Processed Food Rebates Dominate School Cafeterias

Posted By Dr. Mercola | October 25 2011 | 222 views

Have you ever wondered if there was a reason that your child's school cafeteria offered foods like Apple Jacks, Pop-Tarts, Giant Goldfish Grahams and Otis Spunkmeyer muffins? It turns out that the manufacturers of those sugar-laden products pay hefty rebates to giant food service companies to encourage them to purchase their highly processed goods. In fact, nearly everything that goes into running a public school cafeteria comes with a rebate check to help make sure the industrial version of food wins out.

For example, more than 100 companies paid rebates in recent years to Chartwells, the food service management company hired by D.C. Public Schools. The list includes General Mills, Kraft, Kellogg's, ConAgra, and Tyson.

According to La Vida Locavore:

"John Carroll, an assistant New York State attorney general investigating rebating practices there, has said rebates pose 'an inherent conflict of interest' in school feeding programs because they favor highly processed industrial foods ... Produce vendors can't afford to pay a rebate for local apples."