Michelle Obama Inspires Olive Garden, Red Lobster to Change Menus: Bravo or Boo?
SodaHead Living
2011/09/15 17:52:05
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Love her or hate her, Michelle Obama is having an impact on what you eat.
The company that owns the Olive Garden, Red Lobster and four other restaurant chains is vowing to cut the calories and sodium in its meals and overhaul its kiddie menu thanks to the first lady's childhood obesity campaign, The Associated Press reports.
Darden Restaurants Inc. will reduce the calories and sodium in all its meals by 10 percent over five years, and by 20 percent over 10 years.
By next July, all kids' meals will come with a side of fruit or vegetables and eight ounces of 1 percent milk unless an adult requests a substitute, Drew Madsen, president and chief operating officer of Darden, told the AP.
Darden's four other restaurant chains are LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52. The Capital Grille and Seasons 52 do not have children's menus.
Needless to say, the first lady was thrilled.
"With this new commitment, Darden is doing what no restaurant company has done before," she said at the announcement on Thursday. "I believe the changes that Darden will make could impact the health and well-being of an entire generation of young people."
Do you applaud the first lady's efforts? Or do you want her to stay out of your favorite restaurants?
The company that owns the Olive Garden, Red Lobster and four other restaurant chains is vowing to cut the calories and sodium in its meals and overhaul its kiddie menu thanks to the first lady's childhood obesity campaign, The Associated Press reports.
Darden Restaurants Inc. will reduce the calories and sodium in all its meals by 10 percent over five years, and by 20 percent over 10 years.
By next July, all kids' meals will come with a side of fruit or vegetables and eight ounces of 1 percent milk unless an adult requests a substitute, Drew Madsen, president and chief operating officer of Darden, told the AP.
Darden's four other restaurant chains are LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52. The Capital Grille and Seasons 52 do not have children's menus.
Needless to say, the first lady was thrilled.
"With this new commitment, Darden is doing what no restaurant company has done before," she said at the announcement on Thursday. "I believe the changes that Darden will make could impact the health and well-being of an entire generation of young people."
Do you applaud the first lady's efforts? Or do you want her to stay out of your favorite restaurants?
BTW, I don't know if Art or Fef is behind this but it smacks of Conservative dog whistle politics:
"Do you applaud the first lady's efforts? Or do you want her to stay out of your favorite restaurants?"
MRS OBAMA DIDN'T MANDATE THIS SO DON'T EVEN TRY TO JUSTIFY "...do you want her to stay out of your favorite...?"
(Read that again REGARDLESS OF INCOME!!)
thanks to a program administered by the federal Department of Agriculture.
“the effort is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Option Program, which will be piloted starting with the 2011-2012 school year.”
“One of the primary goals of this program is to eliminate the stigma that students feel when they get a free lunch, as opposed to paying cash,"
[The stigma??? Nowadays kids just swipe a lunch card. It's not like little Johnie is scrounging for pennies in the lunch line.]
The change will add another 600,000 students to the dole, the News reported.
All states will be part of the program by the 2014-15 school year. "
Why are we now paying for free lunches for kids of rich parents? Are they trying to blow as much money as possible?
The stated goal is to reduce the stigma, but we all know it is so they can control what the kiddies eat.
I'll eat what I want.
Many will argue for her to stay out of their lives, and I completely understand. However, I'd rather see our leaders try to take up causes affecting society on the home-front than sitting idly by or trying to protect certain special interest groups.
She's not making the laws, folks, she's just using her influence (too bad her husband has no clue how to use his proficiently or effectively) to try to make this a better place by keeping toxins out of our bodies. Bravo!