A revolution is coming to Wilton and it is hitting the school lunch lines.
A group of parents inspired by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution," a new movement to create healthier school lunch menus, is looking to bring the same healthy-eating philosophy to the Wilton public schools.
Representatives from the group will meet with school officials and Chartwells Dining Services in June to discuss ways to trade in the processed foods and high fructose corn syrup for some healthier options, said project member Loralyn Cropper. They hope to not only make the menu more balanced, but also offer more organic options when possible, she said.
British television chef and author, Jamie Oliver, began his campaign in 2009 and so far almost 600,000 people have signed the petition to improve school food and save cooking skills, according to his website, www.jamieoliver.com. Almost 8,000 of those who signed are from Connecticut. His ABC show "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution," hit home for some of the mothers.
"A few of us saw the show and were interested," said Cropper, who has both a second and a fourth grader in the school system. "We felt change needed to take place in Wilton."
Their Facebook group, "Wilton Schools' Food Revolution" has 150 members and growing, but Cropper says there are about 220 people who are currently involved in the project.
Many parents are choosing to send their children to school with a bagged lunch instead of lunch money in hopes that it will be a healthier replacement. "She used to buy [her lunch] all the time," said Mark Keough, whose daughter Kerry attends the Cider Mill School. "Especially on pizza day," he added as Kerry smiled.
Keough said he thinks the sugary treats offered in some school cafeterias and vending machines can be detrimental to the learning environment. "You don't need a sugar high," he said.
But lately, he makes Kerry's lunch because he believes it is healthier and she thinks it tastes better, although he admits he is not exactly certain what types of foods are currently being served to students.
Cropper and other involved in the Wilton food revolution are aiming to make parents more aware of the cafeteria lunch menus and to educate the children about healthy eating habits, she said.
Cropper noted that schools are receptive to their suggestions and that "it is just a matter of making changes," which she believes will start taking place in the fall.
A nutrition policy set by Wilton schools in 2006 states that a goal is to "ensure that all foods offered during the school day on balance promote good nutrition and contribute to the development of healthy, lifelong eating habits."
In a 2007 Center for Science in the Public Interest report, Connecticut received a B- for school foods. According to the report, obesity rates in children and adolescents have tripled during the two decades.
Over 27 percent of children between age 10 and 17 are considered overweight or obese compared to the national average of 30.6 percent, according to the Childhood Obesity Action Network.
Click here to follow Daily Voice and receive free news updates.
