JTM Food Group: Queso Blanco Sauce, Macho Nachos, Southwestern Philly Cheesesteak, Carnitas Enchiladas

(Between pages 84-85)

JTM Food Group chose to highlight its Queso Blanco Sauce, offering three serving options. However, the website reveals that the Queso Blanco has 5.3 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, and 415 milligrams of sodium. When you combine that with the pork carnitas to make enchiladas, you create a meal that has more than 7.7 grams of saturated fat, 80 milligrams of cholesterol, 902 milligrams of sodium, and no vegetables.

9. Domino’s Pepperoni Pizza

(Between pages 108-109)

Even though processed meat consumption is linked with colorectal cancer and dairy products are linked to an increased risk of prostate and breast cancers, the Domino’s ad in the SNA program pairs a slice of pepperoni pizza with the text, “Help us take a slice out of cancer.” A logo in the lower right hand corner of the page reveals that Domino’s is an “SNA Patron.”

For more information, visit www.HealthySchoolLunches.org.