government schools
In this 2011 cartoon, members of Congress dressed as cafeteria workers squeeze tomato paste onto pizza while an USDA official is tossed into a trash bin labeled nutrition guidelines. The food industry lobby stands by approvingly as a student thanks the lawmakers for being cooler than the previous lunch lady. The image captures congressional action that year to block stricter USDA rules on sodium, potatoes and what counts as a vegetable in school meals. Lawmakers effectively preserved the status of pizza and french fries on cafeteria menus by redefining tomato paste servings.
