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Parents Talk: Is Pizza Sauce the Veggie You Had In Mind For Your Kids?

Congress is deciding whether to allow pizza sauce be defined as a vegetable.

A National Public Radio broadcast on Tuesday discussed the perils of Congress and the many things it has to decide. The newest hot topic includes your child's lunch menu at school. The idea of pizza sauce serving as a vegetable is being tossed around.

As part of new nutrition standards proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, schools would need to use about one-half cup of tomato paste on pizza in order for the sauce to count as a vegetable serving.

During the broadcast, Corey Henry of the American Frozen Food Institute said "A slice of pizza would literally be swimming in tomato paste," to constitute a vegetable serving. 

His organization has lobbied Congress to change the provision, and like with most things, not all lawmakers agree on the measure. The House of Representatives has an agriculture appropriations bill that would prevent the new rule on tomato paste from taking effect, if approved.

Margo Wootan of the Center for Science in the Public Interest said in a statement that pizza should be served with a vegetable. In an interview with The Salt, Wootan called the measure possibly "the biggest nutritional blunder since Reagan tried to declare ketchup as a vegetable."

This leads me to this week's Parents Talk question. Would you allow your child to believe pizza sauce is a suitable vegetable?

  • Would you allow your child to believe pizza sauce is a suitable vegetable?

    (Voting has been closed for this question)
    • Yes, technically it comes from a tomato.
        5 (6%)
    • Yes, If Congress says it is, then it must be.
        3 (3%)
    • No, I would explain the difference but allow my child to still get school prepared lunch.
        29 (37%)
    • No, I would explain the difference to my child and start making his/or her lunch.
        40 (51%)
    Total votes: 77
  • Your vote will only count once. This is not a scientific poll. View Results Vote!
About this column: Parents talk, so why not let them do so on Hazelwood Patch. Something may have happened last nigh with your child that you have never experience. Whether you're at work or at home, this is a way for Hazelwood parents to talk about a hot topic or question of the day. You can also submit your own question which our Moms Council will answer. Related Topics: Congress, Congress to define pizza sauce as a vegetable, Pizza Sauce, Pizza Sauce is a Vegetable, and School Lunches

Angela Atkinson

11:48 am on Thursday, November 17, 2011

No, I would definitely not teach my kids that pizza sauce is a vegetable. That kind of thinking will put people in the fast lane to obesity. I really hope that Congress chooses to change the provision, especially considering Michelle Obama's position on childhood obesity.

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Joe Barker

11:54 am on Thursday, November 17, 2011

Not a parent, but come on now. Pizza isn't a vegetable. It can have veggies on it, but there's no way anyone should order some Pizza Hut and think "Yep, I'm getting my veggie on."

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Candace Jarrett

3:44 pm on Thursday, November 17, 2011

Couldn't agree more. I definitely wouldn't allow my child to believe it.

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