RFK Jr. is the latest in a long line of reformers who have tried to clean up school lunch. The history of those attempts illustrates how hard it is to change the American food system. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Healthy cafeteria food options at IDEA Public Charter School in northeast Washington, DC. Photo by Miles Bryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Chapter 1: What challenges does the American school lunch program face?
It's Today Explained. I'm Noelle King with Miles Bryan. Senior reporter and producer for the program. Hello. Hi. You went to public school, right, Miles? Yes. Go South High Tigers. What do you remember about school lunch? I remember sad lasagna shrink-wrapped in little containers. I remember avoiding it. Do you remember the nugs? The chicken nuggets?
Yeah, if I had to eat school lunch, that was a pretty good option. I actually liked them. But in addition to being very tasty, those nugs were very processed. And at the moment, America has got processed foods in its crosshairs. It's true. We are collectively very down on processed food right now. None more so than Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert Fluoride Kennedy Jr.
I'll get processed food out of school lunch immediately. About half the school lunch program goes to processed food.
Penn, the man who once saved a dead bear cub for a snack, fixed school lunches.
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You're listening to Today Explained. I'm Noelle King, and last week, Miles Bryan and I went to Idea Charter School in Northeast D.C. Okay, Miles, the challenge for American school lunches is to get the ultra-processed foods out. And the challenger is...
My name is Reese Powell. Reese Powell. He's the CEO of a company called Red Rabbit. So Red Rabbit is one of the largest Black-owned school food companies, but we're really a social justice company.
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Chapter 2: Why is processed food a concern in school lunches?
Wow. Chef, may I come behind the line? I've never, okay.
All right, so can you guys hear me? So today we have spaghetti with whole wheat pasta and we have mixed veggies, that's green beans, sauteed peppers, peppers and onions, a fresh garden salad. We also have Parmesan cheese and something that I love dearly, which is the brown butter ricotta. It complements very well with the pasta and the kids absolutely love it.
Let me ask you about these green beans because I am dipping in the past, but you do remember the green beans. I do. You remember they were colorless. Yes, flavorless. What's the word? Slimy.
Slimy, yeah, exactly. I do.
You got peppers in there. You got onions in there. You got spices in there.
Absolutely. Spices, garlic, seasoning.
There was not a chicken nugget in sight in Northeast D.C. Yeah, that meal looked beautiful. But as the father of a young daughter, Noelle, I have to tell you something. The only thing that really matters here is, are the kids going to eat it? Fair.
How's it going? Parmesan cheese or ricotta?
Parmesan.
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