Simmering question: Will fast-food fanTrump keep healthy school lunches?

Republican President-elect Donald Trump (right) stands with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as they buy

cookies during a visit to Eat'n Park restaurant in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, October 10, 2016, during Trump's

campaign for president. Photo: AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Some students complain about today's healthy school lunches.

School food became healthier when First Lady Michelle Obama sought changes to school

food laws. However, the laws may soon change again. Donald Trump was voted the next

president. He cannot make laws until January, but already people are trying to think about

the laws he might change.

Trump likes fast food such as hamburgers and has promised to make some of the national

food laws less strict. Those laws might include ones about school lunches.

President Barack Obama made laws that called for healthier and safer food. Sometimes

Republican lawmakers, farmers and people who work in the food business disagreed.

They thought the laws were hurting farmers and schools. They said the laws required

schools and farmers to spend too much money.

By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on 11.17.16

Word Count 677

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1

Obama Made Many Changes To Food Laws

Democrats and Republicans are the two main groups that make laws for the country.

Sometimes the groups do not agree. Trump is a Republican. Obama is a Democrat.

The first lady was worried that some American children were unhealthily overweight. In

addition to new school lunch laws, she started a program to help kids exercise.

President Obama and Democrats made many other changes to food laws. They made

laws about food safety and how to label food. Trans fat has also begun to be removed from

food. That is a type of unhealthy fat found especially in some vegetable oils.

President Obama has fought for food laws in other ways, too. Republican lawmakers tried

to cut back the country's food assistance program. It helps people buy food when they do

not have enough money.

Healthier Lunches Are Costly, Schools Say

Sam Kass used to work in the White House giving advice about nutrition and cooking for

the Obamas. He says that people who care about healthy food already miss the Obamas.

Kass thinks they will be fighting for food laws when Trump is president.

Trump has not yet said anything about changing school meal laws. However, Republican

lawmakers and school nutrition leaders have fought against some of Obama's laws. Many

students are used to the healthier foods now. However, some schools still complain that

healthier food costs more. The schools also say that it is difficult to follow the rules exactly.

Robert Aderholt is a Republican lawmaker from Alabama. He says, "I would be very

surprised if we don't see some major changes on the school lunch program."

It has been suggested that Sid Miller would be a good agriculture leader during Trump's

presidency. He is already an agriculture leader in Texas. Miller does not like strict food

laws in schools. He undid a state law that prevented schools from having deep fryers and

soda machines.

Trump Website Targeted "Food Police"

In September, the Trump group put a plan on its website to cut down on food safety laws. It

argued that the rules are hard for farmers. The group also referred to the "food police" at a

U.S. agency that makes sure that food and medicine are safe. The Trump group later

deleted the plan from its website.

Lawmakers passed new food safety laws in 2010. It was one year after a bacteria outbreak

linked to peanuts killed nine people.

Michael Taylor used to work for the government making sure that food safety rules were

followed. He says people would not want the rules changed back.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 2

Program For Poor Could Change

Trump says he has a strong fear of germs. He prefers eating at fast-food restaurants

because he thinks they have higher food safety standards.

Republican lawmakers have been thinking about changing a program that helps people

who make little money buy food. The program became very expensive for the country in

the late 2000s when many people did not have jobs. However, Democrats in the Senate do

not want to change the program.

Many other food laws are already in place. Kass says he thinks that in the future, most of

the laws will stay but that there will not be progress toward new ones.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 3

Quiz

1 Which of the following are two main ideas from the article?

(A) Students and fast food restaurants do not like Obama's food laws. Trump will

change the laws since he is a fan of fast food.

(B) Obama's food laws have helped keep the country healthy. Trump plans on

continuing with Obama's food programs for poor people.

(C) Many schools and farmers have complained about Obama's food laws.

They are asking Trump to make changes to protect them.

(D) Obama made a lot of new food laws to make people healthy. People do not

know what changes Trump will make to these laws.

2 What is the main goal of Obama's food laws?

(A) to save money for farmers

(B) to make food healthier and safer

(C) to support fast food restaurants

(D) to provide more food choices

3 Read the paragraph from the section "Obama Made Many Changes To Food Laws."

President Obama has fought for food laws in other ways, too.

Republican lawmakers tried to cut back the country's food assistance

program. It helps people buy food when they do not have enough

money.

Which word from the text helps you understand the meaning of "assistance"?

(A) fought

(B) laws

(C) helps

(D) food

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4

4 Read the sentence from the section "Healthier Lunches Are Costly, Schools Say."

He says that people who care about healthy food already miss the

Obamas.

Which sentence uses "miss" in the SAME way as the sentence above?

(A) I did not miss a single day of school all year long!

(B) He knew he would miss if the pitcher threw a curve ball.

(C) She studied hard so she would not miss any questions.

(D) As soon as his dad left for work, he started to miss him.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 5

Answer Key

1 Which of the following are two main ideas from the article?

(A) Students and fast food restaurants do not like Obama's food laws. Trump will

change the laws since he is a fan of fast food.

(B) Obama's food laws have helped keep the country healthy. Trump plans on

continuing with Obama's food programs for poor people.

(C) Many schools and farmers have complained about Obama's food laws.

They are asking Trump to make changes to protect them.

(D) Obama made a lot of new food laws to make people healthy. People do

not know what changes Trump will make to these laws.

2 What is the main goal of Obama's food laws?

(A) to save money for farmers

(B) to make food healthier and safer

(C) to support fast food restaurants

(D) to provide more food choices

3 Read the paragraph from the section "Obama Made Many Changes To Food Laws."

President Obama has fought for food laws in other ways, too.

Republican lawmakers tried to cut back the country's food assistance

program. It helps people buy food when they do not have enough

money.

Which word from the text helps you understand the meaning of "assistance"?

(A) fought

(B) laws

(C) helps

(D) food

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 6

4 Read the sentence from the section "Healthier Lunches Are Costly, Schools Say."

He says that people who care about healthy food already miss the

Obamas.

Which sentence uses "miss" in the SAME way as the sentence above?

(A) I did not miss a single day of school all year long!

(B) He knew he would miss if the pitcher threw a curve ball.

(C) She studied hard so she would not miss any questions.

(D) As soon as his dad left for work, he started to miss him.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 7