In contrast to the Agriculture Department’s proposal, which argued for stronger nutritional standards, the spending bill provisions would allow two tablespoons of tomato paste to be credited as a serving of vegetables and prohibit the Agriculture Department from limiting starchy vegetables, which includes french fries, to two servings a week. It would also require more research before allowing the government to implement sodium reductions in school lunches and would make the USDA define “whole grains” before establishing a whole grain requirement.
What has many nutrition advocates up in arms is that, under these provisions, french fries and tomato sauce on pizza would both count as vegetable servings.
“I don’t think [tomato paste] should count as a vegetable. For one, it’s too small of an amount,” Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Change Diet says. “Technically potatoes are vegetables, but children outside of school eat plenty of french fries. We should give them a more nutritious way to eat potatoes.”
