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COMMUNITY OP-ED JUNE 23, 2023 | The Indian Eye 14

School Food in New York

City: What is the Complete

Picture actually?

Living in New York City, many of our young people only see food as a finished product on the shelf

of a supermarket, in a bodega, or in a package. We want to help them understand how the food system
works—everything from how we grow our food to how it arrives in our grocery stores and on our plates

ERIC ADAMS

ere in New York City, we are
lucky to have an abundance
Hof food from all over the
world, yet many of our families face
food insecurity, and for some of our
children, the breakfast and lunch
they eat at school are their only meals
for the day. This makes it even more
important that we serve our students
healthy, nutritious meals that look
good, taste good, and are culturally In some of our low-income neighborhoods, families do not have access to supermarkets or other nutritious food sources (File photo)
appropriate.
As a city, we have taken import- a supermarket, in a bodega, or in a school cafeteria, visit a grocery store tes and asthma. By eating better at
ant steps in this regard: we follow package. We want to help them un- for a math or science class, take a trip school and exercising more they can
strict nutritional guidelines; we are derstand how the food system works— to a farmers’ market, and so much improve their health and the health
offering more plant-based choices, everything from how we grow our food more. Over 1,000 New York City of the planet. I know this firsthand: I
especially on Plant Powered Fridays to how it arrives in our grocery stores public schools have gardens where was able to preserve my eyesight and
and Meatless Mondays; we’ve ex- and on our plates. We want them to students can learn how to plant and reverse my Type 2 diabetes by adopt-
panded Halal Kitchens so that 87 be able to make healthy food choices grow their own food as well. ing a plant-based diet.
public schools are now certified to and to analyze how the food system In some of our low-income Food insecurity and inequity is
serve Halal meals; this year, we’ve affects the climate, our economy, our neighborhoods, families do not have an ongoing problem in our city that
committed $50 million to create a diverse communities, and our health. access to supermarkets or other nu- affects New Yorkers’ physical and
welcoming environment in more Comprehensive food education can tritious food sources. And since pro- mental health. By serving healthier
than 80 school cafeterias; $5 million also help students develop an ap- cessed foods (like junk food) is often food in our schools and through com-
to train our school food workers; and preciation of the culinary traditions cheaper and more readily accessi- prehensive food education, we can
now we are adding a vital food edu- of our city’s many different cultures. ble than unprocessed foods, 40% of transform our young people’s health
cation component to the mix. In order to achieve this, we must our students, particularly our Black and wellbeing, the health of their
Living in New York City, many weave food education throughout and Latino students, are overweight communities, our city, and our planet.
of our young people only see food the regular school day. Students or obese. This puts them at greater Eric Adams is
as a finished product on the shelf of can learn how to prepare food in the risk for chronic diseases like diabe- the Mayor of New York City, NY

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