BACK TO SCHOOL: Schools serving more vegetarian kids, but veggie advocates say schools not getting the job done
WASHINGTON (AP) What does a kid have to do to get a decent veggie burger?
Lots, if it's lunch time at school.
Whether they've been touched by Babe the talking pig or grossed out by mad cow disease, a growing number of children are rejecting meat, school food service providers say. That's challenging schools to deliver more vegetarian fare along with sloppy joes, hot dogs and chicken fingers.
Parents of vegetarians say most schools, which have long relied on inexpensive, tried-and-true menus, often do a poor job feeding their children.
Recent surveys show that about 2 percent of children under age 18 consider themselves vegetarians, about the same percentage as adults. With nearly 50 million children attending public schools, that means 1 million vegetarian kids lining up for lunch each day.
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