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LA Schools Ditch Chicken Nuggets, Add Sushi

Chicken nuggets out, spinach tortellini in as menu overhauled

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 16, 2011 3:20 AM CDT | Updated Jun 16, 2011 5:53 AM CDT

(Newser) – Chocolate and strawberry milk are off the menu in the nation's second-largest school district. The Los Angeles Unified School District, which serves some 650,000 meals a day, has cut out flavored milk as part of a menu overhaul aimed at reducing child obesity in a region where nearly a third of students are overweight, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The district—which stopped selling soda back in 2004—is also cutting items like chicken nuggets and corn dogs from menus, replacing them with expanded vegetarian selections (like spinach tortellini in butternut squash sauce), more ethnic options, and California sushi rolls. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver hailed the changes, while dairy industry groups argued that axing flavored milk is likely to cause kids to steer clear of school cafeterias.

"I think we are demonizing milk," complained a board member who voted against the change. The juice schools serve at breakfast has more sugar than chocolate milk, she said. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Chicken nuggets, out. California sushi rolls, in. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)

Cafeteria manager Carol Avalos sorts individual milk cartons at the Belmont Senior High cafeteria in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

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LA Schools Ditch Chicken Nuggets, Add Sushi

Chicken nuggets out, spinach tortellini in as menu overhauled

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childhood obesity • milk • junk food • Los Angeles Unified School District • chocolate milk

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