Obama's lunch inspector visits KY school (Yanked Video Edition)

Wed 6:40 PM, Feb 15, 2012
WKYT.COM

Audrey Rowe is visiting schools all over the nation.

“Everything we can do.. to make food taste good,” Rowe told students at Elkhorn Middle School in Frankfort on Wednesday.

The USDA official from Washington, DC got a first-hand look…and taste of school lunches in Kentucky.

“I think we can make it to where one day you’ll say ‘that lady was here and I like this food now.’ That’s what I’m working on,” she said.

Taylor Boggs ate lunch with Rowe, who’s worked directly with President Obama on school lunch legislation.

“She really listened to what I said about the food,” said Boggs, an 8th grader at Elkhorn .

“Usually for students, if they don’t have a good lunch, sometime around mid-afternoon, they get sluggish, start having issues,” said Rowe, who says she visited the school in-between several meetings with officials in Kentucky.

Rowe says the bottom line is that school lunches today are going to be a lot different next year.

8th graders say their meals are pretty good, but some days….

“It’s really greasy…and not fresh,” said Boggs.

Rowe says some districts have brought in chefs in to make changes.

“A few weeks ago Rachel Ray made lunch in one of the schools I was in, she made turkey tacos,” she said.

Elkhorn Middle School was given the thumbs up for already serving fat free milk and whole grain buns.

“I’m really pleased with what I see here in Kentucky. Other school districts are not as far along,” Rowe said.

Rowe says the new laws will not just change what is served in cafeterias, but what is allowed in vending machines and other areas of the school.