Think outside the lunch box

Mystery meat, be gone! No more weird gruel served up by grumpy, hair-netted old ladies! Out with the prepackaged, processed junk food!

School lunches need an upgrade, and greenies, foodies, parents, and teachers all have a role to play.

Leading the charge is renowned chef Alice Waters, who started the Edible Schoolyard at a Berkeley, California, middle school in 1994. Through her program, kids grow their own food in the school's garden, harvest the fruits and veggies, then prepare and eat meals. Along the way, students learn about ecology, sustainability, nutrition, history, and more.

The garden and kitchen have become a classroom as well as providing essential fuel for young bodies. This project is model for schools around the U.S.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Waters notes, "You learn from the cycle of nature -- the planting of seeds, the blossoming, and the dying and going back into the earth. It's very important that we digest that. Kids like being outside. They've been deprived of an experience with nature."

Want to help your school make lunchtime greener? Check out the resources from the Center for Ecoliteracy. You can download a PDF of the "Visual Guide to Linking Food, Culture, Health, and the Environment," which is a good introduction for educators.

Get active with other parents -- Better School Food has lots of great grassroots tips. This community support group helps parents, educators, and health professionals improve the quality of children's school meals. Start with the action plan, download the useful tools, and see if you can help start a farm-to-school program.

Do you know what your school wellness policy is? All schools that receive federal meal funding are required to have one. These policies are supposed to encourage healthy foods and exercise and limit sugary, empty-calorie junk foods.

The Healthy School Lunch Campaign sponsored by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine goes a step further. This group recommends vegetarian and vegan entrées should be offered every day in schools to help combat childhood obesity. And as we know, eating fewer animal products is better for the environment too.

Sure, you can always pack junior's own organic PB&J in a reusable container to make sure the kid's getting a healthy meal. But wouldn't it be better if you could depend on a healthy, eco-friendly lunch at school for all the kids?

See if your community can serve up some local greens and maybe an environmental lesson along with the dish.